Whether you’re settling in Berlin, Munich or Karlsruhe, or working in IT, education or management, you’ll find English widely spoken and increasingly integrated into professional and social life, according to a new study.
The English Proficiency Index 2025, conducted by Education First (EF), is the world’s largest annual ranking of adult English skills, covering 123 countries and regions where English is not the native language. The results are based on data from 2.2 million test-takers who completed the EF Skills Evaluation.
Germany’s score rose by 17 points compared to last year, propelling it from tenth to fourth place globally with only the Netherlands, Croatia and Austria achieving a higher score. European countries performed well generally, claiming all of the top twelve highest scores.
Germany’s progress should offer reassurance to foreign residents that English proficiency here is not only high, but also potentially still rising.
Speaking remains a challenge
The results reveal a clear hierarchy in Germany’s strengths and areas for improvement. Reading (623) and listening (609) remain the strongest skills among German adults.
Writing (564) lags a little behind, suggesting that while many are comfortable understanding English, fewer feel equally confident expressing themselves on the page.
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The lowest score is found in speaking (521), highlighting a persistent challenge: despite high overall proficiency, active verbal communication in English remains a hurdle for many German native speakers.
This is frequently the case in countries where English is taught primarily as a foreign language, and underscores the importance of practical, conversational exposure to complement classroom learning.
Regional differences
Germany’s English proficiency varies by city and region.
Southern and western regions such as Bavaria (624), North Rhine-Westphalia (621), and Baden-WĂĽrttemberg (613) lead the way, while eastern states like Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (585) and Saxony-Anhalt (597) lag behind.
Among cities, Karlsruhe (673), Aachen (672), and Bonn (662) top the rankings in Germany, with high scores also recorded in Cologne (649), MĂĽnster (646), and Heidelberg (645).
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Berlin (625) ranked sixth worldwide among capital cities. Other major metropolitan centres such as Berlin (625), Hamburg (622), Munich (641), and Frankfurt (624) all perform well above the national average.
In contrast, cities like Mannheim (602) and Bremen (613) are at the lower end of the urban spectrum, though still well above the global average.
Professional differences
The proficiency index reveals some differences in English skills across professions.
Strategy and project management professionals scored highest (700), followed by those in research and development (682), students (655) and teachers (648).
IT professionals (646), admin and clerical staff (629) and sales professionals (627) also performed strongly.
At the other end of the scale, Human Resources (574) and Customer Service (589) recorded some of the lowest scores, highlighting areas where English language skills may need further development.
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Age profiles
All age groups in Germany showed noticeable improvement in English proficiency over the past year, with the exception of the oldest cohort (41+ years), which has seen declining levels for the last four years.
Young adults (21–25 years) continue to lead in fluency, a trend attributed to early English instruction in schools and increased exposure through digital media and international work environments.
The overall upward trend across age groups underscores the effectiveness of Germany’s language education policies and the growing importance of English in daily life and work.
Does Germany's English proficiency score align with your own experience? Share your thoughts on navigating Germany as an English speaker in a comment below.
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