Number of International Students in France Hits All-Time High

France has set a new record of international students.

According to newly released official data, there were 18,379 more international students enrolled in universities in 2023/24 than the previous year.

A report published by Campus France, citing data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Higher Education and Research, shows that international student enrollment at French higher education institutions reached 430,466, making up 14 percent of all students in the country.

The number has increased by 17 percent in a five-year period and by 4.5 percent from the 2022/23 academic year when France welcomed 412,087 students, Erudera.com reports.

“The number of foreign students registered in the French higher education system during the academic year 2023-2024 reached 430,466, including 10,772 foreign apprentices in advanced technician studies, a 4.5 percent increase over one year, and a 17 percent increase over five years,” Campus France report reads.

This is the sharpest increase in international students at French higher education institutions. Over the past two years, specifically in 2021/22, enrollment increased by 8 percent, while in 2022/23, numbers increased by a slight 3 percent.

Morocco Top Source for Students in France, But Numbers Decline for Second Year

Morocco, Algeria, China, Italy, and Senegal are the top source countries for students in France this year as well. However, although Morocco continues to lead with the most students in France, there are fewer Moroccan students in the country for the second consecutive year.

In 2023/24, the number of Moroccan students dropped 4 percent from the previous year, but France saw a 7 percent increase in students from Algeria and a 6 percent increase in Chinese students.

A significant increase of 14 percent and 10 percent has been recorded in students from Ukraine and Romania, respectively. According to data, all regions worldwide send more students to France than the Americas.

Commenting on the positive change, Donatienne Hissard, Director-General of Campus France, said that the “post-COVID pickup effect is fading,” and France is witnessing growth in the number of international students. She also mentioned the global competition to attract the best students is “fiercer than ever.”

“Figures reveal the consolidation of the attractiveness of French higher education and all its institutions. The latest Shanghai ranking also confirms this trend, with 25 universities and schools in the ranking, and institutions going up,” Hissard said.

France Aims to Welcome 500,000 International Students By 2027

In 2019, Campus France, in partnership with the French government, launched “Welcome to France,” a strategy to bring half a million international students by 2027.

To make this happen, France has been simplifying the application process for international students, among other things. Currently, France is among the few countries where international students are able to have health insurance and access other social benefits.

International students contribute €5 billion to the French economy. According to a survey of 9,992 international students who studied in France, 77 percent cited family circles as their primary source of funding for their studies.

The study conducted in 2022 by Campus France, in collaboration with the Kantar Public, a research agency, also found that 48 percent of students financed their education in the country through personal savings, and another 48 percent worked while studying in France.