In the 2023/2024 academic year, 430,466 international students were registered in the French higher education system – a 4.5% increase from the previous academic year, according to new government data.
The recent figures show a 17% increase over five years when compared with those of 2018/2019.
Following a slowdown last year in student mobility from Asia-Pacific, France experienced a resurgence in student mobility from the region this year, with an increase of 5%.
Student numbers from India saw a 12% increase, while China saw a 6% increase, marking a rebound after the Covid-related restrictions that limited mobility from the country.
Sub-Saharan Africa stood out as the region with with the sharpest growth – a 9% increase compared with last year.
Meanwhile, numbers from Europe grew by 4%, driven by an increase in students from Ukraine (14%) and Romania (10%).
The Americas region saw a 1% decrease over one year, according to the government data.
Morocco, Algeria, China, Italy and Senegal remain the top sending countries of international students to France, with the top 10 countries remaining largely unchanged year on year.
Though Morocco still leads the way, Campus France noted the number of Moroccan students in France decreased for the second year in a row, this year by 4%.
Meanwhile, student numbers from Algeria saw a 7% increase.
All institution types saw an increase in their international student numbers, with business schools registering the sharpest increase at 11%.
According to analysis by Campus France, the change in the number of international students in France is the result of two years of increase: a sharp post-Covid pickup of mobilities (8%) in 2021/2022, followed by a smaller 3% in 2022/2023.
The competition to attract talents is fiercer than ever
Donatienne Hissard, Campus France
“The post-Covid pickup effect is fading, and France, like any other major host country, continues its growth of mobilities,” said Donatienne Hissard, director-general of Campus France.
However, she noted that “competition to attract talents is fiercer than ever”.
“According to first estimates, our competitors register increases ranging from 5% in Germany for 2023-24 to 12% for the United Kingdom between 2022 and 2023, and even 29% for Canada in 2023, which leads to adjustments in relation with this post-pandemic increase.”
Speaking to The PIE News at the 2024 EAIE conference in Toulouse, Hissard said that by surpassing 430,000 international students, France is “on track” to reach its target of 500,000 by 2027.
However, she suggested more information is needed about the direction of the country’s new centre-right government and the impact this will have on international education.
International students make up 14% of the student population in France, maintaining the same proportion as last year.
