Following on from the strong growth reported by the sector in the 2021/22 academic year, the latest data release from Spain’s Ministerio de Universidades points to a new, record-high number of international students in Spanish universities in 2022/23.
The ministry says that there were 241,777 foreign students in Spain’s universities in 2022/23. That represents a nearly 8% year-over-year gain. It also adds up to an impressive 16% increase from a pre-pandemic base of 208,321 students in 2019/20.
The 2022/23 total includes 180,563 foreign students enrolled in degree programmes and another 61,214 exchange programme participants.
Top sending markets
The broad pattern in terms of the countries of origin for foreign students in Spanish higher education is largely the same in 2022/23 as it was the year before. European markets are well represented with Italy, France, Germany, and Romania comfortably in the top ten.
Outside of the European senders, Spanish-speaking markets also figure prominently, including Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Chile. In fact, much of the year-over-year growth for 2022/23 appears to have been driven by a couple of key Spanish-language markets, notably Colombia and Mexico.
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