Campus France has announced that France hosted 430,466 international students in 2023/24, a year-over-year increase of 4.6%. This continues a trend of gradual growth: last year the increase had been 3%.
By contrast, Canada’s foreign enrolment expanded by 29% in 2023 (and 30% in 2022), and the UK and US posted growth of 12% each in 2022/23. Germany – which is experiencing more interest than ever among international students – saw its foreign enrolment grow by 5% in 2023.
Donatienne Hissard, Director-General of Campus France, said:
“France, like any other major host country, continues its growth of mobilities and the competition to attract talent is fiercer than ever.”
About 1 in 6 students in French higher education are now from other countries. France’s uptick was driven in part by renewed demand from the Asia-Pacific region. This region had been stagnant last year. Importantly, French institutions saw 6% more students from China and 12% more from India.
The top 10 markets are very stable compared with last year, but two trends are significant: Morocco declined for the second year in a row (-4%) and Algeria grew by 7%. The following shows enrolments and year-over-year growth. Many of the Top 10 countries have grown by over 40% over five years: Italy, Spain, Cameroon, and Lebanon. Lebanon, especially, has become a more important market, sending 90% more students in 2023/24 compared with five years ago, despite a small decrease in 2023/24.
- Morocco: 43,350 (-4%)
- Algeria: 34,270 (+7%)
- China: 27,125 (+6%)
- Italy: 21,040 (+5%)
- Senegal: 16,955 (+11%)
- Tunisia: 15,255 (+7%)
- Spain: 12,090 (+4%)
- Cote d’Ivoire: 11,770 (+10%)
- Lebanon: 11,235 (-3%)
- Cameroon: 10,880 (+11%)
Business schools are increasingly popular
Among different types of higher education in France, universities claim about two-thirds of foreign students, but growth is very modest (2% year-over-year). Business schools and schools of engineering, by contrast, attracted 11% and 9% more international students last year. Over five years, business schools have increased their share of the total from 10% to 15%.
Moving up
Campus France points to the Shanghai university rankings to illustrate the quality of the French higher education system:
“The latest Shanghai ranking released on 15 August revealed once again the excellence of French higher education institutions. For the fifth year in a row, France is third worldwide in number of institutions in the Top 50. This outstanding performance also shows with the presence of 25 French institutions in the World Top 1,000 and 18 in the Top 500. Among institutions, the University of Paris Saclay, stands out, with a 12th position worldwide, a 3 ranks increase compared with 2023. It is the best position ever reached by a French institution since the creation of the ranking. In addition, the University of Paris Saclay reached the leading position in continental Europe, confirming its position of national leader.”
Focus on India
Indian students are increasingly looking beyond Canada and the UK for study abroad. A recent QS report explored Indian students’ motivations and preferences when they consider France – which more and more are doing (+12% more in France last year). The survey for the report drew 8,511 responses from Indian students.
The QS research showed that business schools are particularly attractive to Indian students, with 31% of Indian students considering France wanting to study Business and Management, 11% higher than the global average. Almost half of prospective Indian students are exploring postgraduate programmes in France, compared with 21% interested in undergraduate courses.
Rankings and reputation matter a great deal to Indian students: 51% said a French institution’s high ranking was important, compared to the global average of 33%, and 52% said the university must have a good reputation, compared to the global average of 45%.
QS also notes:
“Of [all surveyed international students] looking to study in France, 39% said high graduate starting salaries are indicative of a HEI’s teaching quality. For Indian students, this percentage rises to 50%. Independent ratings and university-organised work placements are all more important to Indian students than the global average. Indian students are also more likely to be worried about getting a job when thinking about studying abroad.”
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