France has seen another record in its higher-education system: during the 2024/25 academic year, over 443,500 international students were enrolled — a 3% increase from the previous year. Over the past five years, foreign enrollment has jumped roughly 17%, putting international students at nearly 15% of all higher-education students in France.
Origins & Trends
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Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and South Asia are major sources of international students.
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Over half of them come from the MENA (Middle East & North Africa) and Sub-Saharan Africa. Europe contributes about 26%, while Asia (led by India) makes up around 13%.
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Among sending countries, Morocco remains in the lead, despite a slight decline, followed by Algeria, China, Italy, Senegal, Tunisia, Spain, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and Lebanon.
Institutional & Sector Highlights
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About 63% of international students are enrolled in universities.
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A notable growth area: French business schools have experienced a 52% increase in foreign student enrolment over the past five years.
What This Means
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France is steadily becoming more attractive to students globally, offering strong pull-factors such as diversified origin countries and well‐regarded institutions.
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The gains suggest competition among study destinations is broadening; more students are choosing non-traditional or alternative countries instead of a small set of top hosts.
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For institutions outside the usual student flows, there may be lessons in how France supports international students, diversifies its sourcing, and boosts the appeal of its programs.