key figures 2022: student mobility is back, with changes

Download key figures 2022

Students return to France after the pandemic

France’s efforts to continue welcoming international students during the pandemic have paid off:

• After falling by 17% in 2020 in response to the pandemic, the number of study visas rebounded strongly (+25%) in 2021, reflecting a 3% increase over prepandemic 2019.

• Despite the pandemic, the total number of international students in France remained stable (-1%) in 2020-2021, compared to the previous year. France now has 365,000 international students, an increase of 18% over five years earlier.

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Who are the international students in France?

Morocco, Algeria, China, Italy, and Senegal have the highest representation among these 365,000 students. North Africa and the Middle East are the most heavily represented areas of origin (29%), followed by Europe (24%). Over a five-year period, students from Sub-Saharan Africa saw the greatest increase (+41%).

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Two-thirds of international students attend a university, followed by business schools (13%), engineering schools (8%), and higher education curricula in high schools (particularly preparatory classes, 5%). Foreign students account for 13% of all students in France and 40% of doctoral students. Île-de-France is home to more than a third, followed by Auvergne Rhône-Alpes and Occitanie.

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The French government provided scholarships to nearly 7,700 international students and trainees in 2020-21.

The European Union is the world’s top destination for students

The most recent global reference figures are those of UNESCO, dated 2019, which was prior to the pandemic. What can we learn from this information before the upheaval brought on primarily by the pandemic?

• For the first time ever, the global number of mobility students has surpassed 6 million, representing a 35% increase in just five years.

• The European Union continued to be the top-ranked destination region and the second most common region of origin for students.

• The most popular host country was the United States, followed by Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, Canada, and France.

• Among the top countries of origin, France exceeded 100,000 outbound students for the first time, moving up one spot to fifth place, after China (1), India (2), Vietnam (3), and Germany (4).

• Finally, according to Erasmus+ data from 2019-2020, France surpassed Germany and the United Kingdom as the second most popular destination country for Erasmus+ students.

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How will mobility evolve throughout the world?

If 2022 ends up being the year of mobility’s return, it will do so in a form largely shaped by the unprecedented crises that have occurred since 2020.

In Europe

• Brexit and higher tuition fees are driving EU students away from the United Kingdom as a destination. This decline is offset, however, by an increase in the number of Asian students in the country.

• The war in Ukraine is expected to have an impact on Russia’s position as the fifth-ranked host country, and it may also have an impact on the flow of students from Africa, who were present in large numbers in Ukraine prior to the war.

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Worldwide

• In the face of Covid, the continued isolation of the top country of origin, China, will be a decisive factor, particularly for countries that rely most heavily on mobility from this country, such as Australia.

• Australia’s (2nd host country) closure during the pandemic could also have an impact on its rise and influence the next ranking.

• Canada stands out as a major host country by emphasizing its bilingualism, its positive environmental image, and its employment opportunities.

Campus France's key figures

An annual publication, Campus France’s “Key Figures” is an analytical and comparative survey of major trends in student mobility in France and the world. This reference tool tracks changes in every type of mobility (inbound/outbound; degree programs/exchanges) and connects them to countries’ strategies for attracting international students.