Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
24th Jan 2017

Growth in France but market share still slipping

International enrolment in France grew again last year, with a year-over-year increase of 3.6% that saw the country hosting 309,642 foreign students in 2015/16. This builds on 2014/15’s enrolment of nearly 299,000 students and represents overall growth of 8.7% since 2010/11. These are among the top-level findings in the latest statistical report from Campus France. The report contains detailed insights into the composition of France’s foreign student base for 2015/16. It also makes a number of observations with respect to France’s relative market position as a major study destination, and in this respect the report needs to be read with some caution. There is a larger context for this year’s Campus France data in that while foreign enrolment is indeed growing in France, it continues to grow much more slowly than is the case in other leading destinations. As we pointed out last year, France has been losing market share and slipping down the table of leading study destinations over the last several years. It is now the sixth-ranked global destination after the US, the UK, China, Australia, and Canada, and has ceded its previous position as the leading non-English-speaking destination to China. Further, both Germany (301,000 students in 2015) and Russia (283,000 students in 2014/15) have also been growing their foreign enrolments more quickly. If that trend continues, both will likely surpass France among leading European destinations in the coming years. Russia, for example, has tripled its foreign enrolment over the past decade, and its average annual growth during that period is nearly 10% per year. Meanwhile, Germany has seen its foreign student numbers increase by more than 30% over the last decade as well, and has booked annual growth of 6% or better in each of the last three years. Major English-speaking destinations, notably the US, Canada, and Australia, have also notably outpaced France’s enrolment growth over this period. The US surpassed the one-million-student mark in 2015/16, Canada has seen its foreign enrolment expand by nearly 60% since 2010, and Australia’s foreign student numbers are also surging and on pace for 12% growth in 2016.

Sending markets

As the following table illustrates, the composition of France’s international enrolment, by proportion of major global sending regions, has been very stable over the past several years. While absolute student volumes have changed over this period, each sending region accounts for roughly the same percentage of total enrolment in 2015/16 as it did in 2010/11. source-of-foreign-student-enrolments-in-france-by-sending-region Source of foreign student enrolments in France by sending region, 2010/11 and 2015/15. Source: Campus France Drilling down a little further the following graphic shows individual sending markets for France for 2015/16. Africa remains the home of France’s most important education export markets. More than four in ten of all foreign students in France come from Africa and the continent has provided some of the most important drivers of French enrolment growth over the last five years (including Morocco with 15% growth since 2010/11, Congo at +24%, and Côte d’Ivoire at +50%). non-uropean-sources-of-foreign-students-in-france Non-European sources of foreign students in France, 2015/16. The red indicator indicates the portion of outbound students from each country who chose France as their study destination. Source: Campus France France’s notable non-African growth markets are largely found in Europe. They include Italy (+50% since 2010/11), Spain (+28%), Portugal (+31%), Belgium (+17%), and the UK (+18%). Outside of Europe and Africa, the remaining notable growth markets are found in Latin America with Brazilian numbers up 17% since 2010/11 (although softening last year) and a nearly 20% increase in Colombian students. european-sources-of-foreign-students-in-france European sources of foreign students in France, 2015/16. The red indicator indicates the portion of outbound students from each country who chose France as their study destination. Source: Campus France Campus France attributes some of 2015/16’s overall growth to improved student services, streamlined visa processing, and expanded options for English-medium study within French institutions. For additional detail on these and other measures to boost France’s attractiveness to foreign students, please see "France aims to counter slowing international enrolment growth".

Most Recent

  • The next era of international education: Trust, transparency, and a focus on quality Read More
  • The UK is quickly expanding its TNE footprint in India Read More
  • Türkiye: After a decade of dramatic growth, a goal to host 500,000 international students by 2028 Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

The UK is quickly expanding its TNE footprint in India As universities in the Big Four (Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US) face more immigration-related challenges in...
Read more
Türkiye: After a decade of dramatic growth, a goal to host 500,000 international students by 2028 In the past couple of years, we have frequently referred to “alternative” destinations that are becoming more popular...
Read more
UK to implement reduced Graduate Route from January 2027 The UK Home Office has confirmed the implementation of one of the key items in its May 2025...
Read more
UK transnational education enrolments poised to surpass onshore students this decade The latest available numbers from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) tell us that there were 732,285 international...
Read more
Trump administration’s proposed deal with select US colleges includes a cap on international undergraduate enrolment Update for 21 October 2025: The administration’s 20 October deadline for responding to the proposed compact has now...
Read more
Australia introduces new integrity measures through proposed amendments to the ESOS Act Australian Minister of Education Jason Clare tabled the Education Legislation Amendment (Integrity and Other Measures) Bill 2025 in...
Read more
Australia: With ELICOS under pressure, peak bodies push for reduction in “extortionate” visa fees The latest data from the Department of Education reveals that enrolments in Australia’s ELICOS sector (English Language Intensive...
Read more
South Korea hits its 300,000 student target two years ahead of schedule In 2023, the South Korean government announced a plan to attract 300,000 international students by 2027: 220,000 in...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links