France reports more than 443,000 international students in higher education for 2024/25

The latest data release from Campus France reports a record-high foreign enrolment in the country. There were 443,500 international students in French higher education in 2024/25, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3% and five-year growth of 17% overall. This puts the proportion of foreign students, as a percentage of total higher education enrolment in France, at nearly 15% as of this year.

"Student mobility to France has found its cruising speed, in an uncertain international context," says Campus France Director-General Donatienne Hissard. "There have never been so many mobile students in the world, but their destination choices are diversifying: we have gone from a handful of competitors to a broader range, with a decline underway in the United States, the leading host country. The challenge for Europe and France is to position themselves as an alternative in this unprecedented landscape."

Growing numbers of students from Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe are helping to power that steady growth in recent years, but, relative to many top destinations, France's enrolment base is nicely diversified.

The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and Sub-Saharan regions contributed more than half of all international students in France this year, with another 26% coming from elsewhere in Europe. Asia, meaning especially China, accounted for 13% of all foreign enrolments.

The top ten sending countries accounted for just over half of all foreign enrolment in 2024/25, but no one market represents more than 10% of France's international student body. As reflected in the following table, the top senders are Morocco, Algeria, China, Italy, Senegal, Tunisia, Spain, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, and Lebanon.

Campus France adds, "Morocco remains in the lead despite a decline in the number of Moroccan students (-3%). In second place, the number of Algerian students remains stable year-on-year (+1%), and has increased by 18% over five years. After a post-pandemic rebound of 6% in 2023, China, the third largest country of origin, is again experiencing a -3% decline in its numbers, while Italy and Spain are experiencing notable increases, exceeding 35% over five years."

The agency notes as well, that, in spite of softening numbers from China, enrolment from Asia is ticking up as well: "Driven by the strong momentum of India, [which is] now the 11th country of origin in 2025 (compared to 13th in 2024) with 9,100 students, an increase of 17% in one year, reflecting the ambitious objectives of the Franco-Indian roadmap for student mobility."

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of all foreign students in the country and enrolled in universities. While year-over-year growth by institution type was fairly evenly distributed in 2024/25, there is a notable five-year growth spike in French business schools (52% growth overall).

For additional background, please see:

• "France enrolled over 430,000 international students in higher education in 2023/24"
• "ICEF Podcast: Redrawing the map of global student flows from the ‘Big Four’ to the ‘Big Fourteen’"