France continues to strengthen its position as a leading destination for international students. During the academic year 2024–2025, a total of 443,500 foreign students were enrolled in French higher education institutions. This represents a 3% increase compared to the previous year and a 17% growth over five years, showing a steady upward trend in student mobility to France. Foreign students now make up roughly 15% of all students in the French higher education system, maintaining a stable share compared with last year.
📈 Growth Across Institutions
The increase in foreign student numbers is consistent across all types of institutions:
• Universities: Host the majority (63%) of international students, with a 3% increase over one year.
• Business schools: Represent 15% of foreign students, also growing by 3%, and showing a remarkable 52% growth over five years.
• Engineering schools: Account for 8% of foreign students, increasing by 4% over the year.
In universities, international students primarily enroll in fundamental sciences and health/medicine (43%), followed by literature, languages, humanities, and economics/management.
🌏 Countries and Regions of Origin
The main countries sending students to France remain Morocco, Algeria, China, Italy, and Senegal. Key trends include:
• Morocco: Largest source, though slightly decreased by 3%.
• Algeria: Stable over the year (+1%), 18% increase over five years.
• China: Slight decline by 3% after a post-pandemic recovery.
• Italy and Spain: Sharp increases of more than 35% over five years.
• India: Now the 11th largest source with 9,100 students, a 17% increase over one year, reflecting growing Franco-Indian education collaborations.
Regionally, student flows increased from:
• Sub-Saharan Africa: +7%, driven by Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Madagascar, Guinea, and DR Congo.
• Europe: +5%, led by Armenia, Romania, Turkey, and Spain.
• Asia-Oceania: +3%, with India showing strong growth.
• Ukraine: +11% over one year and +141% over five years due to the geopolitical situation.
• Americas: Decrease of 3%, mainly North and Central America.
🎓 France’s Academic Prestige
France’s higher education institutions continue to gain international recognition:
• Shanghai Ranking 2025: 27 French universities are now included in the global ranking (+2% compared to 2024).
• University of Paris-Saclay: Remains in the Top 15 globally.
• New entrants: Jules Verne University of Picardie and University of Versailles – Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
These rankings reflect the growing quality and global reputation of French higher education, making it an increasingly attractive destination for international students.
⚡ Key Takeaways
• France has a steady increase in international student enrollment, now nearly 445,000.
• Growth is widespread across universities, business, and engineering schools.
• France attracts students from Africa, Europe, and Asia, with notable increases from India and Ukraine.
• The country’s global ranking and academic prestige continue to rise, strengthening its international appeal.