According to recent data from Campus France, Morocco and Algeria are prominent contributors to the international student population in France. Morocco tops the list, with Algerian students following closely behind. In the academic year spanning 2022 to 2023, France hosted 45,162 Moroccan students, making up 11 percent of the total international student body. This represents a significant increase of 13 percent in Moroccan students over the five-year period from 2017 to 2022.
Algerian students have also made a substantial impact, with their numbers reaching 32,147 by 2023. They account for eight percent of all international students in France. This reflects a steady rise of five percent in the Algerian student population over the same five-year span.
Conversely, the number of Chinese students in France has experienced a notable decline. From 2022 to 2023, their numbers fell by 15 percent, totalling 25,605 students. This drop contrasts with the growing numbers from other countries. In a notable shift, Italian students have seen a significant increase of 50 percent in their numbers between 2017 and 2022. As a result, they now represent the fourth-largest group of international students in France. They are followed by Senegalese students, who number 15,251.
These trends highlight the dynamic nature of international student mobility and the shifting preferences of students worldwide in choosing France as their destination for higher education.