Which country is home to the largest international student population?

It’s easier today than ever before to study abroad; just look at the countries with the largest international student population. 

In 2019, six million students were studying in countries other than their own – new data projects a 4% growth over the next few years, culminating in just over nine million students abroad by 2030.

Whether it’s for a higher quality of education, better job prospects, self-improvement, the desire to discover what life is like in another country or a combination these reasons, millions leave their home every year to seek knowledge abroad.

And each year, their numbers grow. But where are these students going, and where are they from?

Countries with the most students going abroad

The answer is China and India, the world’s two most populous nations. 

According to UNESCO, more than one million Chinese students were studying abroad in 2021, while India had about 508,000 students.

Their destinations? The US, UK, and Australia remain popular options, but many are also branching out to explore prestigious universities in Asia and Europe.

Countries like:

• Netherlands: 5,610 in 2022-2023, (+6% from 2021-2022)
• Spain: 12,525 in 2021-2022 (+6% from 2019-2020)
• Ireland: 5,110 in 2022 (+11% from 2021 and 7% from 2019)

The demand to study abroad remains strong in 2024 and beyond, as experts believe that China’s economy is one of the main reasons students choose to go abroad. 

The youth unemployment rate is high, and the younger generation is open to study abroad opportunities as they consider that a better option than attempting to break through bleak job prospects. 

Other countries with large numbers of students going abroad include Nigeria, Vietnam, Germany, and Uzbekistan, with around 100,000 students each. 

A foreign degree also offers a competitive edge in a saturated job market. Internationality is one of the six key employability drivers (specialisation, graduate skills, academic performance, focus on work expertise, social impact and leadership, and internationality) according to the 2023-24 Global Employability University Ranking and Survey (GEURS).

Interested to learn more? No matter where you’re from, consider joining your fellow countrymen at one of these study abroad destinations:

You’ll find many top-ranking universities in the US. Source: AFP

Countries home to the largest international student population 

Several countries are making their way up global university rankings as well as maintaining a high-quality education, welcoming environment, and promising graduate prospects.

Data presented is from the latest reports available: 

US

The US hosted the highest number of international students on record in the 2023-24 academic year, totalling up to 1,126,690 individuals, according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors report.

There were also 18,129 international students enrolled in US-based higher education courses online while remaining physically abroad.

The country remains the world’s most attractive destination for international students, as most of the world’s top universities can be found there. 

Although recent policy changes under President Donald Trump’s administration have resulted in the decline of international student numbers in the US, it remains by far the country with the largest international student population.

Australia has always been an extremely popular international student destination. Source: AFP

Australia

The latest government report lists 1,095,298 international student enrolments in 2024. This is the highest growth since 2019.

55% of international students were from the following five student source countries: 

• China (22% of international students)
• India (16%)
• Nepal (8%)
• Philippines (5%) 
• Vietnam (4%)

However, Australia may not hold second place for much longer, as the country is looking into cutting international student numbers, even slowing down visa processes once universities hit 80% of the government’s previously announced cap. 

Canadians speak mostly English and French. Source: AFP

Canada

Canada was reported to have 1,040,985 international students at the end of 2023, a 29% increase over 2022, accounting for more than 2% of the country’s population. 

Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, has long held the largest international student population in Canada.

However, this volume of international students has presented some problems for the country, including high demand for housing than supply, healthcare struggles, and an overly-saturated market. 

As a result, 2024 introduced a cap to international student applications, cutting visa approval rates by up to 50% from January through October. 

ApplyBoard, a Canadian edutech platform, projects that the full-year number of approvals will decline by 45% year-over-year, resulting in a maximum of 280,000 approvals across all study levels, including K-12 and postgraduate. 

The UK is home to the prestigious Russell Group Universities. Source; AFP

UK

Hot on Canada’s heels is the UK, with Great Britain and Northern Ireland hosting one of the largest international student populations in the world. 

In 2022-2023, 758,855 international students studied at UK universities, with 95,505 from the EU and 663,355 from outside the EU.

The UK has been the second most popular global destination for international students after the US, but it is now neck-to-neck with Australia in terms of student population. 

Similarly, the UK is home to prestigious universities and research-intensive institutions, prompting those interested in rigorous academics to pursue higher education there. 

Metropolitan areas like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou will set you back about US$740 to US$830 a month. Source: AFP

China 

Many know China for the large amount of international students it produces. But in recent years, it’s shown to be a great study abroad destination itself. 

The country has one of the largest education systems in the world, boasting over 3000 universities as of 2022, a higher education sector only comparable to the size of the US system.

China originally had a target to reach 500,000 international enrolments annually by 2020, but the pandemic ended any possibility of this as borders closed. 

However, despite restrictions, the following year produced 255,720 full-time international students, equivalent to 38% of the UK’s total international enrolment share.

This number is expected to grow in the next decade or so, as China is now one of the fastest-developing countries in the world, home to the second-largest economy.

Germany

A total of 469,485 international students chose Germany as their study-abroad destination between 2023 and 2024.

Ever since the country introduced tuition-free education in 2014, international student numbers have continued to spike, showing steady growth throughout the years. 

Pair tuition-free universities with affordable costs of living, opportunities to stay on after graduation, and a diverse student population – it’s no wonder that Germany is gearing up to host one of the largest international student populations in the world. 

Disclaimer: This article was last updated on March 21, 2025.