
27/05/2025
Beyond the African continent, France is the most popular destination for Africans seeking higher education abroad. In 2020, France hosted approximately 126,000 African students (see figure 2).
China comes in second with roughly 81,500 students, while the United States comes in third with approximately 48,000 African students.
Other countries among the top twenty destinations for African students outside the continent include Germany, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Türkiye, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Malaysia, Russia, India, Australia, Belgium, Cuba, Brazil, Italy, and Spain.
There appears to be a shift in African students’ higher education choices toward a variety of emerging economies and middle powers such as Türkiye, the UAE, and Malaysia, among others, beyond the former colonial powers such as Belgium, Portugal, or the U.K.
There appears to be a shift in African students’ higher education choices toward a variety of emerging economies and middle powers such as Türkiye, the UAE, and Malaysia, among others, beyond the former colonial powers such as Belgium, Portugal, or the U.K.