France a favorable country for 412,000 international students

There are no two ways about it that France is truly like a melting pot with different culture people coming and undoubtedly the most visited country in the world, also Paris (love capital of the world) has one of the largest city GDP in the world, but the important thing to ask over here is how did it became a global leading power?Well, a major role over here is played by its extraordinary international students.

Let us deep dive into intrinsic factors of ‘how France dominates the corporate and economical sector of the world?’ In year 2020, among the world’s biggest 500 companies, France was the country with most numbers of such companies (31) and was above the countries with the likes of Germany (27) and UK (22). France has been performing so well as a nation that it is world’s 7^th largest economy by nominal GDP (Gross Domestic Product), the 9^th largest economy by PPP (Public-Private Partnership), constituting around 4% of world GDP.

In the academic year of 2022/2023, France has exceeded the mark of 412,000 international students, making up 14% of the country’s total number of students. This means that it is 3% increase from the last year and 17% increase over the last 5 years. Globally, France is recognized as 6^th most popular host country for international students (ranking after USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany) and international students actually started coming in huge numbers after year 2021/2022, when French government implemented open-door policies regarding the reception of researchers and international students.

Campus France aims at enrolling 500,000 + international students by year 2027. The major portions of international students comprise of the following:

1. Sub-Saharan Africa: It is the largest contingent, that makes up to 24% of the international students, that is 95,285 students. This number has seen a rise of 34% over the last 5 years.
2. North-Africa: It comes second after Sub-Saharan African students, and makes up to 23% of all international students, that is 91,865 students.
3. Asia and Oceania: Although it is less than Sub-Saharan African and North-African students, still number of students from this region has remained high, that is 51,992 students. Campus France’s figures showed that in the 2022/23 academic year, 6,986 Indian students studied in France, an 11% increase over one year and China makes the top three list of sending countries, despite its decrease, with 25,605 students enrolled.
4. Northwest Africa: When it comes to countries of origin, Morocco and Algeria sent the greatest number of students that is 45,162 and 32,147 respectively.
5. Lebanon: The number of Lebanese students in France sits at 11, 527 – an increase of 10% over one year and 103% over the last five years.
6. Ukraine: The number of Ukrainian students studying in France has also doubled in one year, an increase of +111%, linked to the continuation of the war.

One of the major advantage France has over other 5 popular host countries is that it is comparatively cheaper than other countries. Also, attractive quality of French higher education is the emphasis on employability. France is an attractive offer to international students, highlighting institutions’ links with the job market through apprenticeships and internship programs.

Usually after the end of 2 years, a student has 2 years of work experience and the degree, that means a perfect fit for job postings in big companies.

Various universities and campuses are also introducing new format sets in order to facilitate the integration of non-French-speaking Indian students into the French higher education system. That means making it favorable for more non-French students to visit France. France is doing everything possible to attract maximum number of international students for studies and to give them employment so that France can continue to reap the fruits of bright minds and hard working students and make their country, feel like a home country to these international students. If you are also thinking about studying and settling in France, I would recommend you to not think twice, and go for it. Best of luck !