African countries are well represented among foreign students in France. According to data from Campus France for the 2021-2022 academic year, more than 400 000 students in French universities came from abroad, including the European Union. Of these, over 100 000, or more than a quarter, came from the African continent.
There are six African countries in the top 10 of the nations most represented on French university benches. The Maghreb monopolises the top places, with Morocco in the lead: Moroccan students numbered more than 40 000 in higher education last year, representing more than 10 percent of all foreign students in France.
Algeria is next, with 31 000 representatives. Senegal ranks fifth, followed by Tunisia. The Ivory Coast comes next in eighth place, and Cameroon closes the top ten.
For all of these countries, these figures have increased significantly since 2016. While the increase slowed down during the Covid-19 crisis in 2020, it has since resumed.
The current year is not expected to change this trend. The start of the 2022-2023 academic year has seen a record number of applications from foreign students.
Souleymane Sangaré is the president of the association of African students in Toulouse (south-west France). He is currently studying for a master’s degree in law and since his arrival in France, he has been helping students from the continent who wish to come to France or who are already in French faculties. Although their difficulties are numerous, Souleymane Sangaré welcomes the increase in the number of students who come to pursue their studies in France.
https://freewestmedia.com/2022/11/17/number-of-african-students-in-france-reaches-record-high/