International Students by Country 2026: Statistics & Charts
International student counts refer to inbound tertiary students enrolled in a host country. The latest comparable international source year used here is 2023, with the United States shown from the 2023/24 Open Doors national reporting cycle.
International Student Mobility Statistics
Global mobility and major host-country values use reported source years rather than a 2026 estimate.
Major Host Countries by Reported International Student Count
The chart compares the largest reported host-country counts available from OECD, UNESCO-aligned and national source text.
International students enrolled in major host countries
Students, latest reported value; source years vary by reporting system.
The United States value uses Open Doors 2023/24. The six other host systems use the 2023 OECD comparator values cited in the OECD higher education mobility report.
Chart analysis
- United States has the largest reported value shown, with 1,126,690 international students in 2023/24.
- United Kingdom is the largest OECD comparator country in the chart, with 748,461 students in 2023.
- Australia, Germany, and Canada each reported between 389,181 and 467,074 international students in 2023.
- Netherlands reported 169,459 international students in 2023, the smallest count in this comparator set.
International Student Host Country Table
Ranking is by the reported inbound international student count shown in the table. National and international reporting definitions are not always identical.
| Rank | Host country | Students | Year | Reporting basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 1,126,690 | 2023/24 | National international-student count | Open Doors / IIE and U.S. Department of State |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 748,461 | 2023 | Mobile tertiary students | OECD, UNESCO-aligned data |
| 3 | Australia | 467,074 | 2023 | Mobile tertiary students | OECD, UNESCO-aligned data |
| 4 | Germany | 423,197 | 2023 | Mobile tertiary students | OECD, UNESCO-aligned data |
| 5 | Canada | 389,181 | 2023 | Mobile tertiary students | OECD, UNESCO-aligned data |
| 6 | France | 276,217 | 2023 | Mobile tertiary students | OECD, UNESCO-aligned data |
| 7 | Netherlands | 169,459 | 2023 | Mobile tertiary students; excludes doctoral students in OECD note | OECD, UNESCO-aligned data |
Table analysis
- The table covers major host countries with explicit reported values in the selected OECD, UNESCO and Open Doors source set.
- United States exceeds the United Kingdom by 378,229 students, using the latest national U.S. reporting cycle.
- The gap between Australia and Germany is 43,877 students in the 2023 OECD comparator values.
- Canada reported 389,181 mobile tertiary students, about 113,000 more than France in the same OECD source year.
- Source-year caution: the United States value is a national academic-year count, while the OECD comparator values use 2023 international reporting.
International Student Trend Since 2013
Trend values are derived from the OECD 2026 report text for six comparator countries. 2013 values are back-calculated from the reported 2023 count and reported percentage increase, then rounded to the nearest student.
Change in international student counts, 2013 to 2023
Six OECD comparator host countries, students.
The Netherlands value follows the OECD note that its series excludes doctoral students. The chart compares count change, not mobility-rate change.
Trend analysis
- Canada recorded the largest relative increase among the six countries, rising 157% from 2013 to 2023.
- Netherlands rose from about 63,706 to 169,459, a reported increase of 166%.
- Germany more than doubled, from about 196,836 to 423,197.
- France had the smallest relative increase in this group, rising 21% over the decade.
| Host country | 2013 | 2023 | Change | Percent change | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 415,812 | 748,461 | +332,649 | +80% | OECD reported 2023 count and decade increase. |
| Australia | 249,772 | 467,074 | +217,302 | +87% | OECD reported 2023 count and decade increase. |
| Germany | 196,836 | 423,197 | +226,361 | +115% | OECD reported 2023 count and decade increase. |
| Canada | 151,432 | 389,181 | +237,749 | +157% | OECD reported 2023 count and decade increase. |
| France | 228,278 | 276,217 | +47,939 | +21% | OECD reported 2023 count and decade increase. |
| Netherlands | 63,706 | 169,459 | +105,753 | +166% | OECD note: Netherlands excludes doctoral students. |
Table analysis
- United Kingdom added the largest absolute number in the six-country trend table: 332,649 students.
- Canada added 237,749 students and had the second-largest absolute increase in this set.
- France added 47,939 students, with the smallest absolute and relative increase among the six countries.
- Back-calculated 2013 values are rounded; the 2023 values are the reported OECD counts.
Global Mobility Growth
UNESCO reports a rise from about 2.1 million internationally mobile higher education students in 2000 to nearly 7.3 million in 2023.
Global international student mobility, 2000 and 2023
Students studying abroad for higher education, rounded UNESCO figures.
The global series is rounded because the source text reports approximate values.
Trend analysis
- Global higher education mobility rose by about 5.2 million students between 2000 and 2023.
- The reported 2023 level is about 3.5 times the 2000 level.
- UNESCO reports that seven host countries continue to enroll about half of internationally mobile students.
Data Interpretation Notes
International student data differs by definition, reporting calendar, education level, and whether a country uses mobility, citizenship, visa, or enrolment records.
Count Versus Share
Large host countries can report high student counts while having a lower international-student share of total tertiary enrolment than smaller systems.
Mobility Definition
UNESCO and OECD mobility data focus on students who crossed a border for study. Some national systems may use citizenship or visa status.
Source-Year Difference
Academic-year counts, calendar-year counts, and international reporting years are kept visible in the tables to avoid mixing reporting periods.
Trend Calculation
The 2013 estimates in the trend table are page-level calculations from reported 2023 counts and OECD percentage growth statements.
Source and Methodology
Values are rounded only where the source reports rounded global figures. Country counts are shown as reported. Back-calculated 2013 values use the formula 2023 value divided by one plus the reported percentage increase, then rounded to the nearest student.
Ranking refers only to the reported inbound student counts shown here. It does not measure education quality, student outcomes, visa approvals, short-term exchange, or the full value of international education activity.