China vs India: Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound)
China
-875,123
in 2023
India
-788,135
in 2023
China rank
143rd
India rank
142nd
Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) over time
- China
- India
How they compare
India currently reports -788,135 against -875,123 in China, a difference of 86,988.
Across all 14 years both countries report, India has been ahead every year.
China ranks 143rd and India ranks 142nd of 143 countries.
India has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -338,174 | -135,340 | 202,834 | India |
| 2010s | -702,142 | -246,832 | 455,310 | India |
| 2020s | -857,121 | -580,968 | 276,153 | India |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), China or India?
- India, at -788,135 against -875,123 in China as of 2023.
- What is the difference in net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) between China and India?
- 86,988, with India ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 14 years are reported by both, from 2006 to 2023.
- How do China and India rank globally for net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound)?
- China ranks 143rd and India ranks 142nd of 143 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), both sexes (UIS estimate) (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release