New Zealand vs South Africa: Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound)
New Zealand
31,755
in 2023
South Africa
25,211
in 2023
New Zealand rank
26th
South Africa rank
28th
Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) over time
- New Zealand
- South Africa
How they compare
New Zealand currently reports 31,755 against 25,211 in South Africa, a difference of 6,544.
That makes New Zealand's figure about 1.3 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 25 shared years of data; in 1998 it was South Africa ahead.
New Zealand ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 28th of 148 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, New Zealand averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 624 | 20,240 | 19,616 | South Africa |
| 2000s | 21,964 | 45,820 | 23,857 | South Africa |
| 2010s | 42,750 | 39,101 | 3,649 | New Zealand |
| 2020s | 29,369 | 21,837 | 7,532 | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), New Zealand or South Africa?
- New Zealand, at 31,755 against 25,211 in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) between New Zealand and South Africa?
- 6,544, with New Zealand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and South Africa?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2023.
- How do New Zealand and South Africa rank globally for net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound)?
- New Zealand ranks 26th and South Africa ranks 28th of 148 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