China vs India: Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound)
China
-402,734
in 2023
India
-478,284
in 2023
China rank
125th
India rank
126th
Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) over time
- China
- India
How they compare
China currently reports -402,734 against -478,284 in India, a difference of 75,550.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 13 shared years of data; in 2006 it was India ahead.
China ranks 125th and India ranks 126th of 126 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 | -354,607 | -140,206 | 214,401 | India |
| 2010s | -330,033 | -181,183 | 148,851 | India |
| 2020s | -388,238 | -365,058 | 23,179 | 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?
- China, at -402,734 against -478,284 in India as of 2023.
- What is the difference in net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) between China and India?
- 75,550, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 13 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 125th and India ranks 126th of 126 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), male (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