Hong Kong, China vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Share of students from abroad
Share of students from abroad over time
- Hong Kong, China
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
How they compare
Hong Kong, China currently reports 25.3% against 23.4% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 1.9%.
That makes Hong Kong, China's figure about 1.1 times United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's.
Across all 21 years both countries report, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been ahead every year.
Hong Kong, China ranks 14th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 15th of 134 countries.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Hong Kong, China | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.8% | 13.9% | 11.1% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2010s | 9.7% | 17.7% | 8.0% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| 2020s | 18.5% | 21.3% | 2.8% | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of students from abroad, Hong Kong, China or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Hong Kong, China, at 25.3% against 23.4% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of students from abroad between Hong Kong, China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 1.9%, with Hong Kong, China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Hong Kong, China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 21 years are reported by both, from 2003 to 2023.
- How do Hong Kong, China and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for share of students from abroad?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 14th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 15th of 134 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of students from abroad. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
International students as a share of the country's overall tertiary enrollment. International students are those who move from their home countries for education, identified based on their past education, residence, or distinct immigration regulations.