Ireland vs South Africa: Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying
Ireland
6,662
in 2023
South Africa
7,118
in 2023
Ireland rank
92nd
South Africa rank
89th
Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying over time
- Ireland
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 7,118 against 6,662 in Ireland, a difference of 456.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Ireland's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 54 shared years of data; in 1970 it was South Africa ahead.
Ireland ranks 92nd and South Africa ranks 89th of 235 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1990s | 3,861 | 978.3 | 2,882 | Ireland |
| 2000s | 17,620 | 6,047 | 11,572 | Ireland |
| 2010s | 9,256 | 5,522 | 3,734 | Ireland |
| 2020s | 6,481 | 6,900 | 419.5 | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying, Ireland or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 7,118 against 6,662 in Ireland as of 2023.
- What is the difference in total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying between Ireland and South Africa?
- 456, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and South Africa?
- 54 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2023.
- How do Ireland and South Africa rank globally for total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying?
- Ireland ranks 92nd and South Africa ranks 89th of 235 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying abroad, all countries, 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