China vs India: Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary … both sexes UIS
China
1.08 million
in 2023
India
833,835
in 2023
China rank
1st
India rank
2nd
Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary … both sexes UIS over time
- China
- India
How they compare
China currently reports 1.08 million against 833,835 in India, a difference of 242,185.
That makes China's figure about 1.3 times India's.
Across all 26 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 1st and India ranks 2nd of 210 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 136,068 | 59,726 | 76,342 | China |
| 2000s | 329,926 | 136,416 | 193,509 | China |
| 2010s | 807,084 | 278,614 | 528,471 | China |
| 2020s | 1.07 million | 628,403 | 443,354 | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying, China or India?
- China, at 1.08 million against 833,835 in India as of 2023.
- What is the difference in total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying between China and India?
- 242,185, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2023.
- How do China and India rank globally for total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying?
- China ranks 1st and India ranks 2nd of 210 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying abroad, all countries, 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