South Africa vs WB: Sub-saharan Africa: Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying
South Africa
13,270
in 2023
WB: Sub-saharan Africa
603,518
in 2023
South Africa rank
95th
WB: Sub-saharan Africa rank
93rd
Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying over time
- South Africa
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa
How they compare
WB: Sub-saharan Africa currently reports 603,518 against 13,270 in South Africa, a difference of 590,248.
That makes WB: Sub-saharan Africa's figure about 45.5 times South Africa's.
Across all 26 years both countries report, WB: Sub-saharan Africa has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 95th and WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 93rd of 210 countries.
WB: Sub-saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | WB: Sub-saharan Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4,892 | 186,088 | 181,196 | WB: Sub-saharan Africa |
| 2000s | 6,047 | 265,303 | 259,256 | WB: Sub-saharan Africa |
| 2010s | 8,942 | 379,684 | 370,742 | WB: Sub-saharan Africa |
| 2020s | 12,947 | 524,524 | 511,577 | WB: Sub-saharan Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying, South Africa or WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- WB: Sub-saharan Africa, at 603,518 against 13,270 in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying between South Africa and WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- 590,248, with WB: Sub-saharan Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and WB: Sub-saharan Africa?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2023.
- How do South Africa and WB: Sub-saharan Africa rank globally for total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying?
- South Africa ranks 95th and WB: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 93rd 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