Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in China
China: Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) was -472,389 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in China, 2012–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in China is -472,389, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 45.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in China peaked at -302,189 in 2012 and was at its lowest, -497,856, in 2020.
China ranks 106th of 106 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | -302,189 | — |
| 2013 | -324,331 | +7.3% |
| 2014 | -347,083 | +7.0% |
| 2015 | -378,445 | +9.0% |
| 2016 | -400,513 | +5.8% |
| 2017 | -433,026 | +8.1% |
| 2018 | -460,236 | +6.3% |
| 2019 | -476,564 | +3.5% |
| 2020 | -497,856 | +4.5% |
| 2021 | -452,215 | -9.2% |
| 2022 | -453,074 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | -472,389 | +4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | -390,298 | -476,564 | -302,189 | 8 |
| 2020s | -468,884 | -497,856 | -452,215 | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 5.02 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.72 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 30.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.79 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 30.48 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in China?
- Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) in China was -472,389 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was -302,189 in 2012.
- What is the lowest net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -497,856 in 2020.
- How does China rank for net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound)?
- China ranks 106th out of 106 countries with data for 2023.
- Is net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound) rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Net flow of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), female (UIS estimate) (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release