Share of students from abroad in Lesotho
Lesotho: Share of students from abroad was 0.4% in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Share of students from abroad in Lesotho, 1999–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of students from abroad in Lesotho is 0.4%, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of up 7.4% on the previous year and down 43.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students from abroad in Lesotho peaked at 24.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2015.
Lesotho ranks 120th of 134 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Share of students from abroad in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 24.3% | — |
| 2003 | 1.9% | -92.2% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -67.2% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | -20.1% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -13.2% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | -18.2% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | +7.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 0.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.9%, 38% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 0.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.6%, 22% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.3% | 24.3% | 24.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 0.6% | 1.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students from abroad in Lesotho?
- Share of students from abroad in Lesotho was 0.4% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of students from abroad recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 1999.
- What is the lowest share of students from abroad recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2015.
- How does Lesotho rank for share of students from abroad?
- Lesotho ranks 120th out of 134 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of students from abroad rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of students from abroad. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.