Share of students studying abroad in Benin
Benin: Share of students studying abroad was 7.9% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Share of students studying abroad in Benin, 1999–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Benin recorded 7.9% for share of students studying abroad in 2022.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 93.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students studying abroad in Benin peaked at 19.6% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 2013.
Benin ranks 69th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of students studying abroad in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 19.6% | — |
| 2000 | 17.4% | -11.0% |
| 2001 | 14.5% | -16.8% |
| 2002 | 12.7% | -12.3% |
| 2003 | 12.7% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 12.5% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 12.7% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 11.5% | -9.5% |
| 2007 | 9.2% | -20.4% |
| 2008 | 9.1% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -32.7% |
| 2010 | 4.5% | -26.3% |
| 2011 | 4.7% | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -12.4% |
| 2013 | 3.6% | -11.4% |
| 2014 | 3.9% | +8.4% |
| 2015 | 4.8% | +23.0% |
| 2016 | 5.3% | +10.4% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | +10.1% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 6.5% | +12.4% |
| 2020 | 7.0% | +7.9% |
| 2021 | 7.8% | +11.0% |
| 2022 | 7.9% | +1.9% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 7.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.8%, 1.2× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Benin's 7.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.6%, 1.2× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.6% | 19.6% | 19.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 11.8% | 6.1% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 3.6% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.6% | 7.0% | 7.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More education data for Benin
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 57,296 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 209,295 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,495 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 84,746 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 929,099 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.40 million (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.18 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1743 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students studying abroad in Benin?
- Share of students studying abroad in Benin was 7.9% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of students studying abroad recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 1999.
- What is the lowest share of students studying abroad recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 2013.
- How does Benin rank for share of students studying abroad?
- Benin ranks 69th out of 175 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of students studying abroad rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 93.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin 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 studying abroad. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of a country's tertiary level students studying abroad as international students. International students are those that move from their home countries for education, identified based on their past education, residence, or distinct immigration regulations.