Share of students studying abroad in Laos

Laos: Share of students studying abroad was 7.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
7.6%
Change on year
down 24.4%
World rank
71st
of 175 countries
All-time high
14.7%
in 1998
All-time low
2.6%
in 2014
Years of data
24
1998–2023

Share of students studying abroad in Laos, 1998–2023

2.557.51012.5151998201020231998: 14.7 %1999: 13.2 %2000: 8.9 %2001: 6.8 %2002: 5.1 %2003: 5.3 %2004: 5.6 %2005: 4.8 %2006: 5.1 %2007: 4.6 %2008: 4.3 %2009: 3.7 %2010: 3.2 %2011: 3.3 %2012: 3.5 %2013: 3.5 %2014: 2.6 %2015: 2.7 %2016: 5.1 %2017: 4.6 %2018: 6.3 %2019: 8.2 %2020: 10 %2023: 7.6 %

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 studying abroad in Laos is 7.6%, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of down 24.4% on the previous year and up 114.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of students studying abroad in Laos peaked at 14.7% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2014.

That places Laos 71st out of 175 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 14.0% 13.2% 14.7% 2
2000s 5.4% 3.7% 8.9% 10
2010s 4.3% 2.6% 8.2% 10
2020s 8.8% 7.6% 10.0% 2

Countries ranked near Laos

  1. 68 Cameroon 8.1% compare
  2. 69 Benin 7.9% compare
  3. 70 Afghanistan 7.7% compare
  4. 72 Tajikistan 7.4% compare
  5. 73 Estonia 7.4% compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More education data for Laos

All data for Laos →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of students studying abroad in Laos?
Share of students studying abroad in Laos was 7.6% in 2023, 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 Laos?
The highest recorded value was 14.7% in 1998.
What is the lowest share of students studying abroad recorded in Laos?
The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2014.
How does Laos rank for share of students studying abroad?
Laos ranks 71st out of 175 countries with data for 2023.
Is share of students studying abroad rising or falling in Laos?
Over the last ten years it is up 114.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Laos 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

Indicator
Share of students studying abroad
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
175 places, 3,161 data points, 1998–2023
Last refreshed

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.