Share of students studying abroad in Rwanda
Rwanda: Share of students studying abroad was 6.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of students studying abroad in Rwanda, 1999–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 6.1% for share of students studying abroad in 2023.
That represents a change of down 16.0% on the previous year and down 30.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of students studying abroad in Rwanda peaked at 54.4% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 2016.
That places Rwanda 84th 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.
Share of students studying abroad in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 54.4% | — |
| 2000 | 35.4% | -34.9% |
| 2001 | 27.4% | -22.6% |
| 2002 | 24.7% | -9.8% |
| 2003 | 17.8% | -27.8% |
| 2004 | 13.9% | -21.9% |
| 2005 | 13.0% | -6.6% |
| 2006 | 10.4% | -19.7% |
| 2007 | 9.7% | -6.9% |
| 2008 | 9.5% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 8.5% | -10.8% |
| 2010 | 7.9% | -6.7% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 8.6% | +12.3% |
| 2013 | 8.7% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 8.1% | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | -21.0% |
| 2016 | 5.7% | -10.8% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 6.7% | +12.9% |
| 2019 | 7.8% | +16.7% |
| 2020 | 7.0% | -10.0% |
| 2022 | 7.2% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 6.1% | -16.0% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 6.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 6.1%, 1.0× the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 6.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.6%, 91% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 54.4% | 54.4% | 54.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 17.0% | 8.5% | 35.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 5.7% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 6.1% | 7.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More education data for Rwanda
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 34,324 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 795,920 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 305,636 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 299,593 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 901,617 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.01 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.93 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2109 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of students studying abroad in Rwanda?
- Share of students studying abroad in Rwanda was 6.1% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 54.4% in 1999.
- What is the lowest share of students studying abroad recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2016.
- How does Rwanda rank for share of students studying abroad?
- Rwanda ranks 84th out of 175 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of students studying abroad rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.