Total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes (number) in South Africa
South Africa: Total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes (number) was 42,267 number in 2018. ▲ Rising
Total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes in South Africa, 1998–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes in South Africa is 42,267 number, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of down 6.8% on the previous year and down 33.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 70,428 number in 2011 and was at its lowest, 15,494 number, in 1998.
That places South Africa 30th out of 127 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes (number) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 15,494 number | — |
| 1999 | 34,770 number | +124.4% |
| 2000 | 45,377 number | +30.5% |
| 2001 | 39,752 number | -12.4% |
| 2002 | 46,687 number | +17.4% |
| 2003 | 49,979 number | +7.1% |
| 2004 | 51,012 number | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 50,129 number | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 53,738 number | +7.2% |
| 2007 | 59,237 number | +10.2% |
| 2008 | 63,964 number | +8.0% |
| 2009 | 60,856 number | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 66,119 number | +8.6% |
| 2011 | 70,428 number | +6.5% |
| 2012 | 42,180 number | -40.1% |
| 2013 | 42,351 number | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 42,594 number | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 43,305 number | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 45,142 number | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 45,334 number | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 42,267 number | -6.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 42,267 number is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7,464 number, 5.7× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 42,267 number is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2,020 number, 20.9× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes (number) in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +124.4% | 15,494 number | 34,770 number |
| 2012 | -40.1% | 70,428 number | 42,180 number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25,132 number | 15,494 number | 34,770 number | 2 |
| 2000s | 52,073 number | 39,752 number | 63,964 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 48,858 number | 42,180 number | 70,428 number | 9 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 94.05 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.94 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes in South Africa?
- Total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes in South Africa was 42,267 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 70,428 number in 2011.
- What is the lowest total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,494 number in 1998.
- How does South Africa rank for total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 30th out of 127 countries with data for 2018.
- Is total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total inbound internationally mobile students, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total number of students who have crossed a national or territorial border for the purpose of education and are now enrolled in tertiary institutions outside their country of origin.