Students considered here are those who have crossed a national or territorial border for the purpose of education and are now enrolled outside their country of origin.
This is the latest available data, last updated by source in March 2022.
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Number of foreign students in South Africa 2008-2019
There were * international students in South Africa as of 2019. Compared to the preceding year, this was a drop of students. During the period under review, the number of foreign students in the country declined significantly in 2012 to close to * from over * in the previous year.
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UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (March 31, 2022). Number of foreign students in South Africa from 2008 to 2019 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved August 01, 2026, from /statistics/1262521/number-of-foreign-students-in-south-africa/
UNESCO Institute for Statistics. "Number of foreign students in South Africa from 2008 to 2019." Chart. March 31, 2022. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed August 01, 2026. /statistics/1262521/number-of-foreign-students-in-south-africa/
UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2022). Number of foreign students in South Africa from 2008 to 2019. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: August 01, 2026. /statistics/1262521/number-of-foreign-students-in-south-africa/
UNESCO Institute for Statistics. "Number of Foreign Students in South Africa from 2008 to 2019." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 31 Mar 2022, /statistics/1262521/number-of-foreign-students-in-south-africa/
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Number of foreign students in South Africa from 2008 to 2019 ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1262521/number-of-foreign-students-in-south-africa/ (last visited August 01, 2026)
Number of foreign students in South Africa from 2008 to 2019 [Graph], UNESCO Institute for Statistics, March 31, 2022. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1262521/number-of-foreign-students-in-south-africa/
