Moroccan students continue to make up the largest international student community in France, numbering over 42,000. They particularly shine in fields like engineering and mathematics, as indicated by Campus France statistics. A report from the French agency promoting higher education reveals that Moroccans account for 10% of all foreign students. These Moroccan talents are increasingly in demand on the global stage, a testament to their excellence, which is evident in their strong performance in entrance exams for prestigious French institutions. While the majority of Moroccan students opt for universities (56%), a growing number are choosing business schools (19%) and engineering schools (14%). Over the past five years, there has been a significant rise in enrollments in business schools (+65%) and engineering schools (+18%). In a broader context, international students make up nearly 15% of the student body in France, totaling 445,000 individuals, with Morocco, China, Italy, and Senegal being the leading countries of origin. Following a 6% post-pandemic rebound in 2023, the number of Chinese students, the third largest group, has decreased by 3%, whereas Italy and Spain have seen significant growth, with increases exceeding 35% over five years. European student mobility has notably increased by 5%, driven by rising numbers from countries like Armenia, Romania, Turkey, Spain, and Ukraine. Universities remain the primary destination for foreign students, hosting 63% of them, with a 3% increase over the past year, similar to the growth seen in business schools (15% of the student body, +3%) and engineering schools (8%, +4%). Over five years, business schools have experienced the most substantial growth (+52%). At universities, international students predominantly focus on fundamental sciences and health-medicine, accounting for 43% of enrollments, followed by literature, languages, and humanities, and then economics-management.
