Overseas student numbers to reach 9 million but ‘elitism remains’

International student numbers will grow to 9 million by the end of the decade, but the next stage of expansion will likely look very different, according to a major new report from Unesco.

Analysing new data from 146 countries, the United Nations body found the number of students enrolled in higher education worldwide has more than doubled over the past two decades, reaching 269 million in 2024. But, it warns, this overall figure masks “stark regional disparities”.

International mobility has tripled over the same period, with nearly 7.3 million students studying abroad – a figure that is expected to climb to 9 million by 2030.

Among other findings: 

• Private institutions account for a third of global enrolment, with the highest share in Latin America and the Caribbean (49 per cent)
• Despite some progress, only a third of countries have implemented programmes to support under-represented groups’ access to higher education. Countries such as Italy, Japan and South Africa have reduced or abolished higher education fees for targeted groups
• Although there has been a ninefold increase in enrolment from 1 per cent in 2019 to 9 per cent in 2025, refugees still face major obstacles to higher education
• Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are reshaping teaching and learning, yet just a fifth of universities have a formal artificial intelligence policy
• Women remain under-represented at the doctoral stage even though most students at undergraduate and master’s level are female
• And women account for 44 per cent of higher education teaching personnel worldwide but hold only about a quarter of senior leadership positions.

While Europe and North America still host the majority of international students – accounting for 54 per cent of the total – their dominance is being challenged by the emergence of new regional hubs.

Countries including China, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey are rapidly increasing their share of students, with some recording five- or sixfold growth over the past decade.

And intra-regional mobility is also rising, alongside the growing momentum of “South–South” flows between developing economies, with signs that students are preferring to stay in their own region to study.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, the share of intra-regional mobility rose from 24 per cent to 43 per cent between 2000 and 2022, with Argentina the top destination for students.

The report suggests these shifts are being driven in part by active government policies. More than a third of countries now explicitly aim to boost outbound mobility, while a quarter are seeking to attract more international students.

But governments in many leading host country destinations, such as Canada, the US and the UK, are taking action to restrict internationalisation.

Despite the projected expansion overall, the report cautions that international mobility remains highly unequal across the globe.

Fewer than 3 per cent of the world’s higher education students study abroad, meaning that cross-border education continues to be “elitist” and inaccessible to many.

Barriers including visa restrictions, high tuition fees, living costs and difficulties in recognising qualifications continue to limit participation, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds and those affected by conflict.

Khaled El-Enany, director-general of Unesco, said the new report shows increasing demand for higher education, which plays an irreplaceable role in building sustainable societies.

“Yet this expansion does not always translate into equitable opportunities, highlighting the need for innovative financing models to deliver quality, inclusive higher education.”

The report concludes that access to mobility is strongly influenced by financial capacity, regulatory frameworks and the availability of support measures.

“Broadening the benefits of internationalisation will require multiple and coordinated actions, including enacting inclusive funding policies, diversifying partnerships and providing more flexible learning pathways.”

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com