Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) in South Africa

South Africa: Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) was 2.8% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
2.8%
Change on year
down 15.6%
World rank
31st
of 124 countries
All-time high
3.6%
in 2012
All-time low
2.8%
in 2018
Years of data
7
2012–2018

Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) in South Africa, 2012–2018

012342012201520182012: 3.6 %2013: 3.4 %2014: 3.5 %2015: 3.4 %2016: 3.5 %2017: 3.3 %2018: 2.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) in South Africa is 2.8%, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.6% on the previous year and down 20.9% over ten years.

That places South Africa 31st out of 124 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.

Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), both sexes (%) in South Africa, 2012 to 2018.
Year % Change
2012 3.6%
2013 3.4% -4.2%
2014 3.5% +1.7%
2015 3.4% -1.3%
2016 3.5% +3.4%
2017 3.3% -5.8%
2018 2.8% -15.6%

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 28 Ireland 3.2% compare
  2. 29 Latvia 3.0% compare
  3. 30 Malaysia 3.0% compare
  4. 32 Kyrgyzstan 2.5% compare
  5. 33 Malta 2.5% compare
  6. 34 Poland 1.9% compare

See the full ranking of 124 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) in South Africa?
Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) in South Africa was 2.8% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 2012.
What is the lowest net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2018.
How does South Africa rank for net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound)?
South Africa ranks 31st out of 124 countries with data for 2018.
Is net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/net-flow-ratio-of-internationally-mobile-students-inbound-outbound-both-sexes-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Net flow ratio of internationally mobile students (inbound - outbound), both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
124 places, 1,674 data points, 1998–2018
Last refreshed

Total number of tertiary students from abroad (inbound students) studying in a given country minus the number of students at the same level of education from that country studying abroad (outbound students), expressed as a percentage of total tertiary enrolment in that country.