Recent reports highlight a significant upswing in Chinese students selecting France for their academic pursuits, particularly in business, science, and engineering courses, between 2019 and 2023. Over the past half-decade, an impressive 80 percent of Chinese students aimed for master’s programmes, with a substantial 67 percent targeting esteemed business schools.
Notably, the inclination towards business majors surged from 64.7 percent in 2019 to an impressive 76 percent in 2023. However, science and engineering programme applications also experienced a notable 7.8 percent increase. Graduates emerging from these specialised fields often find it relatively easier to secure employment opportunities within France.
The academic year 2021–22 witnessed a remarkable milestone for France’s international student body, exceeding 400,000 enrolments. The enrolment of students in the academic year 2021–22 is a notable increase of 8 percent, setting a record high, according to Campus France.
Within this academic period, 27,500 Chinese students made their academic home in France, with 10,115 enrolled in prestigious business schools, 2,934 in engineering institutions, and 1,836 undertaking PhD degrees. However, despite this, overall student numbers in France experienced a marginal 2 percent decline from the previous academic year, a trend worth noting.
China stands firm as the third-largest contributor of students to France in the 2021–22 period, following Algeria with 31,032 students and Morocco with 46,731 students.
Additionally, the 2007 bilateral agreement between China and France marked a pivotal milestone, enabling the mutual recognition of diplomas. This agreement has allowed the Chinese government to acknowledge and validate French government-approved higher education diplomas—an initiative fostering stronger academic ties between the two nations.
