Rabat – A total of 46,371 Moroccan students applied this year to pursue higher education in French universities, according to recent data from Campus France, a state agency that promotes French higher education institutions to international students.
On its ranking of international students by nationality, Morocco topped the list of countries with the highest numbers of nationals enrolled in French higher education institutions for the 2021-2022 academic year, says Campus France’s report.
The report indicates that the number of Moroccan students studying in French universities rose by a five-year average of 22% between 2016 and 2021, and by 3% between 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-induced disruptions.
Algeria came second in the ranking, with a little more than 31,000 Algerian students choosing this year to pursue their higher education in French institutions. According to Campus France, the number of Algerian students in France grew by 19% between 2016 and 2021, and 6% between 2020 and 2021.
The number of international students in France rose by 8% during the 2021-22 school year, averaging 400,000 and recording its highest growth in 15 years.
Despite the ongoing Paris-Rabat tensions over France’s decision last year to considerably reduce the number of visas issued to Moroccan nationals, Moroccan students still make up the largest portion of international students in the French higher education system. Data suggests that Moroccans represented up to 12% of international students in 2021.
Tensions have been brewing between the two countries in recent months, with many in Morocco taking to social media to lash out at France’s “unjustifiable” visa measures.
Paris first announced slashing the visa quota for Moroccan nationals by 50%, citing Morocco’s “unwillingness” to cooperate on extraditing illegal immigrants.
However, the number of rejected visas in Morocco was later estimated to have reached 70%, prompting widespread and strongly-worded condemnations as well as calls for Morocco to respond in kind.
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