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If 88% of French students plan to move abroad to continue their studies, it is not the reputation of major universities that determines their choice for this or that country. This project is above all considered as personal enrichment.
Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Oxford, Cambridge… The list of the best universities in the world has just been revealed by the Timesgiving ever more shine to American and British institutions that inspire the young generation. That said, do students really expect to join these major universities even if their course would ensure a good career later?
Nothing is less certain, because a few days ago, a study by the Campus Advisor platform, which allows students to share their opinions about different aspects of a university in the world, indicated how many European destinations hosting the most beautiful universities are in fact not the most coveted, due to the cost of living, the lack of security or the lack of goodwill on the part of other students. Thus, Prague (Czech Republic) was the student destination best prescribed for creating good memories of student life while Paris was cited at the very bottom of the ranking.
On the eve of the Salon de l’Etudiant, which will take place in Paris as well as in Toulouse and Nantes, a study* carried out by the media group L’Etudiant also affirms this preference for enjoying a pleasant quality of life at the moment. to choose the country of your studies abroad. More than half of French students (56%) decide on a destination because they want to immerse themselves in this or that culture. The reputation of a university establishment only comes second, requested by only 45% of respondents. Even more surprising, a third of students say they are influenced by social networks when choosing the country of their studies.
Joining a great university institution is therefore not the primary motivation for studying abroad. In a large majority of cases, i.e. 76%, students logically consider this project as a way to master another language. At the same time, 66% want to discover another culture. However, we should not imagine French students as adventurers capable of settling on the other side of the planet. Europe is the destination coveted by the greatest number (72%), even ahead of the United States (49%) and Canada (43%), which we often imagine as the countries that leave most people dreaming. Moreover, this Student study highlights the rise in power of projects in South Korea or Japan (15%).
*The online survey collected responses from a representative sample of the French population, made up of 468 people aged 15-20, including 60% in pre-baccalaureate studies and 40% in higher education. The survey was carried out on the Student’s proprietary panel, from September 26 to October 4, 2024.