Full List: Top 10 African countries with the most international students in the US

• Nigeria leads Africa with 21,847 students in US higher education institutions, followed by Ghana with 12,825.

• Kenya ranks third with 5,337 students, while Egypt, Ethiopia and South Africa complete the top six.

• Uganda rounds out the top 10 with 1,495 students, with Zimbabwe, Morocco and DR Congo also recording significant numbers.

The latest Open Doors 2025 Report on International Educational Exchange, produced by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and sponsored by the US Department of State, recorded 1,177,766 international students at US higher education institutions during the 2024/25 academic year.

Africa continues to contribute significantly to this international student population, with Nigeria and Ghana emerging as the continent's two largest sources of students in the US.

Nigeria recorded 21,847 students, while Ghana followed with 12,825, according to the Open Doors data. Nigeria's figure also represented a 9.1% increase from the previous academic year, maintaining its position as the leading African source of international students to the US.

Here are the 10 African countries with the highest numbers of international students in the US in 2024/25:

Nigeria tops the African ranking, with 21,847 students enrolled at US higher education institutions during the 2024/25 academic year.

The country was also among the 12 places of origin that recorded their highest international student totals in the history of the Open Doors data.

Ghana ranks second in Africa, with 12,825 students studying in the US.

The figure represents a record high for Ghana and places the country among the 12 leading places of origin worldwide that reached their highest totals in 2024/25.

Kenya occupies third place, with 5,337 international students in US higher education institutions.

Its position reflects the strong demand among Kenyan students for opportunities to study at American universities and colleges.

Egypt is the fourth-largest African source, recording 4,518 students in the US during the 2024/25 academic year.

The country remains one of the continent's major contributors to international student mobility to American higher education.

Ethiopia ranks fifth with 3,395 students enrolled in US higher education institutions.

The country is also among the leading African sources of students travelling to the US for university-level education.

South Africa recorded 2,952 international students, placing it sixth among African countries.

The figure places the country among the leading sources of African students in American higher education.

Zimbabwe ranks seventh, with 2,712 students in the US.

The country continues to have a sizeable presence within the African international student community in America.

Morocco takes eighth place with 1,975 students studying in US higher education institutions.

The North African country is one of the continent's strongest sources of students pursuing academic opportunities in the US.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo ranks ninth, recording 1,794 international students in the US.

Its inclusion in the top 10 highlights the growing representation of Central African students in American higher education.

Uganda completes the list with 1,495 students studying at US higher education institutions.

The country rounds out the 10 leading African sources of international students to the US.

The gap between the top two African countries and the rest of the continent is significant. Nigeria's 21,847 students are more than four times Kenya's 5,337, while Ghana's 12,825 places it comfortably ahead of the other countries in the ranking.

Overall, the latest Open Doors report shows that international education remains a major part of the US higher education system. International students accounted for about 6% of the total US higher education population in 2024/25, with 57% pursuing STEM-related fields.