American College Students in Africa

New data from the Institute of International Education finds that more than 262,000 American students studied at foreign institutions of higher education during the 2007-08 academic year. This was up 8.5 percent from a year earlier. A vast majority of Americans studying abroad (56.3 percent) attended universities in Europe. Of all U.S. students studying abroad, 11,844, or 4.5 percent, attended universities in Africa. The number of American students studying in Africa has doubled since 2004. Africa sends more than three times as many students to American universities as America sends to African universities.

Among black African nations, South Africa was the most popular destination. In 2007-08, 3,700 American students studied in South Africa, more than double the number in 2003. Ghana hosted 1,856 American students in the 2007-08 academic year. Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Ethiopia, Mali, Madagascar, Malawi, Cameroon, and Uganda were the only other black African nations hosting more than 100 American college students.

Of the 262,416 American students studying abroad in all areas of the globe, 4 percent were African Americans.

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