Diaspora lifeMoroccan students in France: the largest foreign contingent, its schools and its networks
43,354 Moroccan students in France in 2023-2024, the top country of origin, with a distinctive profile: grandes écoles, master's degrees, sciences. Networks, Forum Horizons Maroc, Throne Day and the link with Belgium.
Founder · Compatri, the social network for diasporas
Information checked on 6 October 2026.
They form the largest foreign contingent in French higher education, and yet every newcomer discovers their city alone, suitcase in hand. Moroccan students in France also have a distinctive profile: strongly present in engineering and business schools, mostly enrolled in master's programmes, focused on the sciences. This article brings together what the official figures say, which networks really exist, the dates that bring the diaspora together and how to find your compatriots, ideally before you even leave. If your application is not submitted yet, start with our Campus France Morocco guide.
Moroccan students in France: the largest foreign contingent
Two Campus France publications (Campus France is the French public agency for international students), based on data from SIES (the statistics department of the French Ministry of Higher Education), make it possible to measure the community:
| Indicator | Value | Publication |
|---|---|---|
| Moroccan students in France in 2023-2024 | 43,354 | Chiffres clés 2025 |
| Rank among countries of origin | 1st, out of 419,694 foreign students | Chiffres clés 2025 |
| Share of the total | 10% | Chiffres clés 2025 |
| Moroccan students in France in 2024-2025 | 42,015 | Morocco mobility sheet, October 2025 |
| Change over five years | -3% | Morocco mobility sheet |
| Share of women | 51% | Morocco mobility sheet |
Three takeaways:
The mobility sheet does not give the 2024-2025 ranking by country. Campus France published a new edition of its « Chiffres clés » (key figures) in September 2026, available on request from its website: that is where to look for it.
Grandes écoles and master's degrees: the profile of Moroccan students
The most striking feature is the type of institution. Here is the breakdown of Moroccan students in 2024-2025, compared with all foreign students as published in Chiffres clés 2025:
| Type of institution | Moroccan students | Share | All foreign students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universities | 23,360 | 56% | 63% |
| Business schools | 8,490 | 20% | 15% |
| Engineering schools | 6,158 | 15% | 8% |
| Lycées (BTS, preparatory classes) | 2,050 | 5% | not broken down |
| Art and architecture schools | 585 | 1% | not broken down |
| Other institutions | 1,372 | 3% | not broken down |
More than one Moroccan student in three is therefore on a business or engineering school programme (the French grandes écoles), almost twice the average for engineering schools. At university, the master's level dominates: 13,603 students (58%), against 8,508 at licence level, the French bachelor's (36%), and 1,249 doctoral students (5%). The licence is clearly declining, -31% in five years. As for subjects, sciences and health account for 14,400 of the 23,360 university students, far ahead of economics and AES (4,700), arts, languages and humanities (2,843) and law (1,417).
The practical consequence: for a Moroccan student, the network is built as much in school associations and alumni networks as in community associations. The two complement each other.
France, but not only: where Moroccan students go
The same sheet uses UNESCO data on degree mobility. In 2023, 75,186 Moroccan students were studying abroad:
| Host country | Moroccan students (2023) | Share |
|---|---|---|
| France | 35,458 | 47% |
| Germany | 5,301 | 7% |
| Spain | 4,339 | 6% |
| Canada | 3,750 | 5% |
| Belgium | 1,971 | 3% |
UNESCO and SIES do not count in the same way, which explains the gap with the 42,015 students enrolled in France. The trend is clear, though: France hosts almost one mobile Moroccan student in two, and Belgium is growing fast (+92% between 2020 and 2023).
This link with Belgium rests on a long-standing diaspora. According to the UN (International Migrant Stock 2024), 246,575 migrants from Morocco live in Belgium, and 1,066,129 in France; these figures count people born in Morocco, not their children born locally. If Brussels or Liège tempt you, our guide to studying in Belgium from the Maghreb details a procedure without Campus France, and the Moroccans in Belgium page shows the communities already active there.
Moroccan student networks in France
Unlike in Algeria, Campus France Morocco does not publish a list of student associations. Here are the ones we were able to check:
To find an association in another city, search for « étudiants marocains » in the Journal officiel des associations (the French official register of associations), limited to your city's département, then check on its social media that it is still posting. The country's second student community works differently: Campus France Algeria keeps an official list, which we reproduce in our article on Algerian students in France.
Throne Day and 18 November: the dates that bring people together
On 30 July, Morocco celebrates Throne Day, which since 1999 has marked King Mohammed VI's accession to the throne. The date falls in mid-summer: many students are then on internships, summer jobs or back home, and the celebrations in France mainly gather those who stay. 18 November, Independence Day, falls in the middle of the semester instead, which often makes it a more student-centred moment.
On Compatri, the Throne Day (Morocco) page gathers the celebrations published in the diaspora by members and associations. Ramadan and Eid play a similar role throughout the year: an iftar shared between flatmates is often enough to create the first bonds.
Mutual aid between Moroccan students, day to day
The first weeks are packed with formalities, and the previous year's students save you precious time:
Before you leave: three reflexes
Finding your compatriots with Compatri
This is exactly what Compatri is for: finding people from your country of origin in the city where you live. The Moroccan community in your future city brings together students, young graduates and long-settled families, who post meetups and welcome newcomers. You will find it from the Moroccan diaspora in France page, and you can join it even before you leave, as our guide on how to join your community before you leave explains. The « Étudiants africains » (African students) group, open beyond a single city, completes this network for questions on grants, housing and mutual aid between campuses.
Compatri is not a service of Campus France or of the State, and does not replace the official source: for your formalities, refer to Campus France Morocco, France-Visas and service-public.gouv.fr.
Official sources
- Campus France: Chiffres clés 2025 press release, annex on countries of origin (PDF)
- Campus France: Morocco mobility sheet, October 2025 (PDF)
- Campus France Morocco: preparing your arrival in France by city
- Toulouse Métropole: Association de la jeunesse marocaine à Toulouse
- UN DESA: International Migrant Stock 2024
Frequently asked questions
How many Moroccan students are there in France?
According to Campus France, based on SIES data, 43,354 Moroccan students were enrolled in French higher education in 2023-2024, or 10% of foreign students. The mobility sheet published in October 2025 counts 42,015 in 2024-2025, down 3% over five years.
Is Morocco the top country of origin for foreign students in France?
Yes. In 2023-2024, Morocco ranked first with 43,354 students, ahead of Algeria (34,269), China (27,123), Italy (21,037) and Senegal (16,955). It is the only country to reach 10% of foreign students.
Which schools do Moroccan students attend in France?
In 2024-2025, 56% were enrolled at university, 20% at business schools and 15% at engineering schools, against 8% for all foreign students. At university, 58% are on a master's programme, and sciences and health largely dominate.
Are there Moroccan student associations in France?
Yes. AMGE-Caravane, the Association des Marocains aux grandes écoles, organises the Forum Horizons Maroc in Paris every year. Locally, the Association de la jeunesse marocaine à Toulouse appears in the Toulouse Métropole directory. Elsewhere, search the Journal officiel des associations and check that they are active.
When is Throne Day and where can I celebrate it in France?
Throne Day falls on 30 July, the date King Mohammed VI acceded to the throne in 1999. Celebrations in France are organised city by city by associations and communities; on Compatri, the Throne Day page gathers those published in the diaspora.