Morocco Ranks Second in Africa for Students in Russia

Morocco has the second-highest number of students studying in Russian universities, with 4,574 students enrolled in the 2025-2026 academic year. This places Morocco behind Egypt, which has the highest number of African students in Russia, with 9,076 students. The data, released by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, shows that Cameroon follows with 3,161 students, Algeria with 2,527, and Nigeria with 2,481.

Other African countries with significant student populations in Russia include Tunisia with 1,307 students, Mali with 1,132, Sudan with 1,017, and Angola with 980. The total number of African students in Russian universities for the 2025-2026 academic year is 37,710. Of these, 12,054 are supported by state-funded scholarships, while 25,656 are self-funded, indicating that approximately 68% of African students in Russia bear their own educational costs.

Moroccan students constitute about 12% of the total African student population in Russia. The gap between Moroccan and Egyptian students, who lead the rankings, is 4,502 students. This positions Morocco ahead of other African countries listed, except for Egypt. The release of these figures coincides with the third Russia-Africa Summit and the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, held in Moscow on October 28 and 29, 2026. These events aim to enhance cooperation between Russia and African countries, including in higher education and academic exchange.