According to data compiled by the Institute of International Education, more than 270,000 American students studied at foreign institutions of higher education during the 2009-10 academic year. This was up 3.9 percent from a year earlier. A vast majority of Americans studying abroad attended universities in Europe. Of all U.S. students studying abroad, 14,769, or 5.5 percent, attended universities in Africa. The number of American students studying in Africa has increased significantly in recent years, up 8 percent in 2010 from the year before. But Africa sends more than twice as many students to American universities as America sends to African universities.
Of the 14,769 Americans studying in Africa, 3,322, or 22.5 percent, were studying in the northern African nations of Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Among black African nations, South Africa was the most popular destination. In 2009-10, 4,313 American students studied in South Africa, more than double the number in 2003. Ghana hosted 2,132 American students in the 2009-10 academic year. Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Ethiopia, Mali, Madagascar, Malawi, Uganda, and Rwanda were the only other black African nations hosting at least 100 American college students.
Of all U.S. students studying abroad in any region of the world, 4.7 percent were African Americans.
