African Countries with Highest Harvard Graduates 2025

The United States is a top destination for young scholars across Africa – especially sub-Saharan Africa. As expected, the first University on the wish list on every international student looking to pursue a degree in the United States is Harvard—and the reason for this is not far-fetched.

Harvard has produced the majority of the world’s greatest leaders globally across various industries. Barrack Obama, Ratan Tata, George W. Bush, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, to mention a few, are some of the names on the long list of notable achievers who are proud alumni of Harvard.

In the 2023/2024 academic session, 56,780 students from sub-Saharan Africa were enrolled in higher education institutions in the United States – with about 30-40% of the number making it to Harvard. Nigeria is the top sending country from Africa to the United States, with 20,029 students enrolled within that period – a 13.5% increase from the previous academic session.

A recent report by the Harvard Business School, published in the New York Times revealed that despite making up less than 1 percent of the black population in the United States, Nigerians make up for nearly one-quarter of the black students at Harvard Business School. It also added that a fourth of Nigerian Americans have a graduate or professional degree, as compared with only about 11 percent of whites in the United States.

Data Methodology

In compiling this ranking, African Exponent examined and collated data from the Open Doors Report, Harvard, the United States Department of State, and various international Consulates. The Open Doors Report, published by the Institute of International Education in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, serves as a benchmark for global educational exchange.

According to the Open Doors Report on International Education, Sub-Saharan African students are among the most highly mobile students seeking higher education opportunities abroad, and the U.S. remains the top choice for students seeking higher education abroad. Approximately 30-40% of these students are enrolled in Harvard.

Although there isn’t much information in the public domain about the exact number of students per country currently enrolled at Harvard University, experts agree that the total number of foreign students per country in the United States makes a good case and hypothesis in estimating its percentage in Harvard.

Scope of Data

In creating the list and collating data for the ranking, African Exponent summed up all the schools under Harvard University, which consists of the undergraduate Harvard College, 12 graduate and professional Schools, and the Harvard Radcliffe Institute.

We were careful not to take only the Harvard Business School or Harvard Law School into perspective. Data for the Harvard Business School, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard John A. Paulson School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, Harvard Law School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard College, Harvard Divinity School, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Division of Continuing Education, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Radcliffe College, Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Extension School, and Harvard Yard were sourced.

By this, we hope to have created perhaps the most accurate ranking for this topic. According to available data, below are the top 10 African countries with the largest international student population in the United States – which contributes to the highest number of Harvard graduates yearly per country.

Here are the leading 10 Countries with Highest Student Population in the United States (and Harvard) arranged list from number 10 to number 1.

Tanzania: Known for its vast wilderness areas, Tanzania makes the list as number 10 with 1,027 international students in the current academic session. The country’s oldest and largest university is the famous University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).

Côte d'Ivoire: The French-speaking West African country accounts for 1,138 international students currently pursuing degrees in the United States. A few of them who have strong English proficiency are enrolled in various programs at Harvard.

Uganda: Uganda currently accounts for 1,303 international students studying in the United States. The Ministry of Education and Sports governs the education sector and develops all the national policies that relate to schools. As of 2022, the literacy level in Uganda was capped at 80.59%.

Rwanda: The higher education system in Rwanda consists of 14 universities with 185 study programs. The country currently accounts for 1,311 international students in the United States.

DR Congo: The Democratic Republic of Congo accounts for 1,738 international students in the United States of America. According to reports, there are only four government-owned universities, which are the Universities of Goma, Kinshasa, Kongo, and Lubumbashi.

South Africa: Considered to have one of the best public education systems in Africa, there are currently 2,814 international South Africans in the United States, many of which are pursuing degrees at Harvard. The country has 24 state-funded higher institutions.

Ethiopia: According to available data, there are 3,078 international students from Ethiopia in the United States pursuing higher education. It is on record that the number of government-led higher education institutions in the country increased from 8 in 2002 to about 42 in 2022.

Kenya: Kenya comes third on our list with 4,507 students currently pursuing tertiary degrees in the United States. There are reports that the government provides free primary and secondary education in the country.

Ghana: It is not surprising that the African Independence powerhouse accounts for one of the highest numbers of students seeking international education in the United States. The country currently has an estimated 9,394 students in the United States.

Nigeria: With 20,029 students, Nigeria ranks 7th globally and holds the top position in Africa as the leading country of origin for students pursuing education in the United States and Harvard. Almost one-quarter of the Black students at Harvard Business School are Nigerians.

According to data and statistical projections, the number of Africans studying abroad will reach 10x by 2050. The reason for this can be attributed to the reality that Africans are more interested in tertiary education than their European and American counterparts. Also, Africa is experiencing a surge in its youth population.

Africa currently boasts the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, with a median age of approximately 19 years. According to global projections, more than 1 in every 4 people will be African in 2050. This will increase the challenge of delivering quality education and making opportunities for millions of young Africans a critical priority.

Apart from the United States, there are a high number of African students in European Universities, the United Kingdom and Asia, pursuing their education dreams. Therefore, despite the efforts of African leaders to improve the educational structure within the continent, it is unlikely that the percentage of international students from Africa will experience a decline any time soon.