Many young graduates from neighbouring countries – as well as from across West and Central Africa – come to Benin to pursue their university education. There are several reasons behind this choice. Dialogue Migration met with some of these students in Cotonou to learn why they chose this West African country for their studies.
There are many reasons why students choose to study in an African country other than their own. Motivations range from the pursuit of a specific degree to personal growth and the desire to explore new horizons – often with overlapping factors. “My parents chose Benin for me. I found the programme I wanted here after doing my research,” says Ali Djeroua Tarsa, a fourth-year environmental management student in Benin and president of the Chadian Students’ Union. “We don’t have all the courses available in Chad, which is why I came here,” he adds.
“The truth is, when you grow up at home, finish your studies, and start looking for a job, you often feel limited – and too ‘local’. It doesn’t matter where you studied abroad; when you return, there are usually more opportunities to find work quickly, because people assume you have broader experience,” says Telesphore Biansere-Ongtiga, Vice-President of the Central African Students’ Association in Benin. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Telecommunication Networks at a well-regarded private university in Benin.
He points out that internships and other work experiences gained abroad can quickly open doors to new opportunities. “It’s not that our countries aren’t good places to study,” he continues, “but studying abroad allows us to gain knowledge and prepare for life. You learn what I call ‘life management’ – paying for your own accommodation, water, electricity and so on. It’s a form of empowerment and maturity.”
Myth of a foreign degree?
Although there’s a common belief that the appeal of studying abroad is driven by the prestige of a foreign degree, Moïse Fooba thinks this perception is somewhat outdated. “Out of every ten students who study abroad, only about five actually end up defending their thesis. That’s often because there’s no parental supervision,” says Moïse, a Chadian student in his second year of biotechnology at a well-known private university in Benin.
“I have friends who studied in Kenya, Cameroon and other African countries, but they’ve returned to Chad and are now unemployed, despite having diplomas. That’s because they didn’t invest enough time in their studies or in completing their degrees. Some just did the bare minimum to get a diploma.” He emphasises that it’s not the fact of having studied abroad that makes a degree valuable, but rather the substance behind it: “What matters is your CV. Some students come back from abroad but have no real job prospects. Others don’t commit seriously to their studies and end up with questionable qualifications, which ultimately become a burden, not only for themselves, but also for their families.”
However, in Djeroua Tarsa’s view, studying abroad does offer a comparative advantage for Chadian students. “I would mention the quality of programmes and the facilities available at certain institutions, for example,” he says. Still, he is careful to clarify that this does not mean foreign degrees are inherently superior. “We’re not saying that a degree from one country is better than another. What matters is competence,” he insists. Tarsa emphasises that returning home with a solid university qualification can improve one’s chances, because that’s where the real challenge begins.
Elasticity of school year and other factors
“Beyond the pursuit of knowledge, we have to acknowledge that in Africa, the academic calendar varies significantly from one country to another,” says Fooba. “In Chad, for example, completing a three-year degree can take up to five years. These kinds of delays push young people to look for faster ways to complete their higher education so they can return home and start working.” He also highlights the motivation some students have to explore new environments and experiences.
Political stability, relatively low tuition fees, and the strong reputation of certain universities all contribute to Benin’s appeal as a destination for international students. According to figures from Benin’s Ministry of Higher Education, more than 12,000 foreign students were enrolled in 2024; over 80% of them are from neighbouring countries. The most popular fields of study include Medicine, Law, Computer Science, Management and Civil Engineering. These students are primarily concentrated in the cities of Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi, and Parakou. Despite these advantages, challenges remain. Students often face complex administrative procedures, limited and sometimes precarious housing options and a lack of dedicated scholarships for non-nationals.
