Paris, Nov 29 (IANS): International students in France contribute around 5 billion euros a year to the country's economy, according to a survey.

Some 9,992 international students who had stayed in France in the past three years took part in the survey conducted by Campus France, a public institution that promotes French higher education abroad and welcomes foreign students and researchers to the country.

The survey identifies five main sources of funding for students, with family support at the top of the list, reports Xinhua news agency.

Personal savings were the second most common source of income, followed by aid from the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales (French state aid for families) and paid work.

Meanwhile, some 18 per cent of respondents said that their studies were funded by scholarships from their countries of origin, or by the French government.

According to the survey, international students spend an average of 867 euros per month, and pay an average of 2,822 euros in tuition fees.

"By subtracting all expenditure from income, a net contribution of 1.35 billion euros is noted. This is the direct economic impact of international students in France," said Campus France.

The number of foreign students enrolled in French institutions increased by 8 per cent in 2021-22, the strongest growth recorded for 15 years.

More than 400,000 international students are currently studying in France, Campus France said.