London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

Chinese students turn away from US universities with Britain the big winner

Unfriendly policies, an out-of-control pandemic and social unrest add up to a decline in popularity for overseas study. American institutions still regarded as best in the world but other countries are surging up the charts as preferred destinations

It was a tough decision for mainland university graduate Zancy Duan to give up her coveted place at a US Ivy League school.

Duan, from China’s eastern province of Zhejiang, had been admitted by Cornell University as a candidate for a master’s degree, along with admissions from several other American schools. But at the end of April, with the coronavirus pandemic at its peak, she rushed to apply for European universities.

“Besides the Covid-19 pandemic, a string of unfriendly policies by President Trump towards international students; his blame on China as the cause of the coronavirus disease; and the current security situation affected by the Black Lives Matter movement – all gave me a sense of unease,” Duan told the South China Morning Post.

“Therefore, from policy and security perspectives, studying in the US was not a good option for me at this moment. Actually, many of my friends who had planned to study in the US have instead applied for Singapore, Hong Kong or European schools in the past few months.”

For decades, the US has been the top choice for Chinese students seeking to continue their studies abroad. The latest statistics from China’s Ministry of Education showed overseas Chinese students increased from 285,000 in 2010 to 662,000 in 2018.

Since 2009, China has been the biggest source of international students for American schools. One in three of the more than one million overseas students in the US comes from China. But now, Chinese students are having second thoughts and this year marks a big change in their choices.

Britain surpassed the US for the first time as year as their preferred overseas study destination, according to a report by the Beijing-based New Oriental Education & Technology Group, an overseas study agency also famous for its English teaching.

A survey of Chinese students by the company found 42 per cent hoped to study in Britain compared to just 37 per cent who nominated the US. It is a significant turnaround to four years ago when 30 per cent of respondents hoped to study in Britain while 46 per cent planned to study in the US.

Market consulting firm Qianzhan Industry Research Institute said both Britain and the US were still top choices for Chinese students, but people were currently favouring Britain and not only because of China-US tensions. They were also attracted by Britain’s shorter schooling period to achieve master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as the friendlier immigration experience.

Britain’s popularity as a study destination was boosted by the reintroduction of its graduate route post-study work visas which allow international students to live and work in Britain for up two years after completing a Master’s, or three years after a PhD.

Duan said the longer post-study leave period for foreign students in Britain was another attraction for her to study there in the autumn. After sifting through invitations from universities in Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden, she decided to enrol with Imperial College London.

“I believe the Imperial College London’s academic performance is as good as those top schools in the US and it can also offer me plenty of opportunities, although it is not my dream school,” she said.

Duan said many Chinese students felt horrified by the American measures “issued one by one since last year”.

These included US President Donald Trump’s proposal to limit job opportunities for international graduates from American universities, and a bill raised by Republican senators to prohibit Chinese nationals from receiving visas to study in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and maths.

For Duan, it is highly likely that, even if she applied for a visa to study in the US, she would be rejected because her major – material science – is among those on the “sensitive” list which are subject to visa restrictions, she said.

Fuelling the insecurity for Chinese students over their legal status in the US was last week’s announcement by the government that foreign students whose universities were only teaching online must leave the country, and that no visa would be issued to those enrolled in such schools.

This caused an outcry among the foreign students community in the US. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) took the Trump administration to court, describing the decision as “dangerous” and arguing it would create chaos for universities and international students.

In the face of wide opposition, the US government earlier this week withdrew the controversial visa rule.

Duan, who has just finished her undergraduate programme in Taiwan, said that pursuing her master’s or PhD degree in the US was always a dream because she regarded it as the world’s academic centre for science majors.

But her positive impression of the country has been affected by the way the US has dealt with the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s such a pity that I have been admitted by a prestigious American university but I have to forgo it,” she said.

Kim Wang, a consultant at Shanghai-based overseas study agency Timespin, said there had been a big increase in the past two years of students applying for multiple countries – choosing Canada, Britain and Australia as well as the US.

“The applicants to British universities have surged greatly and Singaporean universities have received more attention over the past two years,” she said. “This means the competition is much fiercer than before and British schools are stricter in checking application materials.”

An agent from JJL Overseas Study, a Beijing-based agency, said many American universities, fearing international students had lost interest in them, had loosened admission requirements. “Some top schools decided in early July they didn’t need GRE scores for international students applying for their MPA programmes,” said the agent, surnamed Wu.

“So for students who will start their university life in fall of next year, I suggest they consider more than one country in order to avert risks,” Wu said. “But many people are not aware that there are high chances of being enrolled by the best American universities [if they apply in the second half of this year].”

Ivor Emmanuel, director of University of California Berkeley’s international office, said it was too soon to know if there had been any decline in Chinese student enrolments.

“We will know after the start of the school year in late August if there is any observable decline in Chinese student enrolment. Then, too, it will not be clear to us what would be a direct link to that decline,” he said.

Columbia University was looking forward “with great enthusiasm” to the continued presence of Chinese students across its many degree programmes and schools, a spokeswoman said, describing them as “essential to fostering a global exchange of ideas at Columbia and our pursuit of knowledge”.

“To that end, we have strongly opposed policies of the US government that would make it harder for international students and scholars to attend our university. The mix of in-person, hybrid, and online course offerings that are being developed for the fall will be tailored to meet the needs of Chinese and other international students to the maximum extent possible.”

In an opinion article published by The New York Times on Tuesday, the president of MIT L. Rafael Reif forcefully underscored that international scholars were vital to American innovation and competitiveness, and cautioned that it was “misguided policy” to signal foreign students should stay away.

Earlier this year, Reif also testified that attracting top talent was essential and said “foreign students who receive a US doctorate should immediately be given a green card to settle in the US.” He also warned against anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Although MIT publishes the overall number of international students that applied and were admitted to each class, it does not break those numbers down by country. MIT has indicated that the size of the incoming first-year undergraduate class is to date comparable to previous years.

Zhu Huaixin, a comparative education expert from the College of Education at Zhejiang University, said the shift from American universities to those in other countries would be detrimental for nurturing China’s talent as there were not so many top schools elsewhere as in the US.

According to this year’s QS World University Rankings report, 46 of the top 200 universities are in the US. “There is a gap between the overall quality of American universities and those in Britain, Canada or Australia,” Zhu said.

“We Chinese universities treat our American counterparts as the standard and have been learning from them. A high percentage of professors and experts in many fields in China are returnees from graduating from American universities.”

Some Chinese students, who fled back to China when the Covid-19 pandemic swept through the West, are now eager to return to their schools for the new semester in September.

Amy Gu, a student from Shanghai who graduated from Cass Business School in London this summer, said she plans to apply for a British visa so she can return to the country at the end of September to start her postgraduate school life.

She returned to China in March when Britain’s Covid-19 cases were surging by thousands every day. Gu has been accepted at several postgraduate programmes in Britain but has not yet made her final decision.

The numbers of new daily Covid-19 cases have been declining in Britain, with an average of roughly 700 new cases this week, compared to its high of 6,000 new cases in a single day in May. In total, Britain has reported about 300,000 coronavirus patients, ranked the 9th in the world.

However, Gu said she was not worried about that at this stage. “I will wear masks when going outside, keep social distancing rules and wash my hands frequently. That should be fine,” she said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
0:00
0:00
Close
Unelected PM of the UK holds an emergency meeting because a candidate got voted in… which he says is a threat to democracy…
You Are So Beautiful
Rob Schneider explains California reparations legislation.
Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Who knew badminton could get so intense?
An old French tune (by Georges Brassens) Pomplamoose ft. John Schroeder
Farmers break through police barriers in Brussels.
Sattahip Motor Show 20
London's Iconic British Telecom Tower Sold To Become Hotel
SONATE AU CLAIR DE LUNE - Moonlight sonata
Ukraine Arrests Father-Son Duo In Lockbit Cybercrime Bust
A kiss to build a dream on
US Offers $15 Million For Info On Leaders Of Cybercrime Group Lockbit
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Russia Claims UK Cultural Agency Spied for Ukraine
Mean Blues
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
La Chansonnette
Alexei Navalny: UK sanctions Russian prison chiefs after activist's death
Pattaya Addicts
German economy is in 'troubled waters' - ministry
Franz Liszt - Liebestraum - Love Dream
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Dream a little dream of me
New video
Unchained Melody sung like you've NEVER heard!
Tucker Carlson says Boris Johnson wants "a million dollars, in Bitcoin or cash, from Tucker Carlson to talk about Ukraine.
Dave Brubeck - Take Five
Russia is rebuilding capacity to destabilize European countries, new UK report warns
Édith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (Sofie)
EU Commission wants anti-drone defenses at Brussels HQ
Rondo Alla Turca
Von der Leyen’s 2nd-term pitch: More military might, less climate talk
Kiss of fire
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Tom Jones - I´ll Never Fall In Love Again 1967, 1989, 2001
Prince William Urges End to Gaza Conflict
Israel Cachao López - Guajira Clásica
UK court to hear Assange's final appeal against extradition to the US, where he faces charges related to his journalistic work—the publication of a classified video in 2010 that exposed US war crimes against humanity.
Edward Maya - Stereo Love (feat. Vika Jigulina) (Extended Mix)
About 50-60% kids either chose to be YouTuber or influencer
Strauss - Radetzky March - Karajan
A viral video of Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce lying on a Canberra footpath is celebrated by his media mates.
La vie en rose
European Countries React to Navalny's Death by Summoning Russian Diplomats
The Temptations - My Girl (Smokey Robinson Tribute) 2006 Kennedy Cent
Israel has gone ‘beyond self-defence’ in Gaza, says Labour’s Streeting
Orlando Cachaito Lopez Redencion
English farmers to be offered ‘largest ever’ grant scheme amid food security concerns
Edith Piaf - NON, JE NE REGRETTE RIEN
Cameron government knew Post Office ditched Horizon IT investigation
RADETZKY MARCH-2008-Wien, New Year Concert
EU Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Conflict
Only you (And you alone)
EU Vows To Hold Putin "Accountable" After Meeting Alexei Navalny's Wife
Strangers In The Night
EU Launches Probe Into TikTok Over Child Protection Under Digital Content Law
Charles Aznavour - La Boheme
The EU Initiates Naval Mission to Defend Red Sea Trade Routes
Summer time
EU and UK Announce Joint Effort on Migration
Sting and Stevie Wonder - Fragile (from Sting's 60th birthday concert)
Brazil's Lula Likens Gaza Operation to Holocaust, Israel Says "Red Line" Crossed
Aux Champs Elysees
Ministers Confirm Proposal to Prohibit Mobile Phone Usage in English Schools
Stand By Me - Ben E. King (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Microsoft-backed OpenAI valued at $80bn after company completes deal
La Mer (Beyond the Sea) – Avalon Jazz Band
‘Alexei would want to tell Russia not to give up fighting’
She
Rwandan Footballer's Dismissal Sparks Concerns Over UK Asylum Plan
Nathalie Song by Enzo Petrachi Stjepan Hauser Cello
Whisky Challenges China's Baijiu Market During New Year Celebrations
Shape of My Heart - Sting (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Avdiivka - Symbol Of Ukrainian Resistance Now In Control Of Russian Troops
Radiohead - Creep
Putin Critic Alexei Navalny's "Killers" Refusing To Hand Over Body, Say Allies
Quizás,Quizás,Quizás - Andrea Bocelli - Jennifer Lopez
"Historic Step": Zelensky Signs Security Pact With Germany
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Multi-Couples
"Historic Step": Zelensky Signs Security Pact With Germany
Pentatonix Havana
20 Tech Giants Sign Effort To Fight AI Election Interference Across Globe
Paula Cole - Autumn Leaves
Joe Biden Accuses Putin of Causing Navalny's Death
Oscar Benton Bensonhurst Blues
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
OH NANANA vs ABUSADAMENTE
Tucker Carlson grocery shopping in Russia. This is so interesting.
Nina Simone - ”I Put A Spell On You”. Vezi aici cum cântă Jeremy Ragsd
Julian Assange's Wife Warns of His Death if Extradited to US
NIGHTWISH - The Phantom Of The Opera
‘A lot higher than we expected’: Russian arms production worries Europe’s war planners
Motorshow 2016 Tanjay Negros Oriental
Greece Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage and Adoption Rights
Monica Bellucci - Ti Amo
Hungarian Foreign Minister: Europeans will lose Europe, the Union's policy must change drastically
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean Milena The Voice France 2018
In Britain Homeowners are receiving CPO’s (Compulsory Purchase Orders) so their homes can be redistributed to migrants
Michael Buble (Help Me Make It Through The Night) feat Loren Allred
Memories Canon In D - Maroon 5 (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover)
Matteo Simoni - Marina
Maroon 5 - One More Night
Maroon 5 - Memories
Mark Knopfler - Brothers In Arms (Berlin 2007 Live)
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - Romeo And Juliet (Real Live Roadrunni
Marina, Marina - The LUCKY DUCKIES intimist live concert at Guimarães
Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On Mauranne The Voice France 2016
Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet - Joslin - Henri Mancini, Nino Rota
LoLa & Hauser - Love Story
Linkin Park Jay-Z - Numb Encore (Live 8 2005)
Hallelujah Mennel Ibtissem, The Voice France Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love
Leonard Cohen & Natasha Rostova - Dance me to the end of love
La casa de papel - Bella Ciao
La Camisa Negra
L'italiano (Toto Cutugno) - The Gypsy Queens
Juanes - La Camisa Negra
Jonathan and Charlotte - Britain's Got Talent 2012 Live Semi Final - U
John Powell - Assassin's Tango
Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On (LIVE in Dortmund)
Joe Cocker - Unchain My Heart 2002 Live
Joe Cocker - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Jay Z & Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind LIVE
Jason Mraz - Im Yours (live)
Jarrod Radnich - Bohemian Rhapsody - Virtuosic Piano Solo
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
James Blunt - You're Beautiful & Bonfire Heart (Live at The Nobel Peac)
If You Go Away - Helen Merrill & Stan Getz (Tribute to Virna Lisi)
I'LL BE MISSING YOU
I Say a Little Prayer
Hotel California ( Eagles ) 1994 Live
Historia de un amor - Luz Casal. Vezi interpretarea Biancăi Sumanariu
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover) on Spot
Heart - Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin - Kennedy Center Honors
HAVANA by Camila Cabello Zumba Pre Cooldown TML Crew Kramer Pastra
HAUSER and Señorita - I Will Always Love You
HAUSER - Waka Waka
HAUSER - Sway
HAUSER - Lambada
HAUSER - Historia de un Amor
HAUSER - Despacito
Great Pretender
Georgia May Foote & Giovanni Pernice Samba to 'Volare' - Strictly Come
Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues
GIPSY KINGS VOLARE Penelope Cruz
Fugees - Killing Me Softly With His Song
French Latino - Historia de un Amor
For A Few Dollars More The Danish National Symphony Orchestra (Live)
Flashdance • What a Feeling • Irene Cara
Filip Rudan - “Someone You Loved” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sez
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Enya - Only Time
Enrique Iglesias - Bailando (English Version) ft. Sean Paul
Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos
Elena Yerevan Historia de un amor
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You (Official Music Video)
Ed Sheeran - Perfect Symphony [with Andrea Bocelli]
Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Official Music Video)
Easy On Me - Adele (Boyce Avenue 90’s style piano acoustic cover) on S
ERA - Ameno
ELENA YEREVAN- Cancion Del Mariachi-IN STUDIO-2017 DPR
Dust In The Wind - Kansas (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Despacito x Shape Of You - Pentatonix
Deep Purple - Child In Time - Live (1970)
David Foster When A Man Loves A WomanIt's A Mans World (SealMichael Bo
Dance me to the end of Love ( Pi-Air Design )
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]
Conquest Of Paradise (Vangelis), played on Böhm Emporio organ
Cielito Lindo
Chico & The Gypsies - Bamboleo
Canción Del Mariachi - Antonio Banderas, Los Lobos • Desperado
Camila Cabello - Havana (Audio) ft. Young Thug
Camila Cabello - Havana ( cover by J.Fla )
California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas José Feliciano (Boyce Ave
Buster Benton - Money Is The Name of The Game
Hallelujah Pentatonix
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy (Official Music Video)
Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door Emilia The Voice Kids France
Besame Mucho - Cesaria Evora
Ben E. King - Stand by Me Sax Cover Alexandra Ilieva Thomann
Bella Ciao
Bella Ciao - INSTRUMENTAL
Beautiful in White x Canon in D (Piano Cover by Riyandi Kusuma)
Bad Romance - Vintage 1920's Gatsby Style Lady Gaga Cover ft. Ariana Savalas & Sarah Reich(1)
BELLA CIAO 2020 - KARAOKE ITALIANO
BAMBOLEO - Gipsy Kings • Antonio Banderas, Katya Virshilas
BAILANDO (original)
Awesome Ukrainian yodeler - SOFIA SHKIDCHENKO (with English subtitles)
Avicii - The Nights
Atom - The Great Gig in the Sky
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Official Ly
Antonio Banderas - Cancion del Mariachi (Desperado)
André Rieu - Zorba's Dance (Sirtaki)
André Rieu - Can't Help Falling In Love
André Rieu & Mirusia - Ave Maria
Andrew Reyes Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down The Voice 2020 (
Andreas Kümmert Whiter Shade Of Pale The Voice of Germany 2013 Showd
And I Love You So
All About That Bass - Postmodern Jukebox European Tour Version
Alan Walker - Faded (Piano Cover)
Ain't No Sunshine -- Bill Withers (cover by Canen 12 y.o.)
African music
Adriana Vidović - “Creep” Audicija 4 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
Adriana Vidović - “Believer” Nokaut 3 The Voice Hrvatska Sezona 3
A Fistful of Dollars - The Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Tuva
4 Beautiful Soundtracks Relaxing Piano [10min]
2CELLOS - Whole Lotta Love vs. Beethoven 5th Symphony [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
2CELLOS - Smooth Criminal (Live at Suntory Hall, Tokyo)
2CELLOS - Smells Like Teen Spirit [Live at Sydney Opera House]
2CELLOS - Despacito [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
13 Year Old Girl Playing Il Silenzio (The Silence) - André Rieu
094.All About That Bass
00 - SADNESS PART 1
(Ghost) Riders In the Sky (American Outlaws Live at Nassau Coliseum, 1
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams (Boyce Avenue ft. Conn
What a wonderful world
Moon river
×