With China’s post-pandemic reopening, and the resumption of outbound travel and tourism from the nation, the world has seen the gradual return of Chinese international students to Western institutions in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK over the past year.
However, their numbers are no longer as high as they once were. In the US for instance, India has surpassed China as the top source of international students in 2023, according to US homeland security data. Chinese nationals made up 23% of arriving students studying Stem topics, while India nationals comprised 40% Stem students.
Interestingly, more and more Chinese students are deciding to stay in China for their studies post-pandemic. Analysts attribute this to the nation’s growing superpower status, and the rising quality of domestic tertiary and higher education institutions.
Among other concerns is affordability, as China is experiencing a period of economic uncertainty rocked by falling real estate prices, as well as high unemployment and lower household cash flow.
“The proportion of students who originally planned to stay inside China for university and instead pivot to study overseas, went up from 3% in 2021 to 15% in 2023,” according to news sources.
However, receiving an education abroad remains a priority for many, thanks to the glamorous and worldly perceptions of studying overseas across Chinese social media; as well as the status of having a prestigious and sought-after foreign degree.
Here are the top three destinations Chinese international students are heading to in 2024:
USA#
Although China recently lost its position as the top source country in 2023 to India, the US continues to be the most popular destination for Chinese students. In the 2022–2023 school year, there were about 289,000 Chinese students enrolled in US universities.
“I am the kind of person who, if I find a very good job opportunity, will jump out of bed in the early morning to revise my resume and send it out as quickly as possible,” posted international student @zizikuku on Xiaohongshu, who is currently studying in LA while advising netizens on finances and part-time job-hunting in her posts.
About 86,000 Chinese nationals were granted student visas by the US government during the 12-month period that concluded in September of last year, according to VOA News. A report by Axios cited that some international students spend up to $100,000 a year studying in the US in 2023.
Canada#
Another popular destination is Canada, which welcomed 100,000 Chinese students for the 2021–2022 school year. After Indian students, Chinese students make up the second largest group of foreign students in Canada. The nation's pristine and outdoors-oriented image and reputable educational system are major attractions.
The nation is also known as a host country for many Chinese celebrities who chose to study abroad. And the presence and visibility of Chinese international students on the Canadian education scene has become a pop culture meme in itself — in reference to the perceived extravagance and conspicuous spending of overseas students.
On average, undergraduate international students pay 36,100 Canadian dollars per year to study in Canada. According to the latest government data, spending by international students raised Canada's tax income by CA$7.4 billion in 2022.
UK#
In 2024, the UK is still a popular destination for Chinese students. The kingdom's universities and wide range of academic offerings draw them in. China's students consistently choose the UK because of its solid reputation in research and higher education.
In 2021, Chinese international students spent 5.4 billion British pounds ($7 billion) in the country. In 2020, there were 97,000 Chinese students studying in the UK, though numbers are anticipated to have fallen since the pandemic.
“I gradually learned how to cook my own food because I couldn’t stand White people food here,” writes @mediumcuphalfsugarwithoutice on Xiaohongshu. “[And] I often follow recommendations from Xiaohongshu to decide where to eat out.”