Tide of Chinese students studying abroad slowed by coronavirus, US tensions as international education sector stumbles
- Chinese students studying abroad rose to 662,100 in 2018 from only 40,000 in 2000
- But education agencies report applications from new clients are falling due to fears about the coronavirus and new restrictions by the US government
The tide of Chinese students flowing abroad to study, which has tripled in the last decade, looks set to recede in the near future due to fears about the coronavirus pandemic and escalating China-US tensions, according to Chinese agencies that help students enrol at foreign universities.
About 40,000 mainland students went abroad in 2000, but that number soared to 662,100 in 2018, underlining one of the most significant changes in international education exchanges in decades.
Zhang, a co-founder of Haohai Consulting, has found a lucrative niche in helping Chinese students apply for admission to schools in the United States.
The firm was set up in the US state of Massachusetts in 2012 and in its first year helped two Chinese students from the city of Chengdu prepare their application for US schools, according to the firm’s website.
Its business quickly grew as Chinese parents and students looked for help to get their children into prestigious US schools.
The firm claims that in 2018-19 it helped 11 Chinese students to gain admission to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, seven to get into Harvard University, nine into Stanford University, 33 into the University of California, Berkeley, 62 into Carnegie Mellon University, as well as 68 into Columbia University. The South China Morning Post was unable to verify its claims.