But Liu and his team said it was time for a change and the tuition fee could be raised to around 100,000 yuan (US$14,300) – five times the existing level.

The “reasonable” increase would allow Chinese universities to provide better educational services and compete with other top institutions around the world to attract higher-quality international students, they said.

According to the College Board in the US, the average tuition fee for international students at American public four-year universities was US$26,820 per year in 2020-2021. British fees vary between institutions and study programmes, but can range from £10,000 to £38,000 per year (US$12,400 to US$47,300).

The proposal – published by the Chinese-language Journal of Higher Education Management – revealed sensitive data about the real costs to China of international education, suggesting Beijing is giving it serious consideration, according to a Beijing-based education policy researcher.

The Beijing-based education policy researcher, who was not involved in the study, asked not be identified because of the issue’s sensitivity.

“Education authorities and university managers are recognising the need to invest more in higher education to remain competitive globally,” said the researcher, who was not involved in the study and asked not to be identified.

“By raising tuition fees for international students, Chinese universities can generate more revenue to invest in research, infrastructure, and other areas that can help improve their global rankings and reputation,” the researcher said.

China has become the world’s third-largest destination for international students, after the United States and Britain, with nearly half a million studying there in 2019, according to Ministry of Education data.

The top five source countries were South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan, India and the US. Other major sources of international students included Russia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Japan and Vietnam.

The most popular fields of study for international students in China include engineering, business and management, Chinese language and cultural studies, medicine, and natural sciences.

China’s top universities have become leaders in cutting-edge research such as AI, quantum science, space technology, big data, life sciences, hypersonic flight and nuclear energy – attracting students from overseas interested in pursuing advanced degrees and research in these fields.

Chinese companies with an overseas presence are also offering internships and job opportunities to international students. Studying in China can provide valuable work experience and build connections in their field of interest, while also exposing them to the country’s business culture.

But China’s popularity as a study destination had gone unnoticed until recently, with the language barrier one of the main reasons.

There were also concerns about censorship and restrictions on academic freedom that may have deterred some international students from considering China as a destination.

Liu’s team estimated that a single international student could cost Chinese taxpayers about 100,000 yuan (US$14,300) each year, providing previously unavailable data on government spending.

Additional support services – from visa processing to language assistance and cultural orientation – make administrative expenses for international student programmes much higher than for domestic students.

According to the paper, the cost of local exchange events alone can cost millions of yuan each year at an unnamed university in Beijing with students from more than 140 countries.

“Every year, the university organises student visits to Beijing’s hutongs, communities, and scenic spots such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Summer Palace. The total cost for transport, admission tickets … and related personnel expenses is approximately 1 million yuan (US$143,000),” the researchers said.

“In addition, the university holds special activities for international students, such as organising social events and participating in campus competitions. The funding for these cultural and practical experience activities is also approximately 1 million yuan.”

Many universities in China also provide language training programmes to international students who do not have a strong command of Mandarin Chinese or other regional dialects, before they begin their academic studies.

These language training programmes can be expensive and add to the overall cost of educating international students, Liu and his team noted.

The significantly higher cost of educating international students compared to their tuition fees could strain China’s education budget and divert resources away from domestic students, the paper said.

“With the continuous expansion of the scale of international students studying in China, some serious negative public opinions related to international students have emerged.”

Without an increase in tuition fees for international students to cover the true cost of their education, the financial burden on Chinese universities could become unsustainable, the researchers said.

Liu’s team said there were potential drawbacks to raising the fees. Too high an increase may limit the number of international students who choose to study in China and could result in a fall in the number of talented individuals contributing to China’s economy and society, they said.

The team suggested the government adopt a “price discrimination” policy, offering grants or subsidies to students with high talent and potential. This would help to ensure they have access to higher education, regardless of their financial situation.

At the same time, charging most students a price that matches the cost of their education could make sure resources were allocated efficiently and that the government was not bearing an undue financial burden, the researchers said.

A Shanghai-based researcher in international education said an increase in the tuition fee was likely, but may happen gradually, with an incremental rise every few years.

“A gradual increase in tuition fees can help provide predictability and stability for both students and institutions, allowing them to plan and budget accordingly,” he said.

“It can also help ensure that the government has time to carefully evaluate the impact of any changes and make adjustments as needed.”