Advice

China is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional international student cities of London, New York or Paris. With ambitious plans to significantly increase the number of international students in the country, the Chinese government seems committed to showing a new side of an ancient country.

But what exactly should you expect from going to university in China?

More and more Chinese students are heading overseas to study. In fact, China continues to be one of the leading countries sending students to study abroad and this demand for overseas education remains strong.

Here are the top nine reasons why Chinese students are choosing to head overseas for their university education. 

1. Enriched experience

The majority of Chinese students decide to study abroad to develop a better understanding of other cultures and to gain a global mindset.

To get in to your ideal course at your ideal institution, an international student needs more than good grades (although they certainly don’t hurt). The people in charge of reviewing university applications will sift through hundreds – sometimes thousands – of personal statements, so it’s important to make yours stand out. 

So how do you create a high-quality personal statement that makes you the obvious choice for your institution?

While in the throes of senior year, it can be hard to imagine the ways your life may change when you go to college. Whether you’re dreading the day you finally leave the family home or you can’t wait to move across the country, it’s more than likely that you have not thought about the small adjustments that you will have to make when living away from home.

On the other hand, you may not have completely thought about all the new opportunities that arise from being isolated from your old life.

This April ushered in a welcome change for graduates in England and Wales when the student loan repayment threshold increased, meaning that those who took out loans after 2012 can now earn more before starting repayments.

Previously repayments kicked in when earnings reached £21,000 per annum, but from April 2018 the threshold is now £25,000. The difference for graduates is up to £360 a year.

But graduates still carry the debt burden from studying in one of the most expensive university systems in the developed world.

Barely any of my school friends went to university, let alone wanted to work there. I was one of the few who went on to study at university. I also come from a low-income family with no history of going to university. I initially wanted to go to university after working at a school and realising that if I wanted to become a teacher I would have to get a degree.

After I went to University of Glasgow later this year to continue my journey into academia.

When I began to research my postgraduate options, I realised that the decision to study further was more serious than I had assumed. Asking yourself: “do I want to be a student of this course at this university because the course description says exactly what I want to learn” is probably somewhat misleading.

How much does it cost to study at a university in China? If you are interested in studying in the country, one of the most important things to consider is how much everything is going to cost. This essential guide breaks down the cost of every aspect of university life to ensure that you have everything covered. 

Note that prices and exchange rates are correct at the time of publication and may vary from those shown here. Some prices have been rounded up or down. 

Tuition fees

To retain the benefits of an international student body, including the economic contribution, it is important that students, universities and employers are all aware of the routes through which individuals can remain in the UK after their studies have concluded.

Financial education has been on the national curriculum since 2014 but students are still leaving school without knowing how to manage their money.

The 2017 National Student Money Survey found that 84 per cent of university students are stressed about money, one in two fail to understand their loan agreement, and 75 per cent wish that they had received better financial education.