College ranking a key factor for students, while safety concerns parents the most

The pursuit of higher education and better work opportunities are the main reasons Chinese students study at foreign universities at the undergraduate level, while the opportunity to broaden their children's experience is what parents want most, according to a new report that came out on Saturday.

Based on client information from overseas consultancy EIC Education, the report found that when choosing a destination for overseas study, students most value the ranking of the school or the major, the quality of education on offer, and career prospects, while parents are most concerned about safety.

Students worry most about too much homework and academic stress, followed by safety and the language barrier. For parents, safety is their greatest concern, as well as cultural differences and racism.

In terms of choosing universities, both students and parents pay the most attention to the ranking of the university and their major. For parents, the employment rate is the third most important factor, but is only seventh in importance for students.

The report also found that from January to May, the number of consultations for overseas study increased by 43 percent year-on-year and by 12 percent on the same period in 2019.

The 10 most favored majors in the last three years include economics, computer science, business, communications and media research, math and finance.

As a result of inflation, tuition fees are higher this year compared with 2019. Students going to the United Kingdom are expected to pay 170,000 to 400,000 yuan ($24,000 to $56,000) in fees annually in 2023, up from 90,000 to 360,000 yuan per year in 2019.

Tang Yingying, 23, got a bachelor's degree from the University of Sydney last year and is pursuing a master's degree at the same university.

She chose the university because it recognizes scores from the Chinese national college entrance exam, or gaokao, and also because Australia is more inclusive and has fewer incidents of discrimination.

Tang said her gaokao scores only qualified her to study at Shanghai University if she were to choose to study in China, so the University of Sydney was a natural choice.

However, while entry requirements might be lower at some foreign universities, they have stricter standards for graduation, she said, adding that she has worked very hard to perform well in her studies and is also doing internships.

"I know that a student with overseas study experience is not as popular a choice on the domestic job market as they used to be, but studying abroad has helped me to grow a lot, it has opened up my horizons and allowed me to make friends with people from different countries and regions."

Chen Xiaojing studied at the University of Toronto for her undergraduate degree and at University College London for her postgraduate degree. She now teaches English at an overseas study consultancy company in Beijing.

The 24-year-old said she chose to study in Canada because it is more open to foreign students who want to work there after their studies, but still decided to come home to work to be close to her family and friends.

"The reason I didn't choose the United States was that I felt it was not safe there and wasn't suitable for students who are more introverted, like I am," she said.

"If I only consider things from the perspective of cost, it is likely that it will take a very long time for me to earn back the money I have paid over the years on studying overseas, but it is still a worthwhile experience because it allowed me to meet different people, live a different life and become more understanding and inclusive."