Why study in China?

With more than 400,000 foreign students arriving every year, China is one of the most popular destinations in Asia for international study. If you’re considering studying abroad, read on to find out why it might be the right choice for you.

A growing reputation

The Chinese Ministry of Education has been developing a world-class higher education system since the late 1990s. It has reached its target of spending 4% of GDP on education, while the number of colleges and universities has doubled in the last decade, now standing at around 3,000. 

The government’s ‘Project 211’ in 1995 aimed to bring 100 Chinese universities up to a world-class standard, whilst ‘Project 985’ worked to create the C9 league (the Chinese equivalent of the US Ivy League). The efforts have paid off, with Chinese universities regularly making the QS World Rankings top 100.

A chance to learn a new language

Mandarin Chinese has roughly 955 million native speakers in the world (more than any other language). It is ranked by the British Council in the top 10 most useful languages to learn. Whether you’re a total novice or have some knowledge of Mandarin, the immersive nature of living in the country means you’ll have a unique opportunity to learn and practice.

Hundreds of universities in China teach in English, so don’t worry if you have no Chinese language ability. It’s common for Chinese universities to provide language classes for international students, so you can improve your language skills alongside your studies.

An affordable education

As part of the initiative to boost the global reputation of its universities, the Chinese government offers a wide range of scholarships to international students. As a result, in 2017 nearly 59,000 foreign students in mainland China received some form of scholarship to support their studies. 

Tuition fees in China are fairly low, particularly in comparison to the UK and US. Students can expect to pay between 11,000 and 20,000 CNY per year (around 1,600-3,00 USD or 1,300-2,400 GBP), depending on the subject and institution.

A diverse and beautiful country

China is big. Really big, in fact. Its borders contain a multitude of different landscapes, climates, customs, dialects, and cooking styles. While studying there, you’ll have the opportunity to travel and see many of the diverse regions.

In the north, you can expect cold and snowy winters where you can ski and snowboard. In the south, there are tropical beaches and remote islands to enjoy during the summer. What’s more, you can explore much of China using public transport, which includes the longest high-speed railway system in the world.

Students from around the world

There are over 1.4 billion people living in China. Although a majority of these people are natively Chinese, there are many other nations and cultures represented in the population. And with well over 400,000 foreign students, there’s a vibrant international community on university campuses. Many international students in China come from other parts of Asia, but over 20% of all foreign students come from North America and Europe. 

Is this your dream study destination? Check out our other guides on studying in China to help you get started on your application: