How many foreign students study in China?

China has one of the largest education systems in the world, with more than 3,000 universities in 2022, and a higher education sector comparable only to that of the United States.

According to 2021 data from the Chinese Ministry of Education, there were 35 million undergraduate students nationwide, and 3.3 million postgraduate students.

Of these, 255,720 are full-time international students, which is less than 1% of all students in the country.

However, compared to other global destinations, the number of international students is significant. Enrolments from China in 2021 accounted for 38% of the UK’s total international enrolment share, a record year for recruitment for the UK.

According to Studyportals data, the number of English-taught programs in China increased by 12% between 2021 and 2023 – from around 2,550 to almost 2,900.

This made China by far the world’s largest provider of ETPs over the same period – outside countries where English is an official language. According to the British Council, there are more than half a million TNE students in China and more than 1,000 joint programmes or institutes across the country.

In 2021, master’s programs accounted for 71% of all English-language programs in China, while in 2023 this figure dropped to 61.5%. Meanwhile, the number of short-term courses increased from a negligible 0.6% to 6.5%, and the number of English-language doctorates increased from 2.3% to 3.7%.

Tsinghua University, one of China’s elite institutions, is a leader in English language teaching. The university offers 32 programs taught entirely in English, as well as 189 undergraduate modules and 550 postgraduate modules taught in English.

Despite these efforts, of Tsingua’s 15,000 students, only 5% are foreigners – so maybe there are more opportunities?

The pandemic has slowed growth

China could have been well ahead of its current record if the pandemic had not put a damper on enrollment growth. The country had aimed to reach 500,000 international enrollments per year by 2020, but the pandemic put an end to any possibility as borders were closed.

In 2021, the number of international student enrollments dropped by 23% compared to pre-pandemic data in 2018.

Before the pandemic, the breakdown of countries sending to China was Asia accounting for 60% of international registrations, followed by Africa (16.6%) and Europe (15%).

In 2021, master’s programs accounted for 71% of all English language programs in China

Topping the list of source countries were South Korea (50,600 students), Thailand (28,608), Pakistan (28,032) and India (23,198).

Asian Century Signals Renewed Demand

The disruption of the large English-speaking markets allowed for an experimental phase in which more students chose alternative destinations in Asia.

Tuition fees are significantly lower than those of the established major players in international education, and are one explanation for the growing appeal of China as a study destination. While international fees at a British university can exceed £20,000 a year, the average Chinese programme ranges from £1,300 to £2,400 a year.

Research from Trier University suggests that the BRI has significantly increased the number of scholarship recipients going to study in China. The research suggests that over time, providing scholarships could help transform China into a place driven less by push factors (such as a lack of jobs in the home country) and more by pull factors (the reputation of education and opportunities).

This fits into the “Asian Century” narrative that sees Asia taking center stage in the world, while Europe and the US decline. The Financial Times argued that in terms of purchasing power, the Asian Century began in 2020.

China’s higher education offerings are also growing rapidly. China has seven of the world’s top 100 universities, according to the latest Times Higher Education World Rankings.

Both Tsinghua University and Peking University were ranked in the top twenty (12^t and 14^t respectively), beating out numerous Russell Group and Ivy League institutions. As measured by China’s domestic Shanghai Ranking, 10 local universities made it into the top 100.

In addition, last September, Xi’an Jiaotong University became the first top university to drop its English language requirement for graduation, sending a renewed signal that English was no longer a prerequisite for success.

Kevin Prest, Senior Analyst in Education Insights at the British Council, discusses how China’s policy emphasis has shifted from quantity to quality.

“In 2017 and 2018, several policy documents were published that introduced more stringent regulations for the recruitment and management of international students and scholarships,” Prest tells The PIE.

“The key factors influencing this policy are: establishing a quality assurance system, improving recruitment and management systems, and improving the management of the China scholarship program.”