This write-up will not provide you with any specific suggestions regarding your decision to study or not study in China. Instead, here, I will attempt to discuss the pros and cons of studying in China in a holistic approach and also analyze your approach to judging China in order to help you make your decision.
Let’s start with some questions that you should ask yourself.
Firstly, why do you want to study abroad? Most probably, your answer is, “It’s my long-cherished dream to study abroad.” In that case, I will humbly request you to rethink and give the answer again. Is the answer still the same, or has it changed? In my personal experience, I received this answer from more than 80% of students, but when I inquired deeply, a different scenario emerged.
– Maybe you do not have better options for your higher study in your home country.
– Maybe you are frustrated with your homeland’s socioeconomic conditions.
– Maybe you are seeking better earning and living opportunities.
– Maybe you are looking for quality education and a prestigious career.
– Maybe you are fascinated with a multicultural, multilingual study environment.
– Maybe you have no actual plan, and you are interested because your friend is interested or some of your near relatives have studied abroad.
Whatever intention you have, that doesn’t matter, but you should know about your purpose of making the decision to study abroad. It will matter to judge your decision of whether studying in China is the right decision for you or not.So if you know your purpose, then let’s come to the second point.What is your priority in choosing a study destination abroad? So, ask yourself again.- Do you want to study in a top-ranked university?- Do you want to study with a fully funded scholarship?- Do you want low tuition fees?- Do you want to settle down in that country after completing your graduation?- Do you want a top-class living standard?- Do you want part-time job facilities?- Do you want low living costs?- Do you want confirmed admission and visa?- Do you want an easy PR policy?You might want all of these at once, but you should keep in mind that you will not get all together from any destination. For example, while you’re going to pick top-ranked universities, you have to look forward to the USA, UK, Canada, where the living standard is high, you can do part-time jobs, you can settle down after your graduation, but tuition fees are high, it’s hard to get admission and visa, and living costs are so high that might not be covered by your part-time job. You can find some low tuition fees universities in European countries, but the living cost is still higher, and the visa ratio is significantly low. In China, both top-ranked and low-ranked universities are available; they provide full-funded scholarships, their living standard is high while the living cost is very low, admission with fully funded scholarships is quite competitive but the visa ratio is almost 100%. But still, you can’t do part-time jobs, there is NO PR policy, and there is a language barrier. So you need to choose the destination that is best suitable for your expectations and capabilities.
Let me ask you a final question,Which destination do you deserve? It could be clear to you if you ask yourself the following questions:- Is your academic profile up to mark with your Dream University or country?- Do you have adequate IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GRE/PTE/DUOLINGO or HSK Score?- Do you have enough financial backup to survive during your study period?- What about your Bank sponsor?
It’s very important to judge yourself prior to judging your destination. Hoping your vision is now clearer about your decision.Now match whether the following points are matching with you or not:– You failed to get admitted to a top university in your home country or you did not get the major you want to study.- You don’t have English proficiency scores or sufficient scores.- You want fully funded scholarships because you are from a middle-class family.- You want confirmed admission and visa.If you find yourself here, then China might be a good choice for you. Still, I will discuss some pros and cons of studying in China that will help you finalize your decision.
Ten Reasons to Study in China
- Availability of Scholarships There are various types of scholarships offered by Chinese Universities for International students for Undergraduate, Master, and Doctoral levels such as CSC Scholarship, Belt and Road Initiative Scholarship, MOFCOM Scholarship, Shanghai Govt. Scholarship, ANSO Scholarship, Jasmine Scholarship, Provincial Govt. Scholarship, President Scholarship, University Scholarship, and so on. These scholarships are fully funded scholarships which cover full tuition, dorm fees, and comprehensive living allowance up to 3500 RMB ($600 to $700 USD) per month. This highly paid scholarship fascinates international students to study in China to a large extent. About 500,000 students now move to China yearly to pursue their higher education.
- Top Ranked Universities
There are more than 3000 public universities in China. According to the 2023 QS World Ranking, there are 5 Chinese universities ranked in the top 100 and a total of 71 universities Ranked by QS World Ranking. Besides University ranking, the Chinese government has invested billions of dollars in their research sector, which pays off by the Chinese researchers lagging behind US researchers in order to publish articles in international journals. The high facility of the research environment attracts international students to China in recent years.
- Low Living Cost
The living cost of China is very moderate. Except for some cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, a student can even survive on $100 per month.
- High Standard of Living Standard
To me, it’s the most unique feature of China which is only possible in China. You cannot imagine how is the living standard of China within $100, which is worth $1000 in USA/Canada/Australia or around 800 pounds in Europe.
- Confirm Visa
It’s pretty sure of getting a Chinese visa if you are admitted by a Chinese university. The visa rejection rate is almost 0% if you do not provide any fake documents.
- Low Tuition Fees
The tuition fees of Chinese University are very low compared to other countries. At the undergraduate level, the fees are around 1500 to 2000 YUAN per year, which is equivalent to $2000 to $2700 USD per year. While the tuition fees in Europe are $10000 on average, in Canada $15000 per year.
- Learning New Language:
It is mandatory to learn the Chinese language for every international student, though their major is English-taught. Learning a new language is always exciting, while learning Chinese opens a new horizon of opportunity to international students as China is now leading in international trade and the tech world.
- A New Horizon of Opportunities
Studying in China will open a new horizon of opportunities for you. As China has the largest network of trading, students who graduate from business-related majors will get a firsthand experience of international trading business. If you learn Chinese seriously, then you will have ample opportunities to do a job in Chinese companies in or outside China after graduation. Still, you have the
Opportunity to initiate your ventures. I think China is the best place to expose yourself as engineers. Engineers are highly paid in China. Besides these, if your English proficiency is good enough, you can grab the opportunity of a teaching job in Chinese kindergarten schools. After completing your graduation, you can do a Master, Ph.D., and Post-Doctorate from China and can make you a preferable candidate for University Fellow.
- A Wonderful Land to be explored
China is a land of history and culture. The land of the Red Dragon welcomes you warmly with its long tradition, festivals, and cuisines. If you are culturally minded, it will turn into an amazing experience living in China. If you are a traveler, then an infinite canvas is waiting for you to enjoy. If you are a sports lover, you will have all the amenities to prove yourself in that way. So whatever activities you are fascinated by are available in your university to make your student life colorful.
- Multicultural Learning Environment
Every year more than 5 lakh students from 200 countries come to China for study purposes. So you will find the whole world while studying in China. Universities have a positive approach to making the environment for cultural exchange.
Ten Facts that You Should Know Before Studying in China
- Language Barrier
It’s the most challenging factor for international students while studying in China. Most of the Chinese people do not know even basic English. Most interestingly, the English proficiency of university teachers and staff, except the teachers who teach international students, is also zero. Moreover, international students often suffer from the English accent of their Chinese teachers. Besides the university, you will face a lot of difficulties and often have to use a translator to do your daily chores. Without Chinese proficiency, you will not find a job after completing your graduation. Even you have to pass HSK4 within your 4 years of Graduation; otherwise, the university will not provide you with a graduation certificate. Mandarin is a different type of language where there is no alphabet. You have to memorize Chinese characters and learn to write, which sometimes seems difficult to international students. The good news is that the university will provide language courses in every semester along with your major courses, and if you are serious, you can easily learn Chinese.
- Scholarship Conditions
There are numerous types of scholarships available in Chinese universities. The university evaluates the scholarship winners’ performance every year. Basically, this evaluation is based on 3 basic parameters which are as follows:
– Class Attendance
– Attitude and obeying rules and regulations
– Academic Performance
Moreover, the evaluation process and standards vary from university to university. (You can check detailed scholarship conditions for a particular university in our University section). There are some universities that offer a certain percentage of scholarships from the 2nd year. So you should know the scholarship conditions in detail before choosing any university.
- University Teaching Quality
As the teaching arrangements for Chinese students and international students are different, there is a complaint often raised by international students that the quality of teaching for international students is not up to the mark. There might be some issues regarding this or it may be a void complaint; whatever, you should check the reviews of that particular university for caution. I think it’s not all about teaching capacity but the learning capacity also matters. Sometimes students judge apparently. You should check out the curriculum, industry affiliation, lab facility, job placement, and alumni to judge one university’s teaching environment.
- Prohibition of Religious Activity
China is a secular country. Religious and political activities on campus are prohibited there. You can perform your religious activities inside your room without disturbing others. In many cities, there are mosques where Muslims can perform their prayers.
- Availability of Halal Foods
If you are Muslim, it’s a burning question for you whether you will avail Halal food in China. Almost all Chinese universities have a Muslim canteen for Muslim students. Besides, Halal chicken, beef, and lamb are available to buy in every city.
- Unavailability of PR
You can study, you can do a job, but still, China does not give PPR facility for foreigners. So if you are looking to settle down abroad, then China might not be your destination.
- Degree Type and Accreditation
There are following types of programs available for international students:
– Non-Degree Program (Summer/Winter camp, Short term & long-term language program, etc.)
– Technical/Vocational Diploma Program.
– Undergraduate Degree
– Master’s Degree
– Ph.D. Degree
– Post-Doctoral Program
Among these, if you want to enroll yourself in a Diploma program, then you should be aware of accreditation and prequalification of that program (Click here to learn details about the Diploma Program in China). If you want to pursue an MBBS degree from China, you have to check whether the University is approved by WHO and your country’s Medical authority (Click here to learn details about MBBS in China)
- Job Facility after Completing Graduation
Job market in China is competitive and skill-based. If you have enough skill and Chinese proficiency, you can certainly get a well-paid job after graduation. But some provinces still do not permit the conversion of a work visa from a student visa. In that case, you might go back to your country and reenter with a work visa.
- Restriction on Google and Facebook
All Google products and Facebook are prohibited in China. You need to use a VPN if you have to use these apps. That’s why you should pre-install some necessary apps before entering China.
- Unavailability of Part-time Jobs
Part-time job is strictly prohibited for undergraduate international students. If you violate the rules and get caught by the police while doing a job, you may be fined or your scholarship might be canceled.”
