When 40-year-old freshers enliven campus

"I'm too busy taking care of my parents and my children, managing my social relationships and developing a decent and stable job," she said.

"You just can't leave all these behind for more than a week, to bet on a possible new life. It will be too much to bear for a middle-aged person."

Chen Jin, a 46-year-old, said she'd prefer to save money for her son's future marriage and his pursuit of higher education.

"Economic support is a basic condition. Except from the programs fully sponsored by government or with a scholarship, most overseas study costs more than 400,000 yuan ($58,000) per year. For our age group, that should be spare money, neither borrowed from parents nor saved for the future," said Chen, before adding "but you can't deny that if everything has been arranged, it will be a great option to make middle-age life brighter."

Teng Zheng, president of Shanghai CIIC Education, claims that middle-aged students have different motivations and expectations, compared to younger students.

"One advantage about returning to class later in life is that mature students may have a greater sense of purpose and focus. Some aim for a job promotion when they return to the workplace, some for a change of trade and a more exciting career, and others may just want a break from the stresses of everyday life," he said.

"That's why they are able to capitalize better on what is offered and quickly fit into the new environment, compared with the younger people, whose future ahead is uncertain and who feel pressured to go to university by their teachers or parents."

Cui Lijuan, a psychology professor at East China Normal University, pointed out that another advantage is that the older students may bring a lifetime of experience to their overseas study and can, as a result, enjoy a richer learning process.

"While younger students get distracted by new things around them at school and complain, middle-aged students have probably already balanced work, home life and study," said Cui.

Li Yanqiu agrees.

"As an older student, I appreciate the chance of education more. You're there because you want to be. I study much harder now than when I was an undergraduate 20 years ago. My former job as a journalist with a nose for appealing topics enabled me to better write essays and assignments than the younger students in class," she said.

"It was a time when I only needed to arrange my schedule around my studies, nothing like the life when I am home, surrounded by a bunch of issues regarding work, friends and family.

"I miss being a student now," said Li.