Britain gets top marks from students

Despite uncertainties about Brexit, the quality of education in UK shines through for Chinese

Despite uncertainties about Brexit and some safety concerns, the United Kingdom remains a popular destination for Chinese students.

There are currently more than 155,000 Chinese students at UK schools and universities, and the number of first-year students in 2016 was 77,000, a 9 percent increase compared with the previous year, according to the British Council, the UK's international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

In June, the British Council hosted pre-departure events for those about to study in the UK and toured four Chinese cities, including Beijing. The huge response to the events is testimony to the UK's popularity.

According to data from China's Ministry of Education, 545,500 Chinese students went abroad in 2016, up from 459,800 in 2015. The Chinese overseas education market is the largest in the world, and the United States, the UK and Australia are the most popular destinations.

"The UK stands out for its highly respected and internationally recognized university sector and the breadth and caliber of the education it provides," says May Huang, head of education marketing at the British Council. "The UK offers courses for more than 80,000 majors, a wide range of alternatives for students."

The respected culture and long history of the country also give it an added advantage.

The relatively short duration of courses is a further big draw for most students, says Zhang Junjie, a teacher with Ruixing Education, an overseas education consulting company in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.

"The short duration means less expense," says Wen Yuan, whose daughter is going to the UK for graduate studies this year. "In our own case, the fees for obtaining a master's degree in the UK are about 70 or 80 percent of those in theUS."

Overseas education is undoubtedly an expensive option for self-funding. According to data from the Ministry of Education, of those students who studied abroad in 2016, 498,200-or 91 percent - were there at their own expense.

Normally, fees rise each year. At the London School of Economics and Political Science, for example, fees for an master of science in accounting and finance are ￡26,448 ($33,874; 29,810 euros) for overseas students for the 2017-18 academic year, up from ￡22,128 the previous year. In the academic year of 2009-10, fees were as low as ￡18,048, according to the university's website.

Since the UK's referendum decision in June last year to leave the European Union, some have worried about the potential impact on education sector.

Xu Yayun, who recently graduated from the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing and is going for a master's degree in managerial accounting in the UK, says: "No one knows what will happen once Brexit takes place. The immediate effect for us is uncertainty about the pound."

"Some students felt a little concerned and had second thoughts when they initially wanted to study in the UK."

The good news is that "fees for studying in the UK have fallen by 24.5 percent since 2008, due to the depreciation of the pound", according to Huang from the British Council.

Brexit is bound to affect the market.

"Across the UK education sector, more attention may be shifted toward attracting students from Asian countries, especially China. Britain has always been a desirable destination for Chinese students. This is unlikely to change in the future. If the number of EU students falls after Brexit, there is more likely to be a dramatic surge in the number of international students from China," says Kurt Yang Liu, from Birmingham Business School at the University of Birmingham.

Teacher Zhang is optimistic about the market and cites the University of Oxford as an example, saying that in 2016 the university offered more opportunities for students from China. Students from China are by far the biggest single overseas group at the UK's universities. The recent series of terror attacks has made some worry about safety, and such concerns are also the top priority for those who are about to travel to the UK.

Zhang Muqiao, who studied in the UK between 2001 and 2005, plans to return for a master's degree and says he has no worries about safety.

"Students on campuses, away from the crowds, are relatively safe," Zhang says. "The UK is safe due to the narrow gap between the rich and poor and the country's rigid gun controls."

Talking about other countries in the EU, Xu says the language barriers and limited options for English-language subjects stopped her from choosing them.

Zhang of Ruixing Education says that although other European countries are not the main destinations for Chinese students, they are attractive for those who want to focus on specific fields, like Swiss hospitality education or logistics in the Netherlands.

lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn