CHINA

Chinese Overseas Student Numbers Drop to a Decade Low

Published: Apr. 20, 2026 11:10 a.m. GMT+8

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The U.K. study abroad booth at the China International Education Exhibition in Beijing. Photo: VCG

The number of Chinese students heading overseas for education has retreated to levels last seen nearly a decade ago, signaling a structural shift in a lucrative market that Western universities have long relied upon.

According to data released by China’s Ministry of Education, 570,600 Chinese students went abroad in 2025. The figure represents a decline of nearly 20% from the historical peak of 703,500 in 2019, bringing the scale of outbound students back to around 2016 levels. For Western universities that have banked on a steady stream of full-tuition-paying Chinese students, the shift points to a new era of adjustment following years of explosive growth.

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570,600 Chinese students studied abroad in 2025, down 20% from 2019 peak of 703,500, back to 2016 levels.
535,600 returned in 2025; 87% of 8.01M completers since 1978 returned home.
Shifts include rising costs (605k yuan avg budget 2026), tighter visas abroad, more Asian destinations, and increased domestic job-seeking.

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Who’s Who

Zhaopin: Zhaopin, a major Chinese recruitment platform, reported that in 2025, overseas graduates seeking jobs in China rose 5% year-over-year, while fresh domestic graduates jumped 12%. Both figures hit an eight-year high.

EIC Education: EIC Education, an education consultancy, reported in 2025 that during the 2024-2025 academic year, Chinese students numbered ~266,000 in the US, 189,000 in Australia, 149,000 in the UK, ~100,000 in Canada, 92,000 non-local in Hong Kong, 72,000 in South Korea, and 56,000 in Malaysia.

New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc.: New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (NYSE: EDU) released a report finding tuition fees now the second most important factor for Chinese students choosing schools (after rankings), surpassing majors and employment rates. It notes the average study-abroad budget hit 605,000 yuan in 2026, a 12-year high.

Caixin Media: Caixin Media is the organization employing Sangdan Baimu as an intern, as credited at the end of the article on declining Chinese outbound students.

AI generated, for reference only