Prepping for Next Season

Grappling with Zero-COVID

In the last newsletter, we saw that countries like Japan are starting to allow international students back in gradually. China seems to be moving towards that direction too. There has been news that some Thai students were able to return to China and more changes are “likely to come.” On the other side of things, the US announced the end to the China Initiative, denouncing xenophobia and hopefully allowing for more scientific collaboration and recruitment. 

However, the recent Omicron outbreak has put many Chinese students into limbo. Events for the next admissions season should be starting up soon, but many of these events have been pushed back. Policies vary between the major cities though. In Beijing and Shenzhen, restrictions are loosening, while Shanghai goes under tighter lockdowns.

Value of Study Abroad

While study abroad has been seriously affected by the pandemic and other changes, many students still haven’t given up. Why do they still choose to study abroad and why do they stay? 

According to a survey on wealthy Chinese families, the craze of sending young students abroad has tapered down, but numbers for graduate program applicants have surged. This is paired with new policies increasing competition into high schools. Parents still see study abroad as a way to help children learn to think independently and shoulder responsibilities, or a way out of the competitive environment. However, many parents want their children to return after their studies.

This is in line with another study that found a “value gap” between students’ satisfaction with studying in the US and the outlook for their future career development. The report found that foreign students were not well-equipped for the competition in the American job market, which is exacerbated by visa restrictions. Now, the question might be, how can the study abroad experience, from the studying itself to the long-lasting effects, continue to be attractive for students?

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