Chinese Students Are Rethinking the American Dream
Why More Chinese Students Are Choosing to Return Home After Studying in America
Permanent emigration used to be the goal of Chinese students who chose to study in the US. However, as more Chinese students go abroad, returning to China has become increasingly common. In recent years, as relations between China and the US have soured and the US administration has tightened its visa policies, Chinese students and their families are reconsidering studying in the US. The unstable job market in both countries and soaring costs have sped up this change. As a former international student in DC between 2018 and 2020, I’ve been part of the process.
While prestigious universities still attract China's middle class, the definition of "success" in international education is changing completely, from securing permanent residency abroad or climbing the social ladder to gaining global perspectives before returning home. This piece by
, a journalist with Southern Weekly, provides a snapshot of how today's Chinese international students differ from the previous generation. Through candid interviews with students, the article shows how studying abroad has evolved from a one-way ticket to the West into a more complex path of personal and professional growth, with China increasingly seen as the final destination rather than the starting point.Chinese ver: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/__iS4mR5sreu80fIpq2RGQ
In spring 2025, Liang Hanyi received an acceptance letter from her dream program—the Department of East Asian Studies at Columbia University. "I applied to 11 schools in total—10 in the US and 1 in the UK," says Liang, who had just graduated from a prestigious university in Beijing. Studying abroad had long been on her life's to-do list. "My parents always encouraged me to study abroad. Actually, I wanted to go since middle school," she told Southern Weekly.
With parental support and faith in American education, Zhang Lingyu spent six years completing his undergraduate and master's degrees, returning to Beijing at the end of 2024. "Over these years, I witnessed the gradual deterioration of US-China relations. There were fewer and fewer Chinese students around me. It's hard for them to stay. Some compromise everything just for a work visa, and many have mental health issues while studying abroad—they're not happy," Zhang told Southern Weekly. Many international students no longer see staying in America as a "life goal." Five or six of his classmates who returned to China actually found life more relaxed and comfortable.
With shifts in international relations, living costs, and study abroad policies, Chinese students have seen significant changes in their school selection, major choices, and employment prospects. "Over the past five years, international relations have directly impacted overseas education. Students are more cautious when choosing to study in the US," Liu Tianmiao, Dean of the International College at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, told Southern Weekly. The number of students from their college choosing to study in America has noticeably decreased. "Study costs in first-tier international cities like New York and London increase yearly. After considering safety and distance factors, more students are choosing Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau as study destinations."
Meanwhile, while the UK and the US, as traditional study destinations, still attract many middle-class families, international students are no longer fixated on staying there after graduation. Many interviewees told Southern Weekly that studying abroad is more about broadening horizons. Due to cultural differences, lifestyle habits, and safety concerns, returning to China for career development might be the optimal choice today.
"Those who haven't studied abroad could spend a year or two exploring outside. Don't be too eager to stay—you can be a global citizen," says Zhang Lingyu.
1. Middle-Class Families Still Favor US Education
Liang Hanyi began preparing her study abroad applications as soon as her junior year started. "Many of my classmates started grinding for internships in their freshman year—I was already late." Throughout her junior year, Liang juggled internships, applications, and language exams.
Majoring in Japanese with a minor in journalism, Liang focused her graduate applications primarily on US programs. "UK programs are shorter, but I prefer American universities' curriculum design and course selection flexibility." Due to her packed schedule, Liang outsourced tasks like program research and school selection strategy to study abroad consultants.
Among the 11 schools, Liang mainly targeted East Asian Studies and Communications programs. "When writing initial documents like personal statements, the consultants communicated with me in detail. For some essays, I'd draft them first and have them polished or translated." Liang spent 70,000 yuan total on consulting fees. (about 10000 USD) "Applying to the US is much more expensive than Hong Kong or the UK."
Despite receiving acceptances with half scholarships from Georgetown and the University of Michigan, and a two-thirds scholarship from Boston University, she chose Columbia. "Columbia's East Asian Studies was a reach program for me—I didn't think I'd get in at first. It has its own internship channels, flexible course selection, and higher domestic recognition," Liang analyzed.
"I've already received the I-20 form from the school and prepared documents like bank statements. However, since Trump recently halted international student visas, the embassy hasn't opened F-1 visa appointments yet." After the visa turmoil in May, Liang's mindset has stabilized. She plans to go to the US in September, and her classmates heading there in the fall have mostly obtained visas quickly. "Worst case, I'll study in the UK for a year first, then go to the US." Liang also has an offer from the London School of Economics.
Though US policy volatility has somewhat dampened its appeal, its educational quality and philosophy still attract most study-abroad families. Studying in America remains the top choice for high-net-worth families. According to the 2025 "Blue Book on Studying Abroad" published by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, while the UK ranks first in Chinese students' comprehensive evaluation, the US remains the preferred destination by numbers.
Liu Ruichen first went to study in America over a decade ago, spending more than ten years there from high school through master's degree. As a Columbia political science graduate from six years ago, he estimates annual tuition and living costs were at least 700,000 yuan. "I was deeply influenced by Western culture back then—I left in eighth grade," Liu recalls that around 2010, few Chinese students attended American high schools, and study consultants rarely handled US high school applications. Liu researched and applied to a Virginia high school himself.
"It was a predominantly white local high school," Liu remembers. In schools with mostly locals, integration was difficult "unless you came to America very young." Later, Liu transferred to a more diverse high school in Washington D.C., where interpersonal relations improved considerably. "Even with near-perfect TOEFL scores, many top American high schools were inaccessible," Liu notes that by then, schools weren't just looking at grades. "Their evaluation standards were higher than college admissions—some parents would donate to top American high schools."
After the annual college entrance exam results, Liu Tianmiao often leads recruitment teams to various high schools. The college shares information about American universities, study costs, and safety factors with parents and students. "Some middle-class families, if not specifically set on US education, might lean toward Australia or the UK," Liu says.
2. If You Can Attend a 985 University in China, Is Studying Abroad Necessary?
(985 universities refer to China's elite group of 39 universities selected in 1998 for the government's Project 985, aimed at developing world-class institutions—similar to America's Ivy League in terms of prestige and selectivity.)
"Early study abroad focused mainly on business majors. Back then, parents and students generally aimed to obtain a foreign degree. With internet development, students and parents now have higher, more detailed requirements for programs and rankings." This is Liu Tianmiao's conclusion after thirteen years in international education.
The Blue Book mentions that 62.5% of Chinese students choose STEM fields, while business majors dropped from 24.3% to 13.4%. Over 70% of students show interest in interdisciplinary studies, with "compound skill" paths like management + technology or finance + data gaining favor.
Zhang Lingyu graduated from Beijing No. 80 High School's international department and spent half a year in the US during high school. "I was determined to pursue cutting-edge programs in America, to study science and engineering. But to achieve something in math or physics, you need at least a PhD." So Zhang followed the crowd and chose computer science.
When selecting schools, Zhang carefully researched US computer science rankings: first tier included Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and UC Berkeley; second tier included UIUC, Purdue, and University of Maryland. "I also got an offer from Purdue, but Maryland was closer to D.C., so I went there," Zhang says.
However, the trend of studying STEM abroad is weakening. "With manufacturing and AI development, the market has greater demand for STEM talent." But Liu Tianmiao observes that students strong in math and science often score well on the gaokao and mostly choose domestic education. Liu also notes: "Studying STEM abroad actually challenges students greatly, especially in mastering technical terminology—language requirements can be even higher than liberal arts programs. High-ranking schools' science programs require corresponding international science course scores when applying."
When Zhang entered Maryland in 2018, he could meet over a dozen Chinese students in a large math lecture. By late 2022 at the end of his undergraduate studies, only a few scattered Chinese students remained. "Back then, students who could score well enough for top-tier domestic universities all considered studying abroad. Now in 2025, if you can get into a 985 university in China, you might not go abroad."
Liu Ruichen also believes that for STEM programs, studying domestically might be better. "China's higher education excels in sciences—it allows intensive problem-solving immersion. American high school and college science education is relatively basic; teachers won't push students to practice problems. Practice is entirely self-driven." As a Columbia political science undergraduate, Liu discovered that China's political science teaching is relatively traditional, while "American political science shifted to quantitative analysis early on—studying statistics and programming. Liberal arts and sciences complement each other; they're not completely separate."
When he received a full scholarship for graduate studies at UC San Diego, he met many classmates from Chinese social science backgrounds. "Comparatively, their critical thinking was weaker."
3. Not Going Abroad "Saves Seven to Eight Million RMB"
If inflation raised study costs, deteriorating US-China relations might be the Waterloo for many American international students.
"Studying in Washington naturally sparks interest in political science." Liu Ruichen moved from Washington to New York for undergraduate studies in 2015, just as US-China relations were ending the Obama administration's honeymoon period. "Everyone thought Trump's first term was bluffing—he'd eventually need to do business with China." But with the first trade war in 2017, US government "competition" with China became more apparent.
Zhang originally wanted to study aerospace in America. "But I knew these sensitive fields were off-limits. These programs separate Americans into one class, US allies into another, and other countries into a third." Zhang wonders whether Trump's second term might implement blanket policies on sensitive fields, no longer admitting Chinese students.
During undergrad, Zhang interned at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "The background check alone took four to five months. So students in STEM fields better not leave America during their studies."
After COVID, American society became more turbulent, with frequent anti-Asian incidents deterring many international students. "Many of my international student friends returned after the pandemic, just as their work visas expired," Liu says.
The most visible change is vanishing job opportunities. Zhang noticed Maryland CS graduates could still enter major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple before 2020. "But positions shrank dramatically after COVID. By 2022, only half or even one-third of graduates could enter big tech." "By 2024, this number was nearly zero. Some graduates, desperate for OPT work permits, join Indian-run staffing companies doing minimum-wage 'big tech contracting.'"
Zhang heard of graduates from top-tier US computer science programs submitting hundreds of resumes without a single interview invitation.
Sometimes Zhang chats with Chinese classmates who attended American high schools and colleges: "If we hadn't gone abroad but studied domestically instead, how would things be different?" They'd respond: "The only difference is you'd have seven to eight million yuan extra."
Previously, those choosing to study abroad in middle or high school were mostly from China's high-net-worth families, but low-age study abroad has notably decreased. Zhang observed, "Considering cost-effectiveness, some Jiangsu-Zhejiang business owners (江浙老板) no longer want to send their children abroad so early."
Families pursuing Ivy League, Oxford, or Cambridge education might choose domestic top universities during COVID or head to Singapore and Hong Kong—places with larger Chinese communities and social stability.
4. "I Don't Have an Obsession with Staying"
Is studying abroad a ticket to staying in the destination country? More Chinese students are questioning this.
"I don't have an obsession with staying," Liang admits. "If I find a suitable internship in America, I'll stay longer. If not, returning to China is also good."
Liang's high school specialized in languages, with many classmates going abroad for undergraduate or even earlier. "The school had partnership programs with Japan's Waseda University where you could directly study political economy or law." She noticed classmates who went to non-English speaking countries for undergrad, like studying mechanical engineering in Germany, found it relatively easier to enter major corporations.
Years ago, "staying" after studying abroad wasn't difficult. Liu Tianmiao mentions meeting members of UK and Australian alumni associations. "Those who went to Sydney or Brisbane from 2004-2007, many successfully stayed, some even entered local civil service."
Now, the difficulty of staying after graduation has significantly increased everywhere. For instance, Australian citizenship requires IELTS scores of "8888." "Now staying is more about 'can you' rather than 'do you want to,'" Liu notes.
After over a decade studying in America, Liu Ruichen ultimately chose to return. "The first few years abroad, you think 'staying' is the goal. But the longer you're there, you realize it's nothing special." He laughs, "American education is an expensive disillusionment process. You think you've transcended class, but after graduation you discover some elite school classmates were already 'second generation'—they naturally get opportunities without relying on degrees."
In his view, while top American universities indeed provide quality educational resources, it doesn't guarantee cost recovery or life transformation.
According to The Economist Intelligence Unit, in 2023 the US rejected 36% of Chinese student visa applications, a historical high. Post-pandemic, more students choose to return to China after completing studies. According to the 2025 China Study Abroad Forum by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, over 80% of international students returned for employment in 2023. The main returning group was master's graduates, concentrated in IT, finance, and education, with average annual salaries around 240,000 yuan.
But not all students are content to return. From the US to Canada, from the UK to Australia, many still attempt to "relocate"（润） to a second destination. Some of Zhang's friends are turning to Australia or the UK. "US work visas are too difficult; green cards are basically impossible. If you must stay in America, you need a transitional place."
While the UK and Australia are relatively more relaxed, they all have work visa salary thresholds or immigration quotas. Those who truly "stay" remain a minority.
Liu Ruichen sees clearly: "America's benefits have nothing to do with you; its drawbacks, you can't escape a single one. If international students stay as first-generation immigrants, integrating into mainstream society is difficult. Maybe the second generation can truly become part of it." He pauses, "The first generation just lays the foundation."
Liu Tianmiao clearly states: Nowadays, more students are ‘pushed to go abroad." They don't truly want to study abroad but have no choice given the gaokao's brutality. "With 13 million gaokao test-takers and a large proportion of repeat students, quality university spots are limited. Parents spending money to send children abroad is also giving them an opportunity."
"In recent years, the desire to study abroad isn't as strong as before," Liu says. "People increasingly see studying abroad as just one journey in life. Go out first, then decide your direction."
(Liang Hanyi, Zhang Lingyu, and Liu Ruichen are pseudonyms)
Look at Singapore as example of evolution of tertiary sector. In the 80s, the Bureau of Manpower (might have changed name by now) would sponsor students to go abroad on condition they'd work for the govt for a period upon return (or reimburse the cost if not). This allowed them to build up a cadre in technical/management classes. Since then, they've heavily recruited for NUS and other unis to the extent it is now an export services sector. However, attempts at making SG an R&D powerhouse is ... mixed. Their industrial policies tried to make bioinformatics a pillar but that didn't pan out, with current emphasis on logistics and fintech. It could well be that in coming decades China with confucian emphasis on learning could reverse the brain drain (so long as learn mandarin).
Not just rethinking…actively moving.