China Education

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China is a country of 9,600,000 square kilometres in size, with a population of more than 1,200,000,000. Chinese civilization dates back 5000 years ago, and her unique culture and tradition attracts more and more international visitors. The past twenty years have witnessed China as one of the fastest growing countries in the world.

Higher education in China has been well developed. There are over 2000 universities and colleges, with more than 6 million enrollments in total. China has set up a degree system, including Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees that are open to foreign students.

China has a 50-year history of having foreign students studying in her universities and colleges. Therefore, the institutions have rich experiences of accommodating foreign students in China. Out of over 2000 universities and colleges, more than 300 of them now have foreign students studying on their campuses.

The programs provided foreign students by universities and colleges include two-year program (after senior high school), Bachelor, Master and doctor degree programs, non-degree programs and Chinese language programs.

All universities and colleges with foreign students provide conditions for the students to live within or near the campuses. Foreign students studying in China can also live out of campus if they would prefer to do so.

Those who wish to study for degree have to go through an examination - only those whose exam scores are up to the required standard can become registered students to study for a degree.

Scholarship programs are bilateral exchange programs, and those who want to apply to study in China on a Chinese scholarship have to go through their government. Private students can make application directly to the university or college that you wish to study at.

Following is information about foreign students studying in China in 1999. By reading it you will have a better understanding of foreign students studying in China.

The total number of foreign students studying in Chinese universities and colleges in 1999 is 44711. Of the total, foreign students number 11479, including 181 two-year program students, 8402 Bachelors degree students, 2000 Masters degree students and 896 Doctoral degree students. Non-degree students are 33232 in total, including 1626 regular non-degree students, 579 advanced non-degree students, 15532 language students long-term and 15495 language students short-term.

Among foreign students studying in Chinese universities and colleges in 1999, 5211 enjoyed scholarships from the Chinese government, with the rest all private students. Among the scholarship students, 6% (332) were Doctoral degree students, 15% (790) Masters degree students, 33% (1720) Bachelors degree students, 6% of them (317) advanced non-degree students, 39% (2052) non-degree students. Of those private students, 2% (567) were Doctoral degree students, 5% (1210) Masters degree students, and 28% (6682) Bachelors degree students.

As regards subjects that foreign long-term students (29216) have chosen for their study in Chinese universities and colleges, 79% (23191) are students in area of social science, humanity, literature and language, 1% (323) in areas of medical science (2110 in Chinese medicine), 2% (538) in areas of art, and 0.6% (178) in areas of physical culture education.

The number of universities and colleges that have foreign students on their campuses stood at 356 in 1999. These universities and colleges distribute throughout all provinces and municipalities in China. Areas that have more than 1000 foreign students are: Beijing (17854), Shanghai (5581), Tianjin (3775), Jiangsu province (2677), Liaoning province (2201), Guandong province (1646), Jilin province (1396), Zhejiang province (1259) and Shandong province (1117).

Universities and colleges that have more than 500 foreign students on their campuses are: Beijing University of Language and Culture (5929), Beijing University (2798), Fudan University (1648), Beijing Normal University (1340), Nankai University (1218), Tianjin Normal University (913), Zheijing University (814), Nanjing University (752), Tsinghua University (751), Huadong Normal University (691), Dalian Institute of Foreign Language (628), Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (609), Shanghai University of Foreign Language (599), Capital Normal University (554), Tianjin Institute of Chinese Medicine (518), and International Training Centre for Acupuncture, Beijing (505).

The origins of foreign students studying at Chinese universities and colleges total 164 countries around the world. However, the distribution is uneven. Of the total of foreign students studying in China in 1999, 71% of them (31914) came from countries located in Asia, 13% (5621) from European countries, 11% (4938) from countries in North and South America, 3% (1384) from countries in Africa, 2% from countries in Oceania. Among those countries that have the most students studying in China, the top 25 countries are: Japan (12784), Korea (11731), the United States (4094), Indonesia (24511), Germany (1297), France (824), Australia (770), Russia (609), Thailand (512), Canada (508), Vietnam (471), Singapore (466), Italy (455), Malaysia (454), DPRK (450), Nepal (423), United Kingdom (419), Mongolia (359), Pakistan (294), Laos (278), Sweden (211), Yemen (206), Philippine (185), Finland (177), and the Netherlands (156).

Author
Yu Fuzeng
President
Chinese Association of Universities and Colleges for Foreign Student Affairs

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