More Students Choose to Study Abroad at Younger Age

China is the top source country of international students in the world. Recent statistics have shown a stronger trend for Chinese students to study abroad at a younger age. Zhang Mengyuan has the details.

The number of Chinese students studying abroad has rapidly increased in recent years. According to statistics released by the Ministry of Education in the academic year of 2010, about 285,000 people were educated abroad, up 24 percent from the previous year. The majority of overseas students were undergraduates and postgraduates, but the number of younger students has been growing dramatically. Among the total number of students who went abroad last year, more than 20 percent were under 18-years-old.

Zhang Chao, general manager of EIC Group, an international education service company, explains:

"Among our clients, in the past two or three years, the growing rate of students going abroad was about 20 percent, while the rate of those under 18 were about 20 to 25 percent, which is higher than the average growth. Most of them go to study in high schools, and there are a few primary students as well."

A recent survey conducted by MyCOS, HR Digital Information Corporation and Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, shows a large amount of high school students are planning to study abroad. Zhang Jingxiu, Vice President of MyCos Corporation, elaborates:

"From last September to this March, we have received more than 2,900 online replies to questionnaires. The target interviewees were high school students. We found that 70 percent of the students plan to study abroad after graduating from high school. Twenty-four percent plan to study in foreign high schools. Only six percent plan to study in domestic universities and then pursue postgraduate studies overseas."

In the survey, more than 60 percent of students say they want to receive a better education, while 19 percent go abroad to escape the stress of taking China's university entrance examinations. Due to high living expenses and tuition fees, most young overseas students come from well-off families. Brought up in fairly good conditions, many of them face various problems living on their own in a strange country. Due to language obstacles, they also face difficulties communicating with others. Shi Yiru, consultant from Shanghai Huashen International Education Corporation, raises some suggestions.

"Young overseas students should be more active about making new friends. Although schools help develop their study habits, they should be more independent. Students with strong communication skills are easier at adapting to new circumstances."

For children studying abroad, parents make the final decision. But experts suggest parents communicate with their children and respect their willingness when it comes to making the choice between staying at home and going to study abroad on their own at a tender age.

For CRI, I'm Zhang Mengyuan.