As Chinese students forgo US university degrees, the impact on brainpower transcends borders
- Some US schools have lost 89 per cent of their Chinese enrolment since 2017, but China still accounts for most international students seeking American degrees
With an eye on studying chemistry abroad, Rafael Wang set his sights on master’s programmes in the United States. So, it came as an element of surprise when he learned that his university had been placed on a US sanctions list in 2020, and he had to react accordingly.
Now 24, Wang recalled how Washington’s decision to target the Nanjing University of Science and Technology threw a wrench in his plans.
“The US is still attractive to me,” Wang said, pointing to its prowess in science and technology. “But the problem was that even if a university admitted me, it was impossible to get a study visa. So, I decided to study in Europe.”
In 2022, the native of Xian, Shaanxi province, settled on Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
Wang’s case illustrates how some Chinese students in recent years have been shying away from degree programmes in the US – traditionally a top destination in their desire to study abroad. Some fear getting caught in the intensified geopolitical crossfire between the two countries, others worry about being denied a visa, and some say they are deterred by the possibility of violence.
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