The number of foreign students coming to China has surged rapidly. Statistics show that the total number of international students across the country has reached 500,000.
Do you know which countries have the largest number of international students in China? What are the popular majors and top universities for international students from various countries coming to China? This article can serve as a reference for you who are planning to study in China!
No.1 韩国 Republic of Korea
✅️ By a wide margin: 50,600 students
South Korean students take the largest share of international students in China. Most choose business, science & engineering, and Chinese language & literature.
💡 Popular universities: Capital University of Economics and Business, Sichuan University, Nankai University, Fudan University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University & multiple Sino-foreign joint programs.
No.2 泰国 Thailand
✅️ Total: about 28,600 students
Thai students studying in China tend to pick practical interdisciplinary majors including medicine, Chinese language, international business, tourism management, engineering and traditional Chinese medicine to boost their career competitiveness back home amid China-Thailand
💡 Popular universities: Beijing Language and Culture University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, HUST; Huaqiao University & Jinan University are also well-received.
No.3 巴基斯坦 Pakistan
✅️ Total: about 28,000 students
Pakistani students in China mostly choose clinical medicine, alongside popular majors including civil engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, international business and finance, as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor cooperation fuels demand for interdisciplinary talents in medical and technical fields.
💡 Popular universities: Tsinghua, Peking, Shanghai Jiao Tong, Tongji, East China Normal, Zhejiang University, etc.
No4.印度 India
✅️ Total: about 23,200 students
Over 80% of Indian international students in China pursue undergraduate clinical medicine, while a small proportion opt for science, engineering and business majors such as computer science, artificial intelligence and finance.
💡 Popular universities: Peking University, Tsinghua University, USTC. Students study in 45 medical schools and authorized comprehensive universities like Sichuan University & Jinan University.
No.5 美国 United States
✅️ Total: about 21,000 students
American students studying in China favor humanities and social sciences including Chinese language, Chinese history and international relations, and many also choose business, economics, environmental science and traditional Chinese medicine-related majors.
💡 Popular universities:
The largest group from Europe and America, mostly studying at top 985 universities in first-tier cities like Tsinghua, Peking, Zhejiang, Shanghai Jiao Tong, China Agricultural University, Capital Normal University, ECNU, etc.
No.6 俄罗斯 Russia
✅️ Total: about 19,200 students
Russian international students in China mainly major in Chinese language and literature, international trade, law, energy engineering and aerospace, with geographical economicand trade cooperation and language learning demands as their core factors for major selection.
💡 Popular universities: Major student group from northern neighbor; over 400 Russian students study at Harbin Institute of Technology alone. Main campuses: Tsinghua, Peking, Shanghai Jiao Tong, RUC, Fudan, HIT.
No.7印度尼西亚 Indonesia
✅️ Total: about 15,000 students
80% self-funded. Popular majors: Chinese language, business, software engineering, traditional Chinese medicine. China is a life-changing study destination for Indonesian youth.
💡 Popular universities:Chinese and language universities including Jinan University, Xiamen University and Beijing Language and Culture University, while comprehensive top universities such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University and Central South University also attract a large number of Indonesian learners.
No.8 老挝 Laos
✅️ Total: about 14,600 students
Most Lao international students major in Chinese language, railway engineering, mechanical and electrical technology, cross-border business and other fields to meet the talent demands of China-Laos Railway construction and bilateral economic and trade exchanges, and many take practical skill courses in vocational colleges.
💡 Popular universities: China-Laos Railway fuels the study boom. Besides universities, many Lao students attend Chinese vocational colleges for skill training. Vocational schools in Yunnan train Chinese interpreters and railway technicians for Laos.
Editor: Ayesha Noor