HEPI report challenges whether Chinese students receive enough support from UK universities

A report published today by HEPI and Uoffer Global, How can UK universities improve their strategies for tackling integration challenges among Chinese students? by Pippa Ebel, investigates the integration challenges facing Chinese students and considers the quality of related services provided across UK campuses.

It asserts that challenges faced by Chinese students are particularly acute and merit further attention by UK institutions. Given the financial contribution of Chinese students and increasing uncertainty about their future in the UK, institutions must improve the services on offer. The better integration of Chinese students would benefit the entire campus community and UK society at large.

Key findings from the report include:

• UK universities, particularly the Russell Group, are highly reliant on Chinese students for financial stability, with Chinese international students paying £2.3 billion a year in fees. There is a risk that the UK will become less popular with students from China in the coming years, with the number of Chinese applicants dropping by four per cent in 2022.

• China's unique domestic digital ecosystem creates technological barriers for Chinese students moving to the UK, increasing ethnic clustering. Few are familiar with non-Chinese apps such as WhatsApp and Instagram prior to their arrival and therefore adoption is limited. Instead, students continue to use Chinese apps like WeChat and Little Red Book which serve not just as social platforms but also as key sources of practical information regarding the local area.

• English language proficiency, particularly spoken, is lower among Chinese students than those from other developing economies like India and Malaysia. IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores do not always accurately reflect Chinese students' language competencies, particularly spoken English. Chinese applicants to UK universities are highly reliant on private education agencies to learn English, often paying more than £10,000 to private tutors for support with admissions tests. English language proficiency has recently been further deprioritised by the Chinese government.

• There is an uneven distribution of Chinese students across UK higher education institutions (HEIs), with over 15,000 at some institutions and less than 10 at others. This is one cause of acute social clustering, where students mostly socialise with others from China. This is intensified by limited accommodation options and information access which often leads to Chinese-only households, despite an original desire among many Chinese students to find non-Chinese friends.

• International students would like more targeted career support from their universities: most (almost 80 per cent) have never received support. Chinese students find it more difficult than international students from elsewhere to find employment. Students from China make up 22 per cent of all international students in the UK but just 10 per cent of former international students who gain post-study employment in the UK.

• Some Chinese students feel like they are being treated as revenue sources rather than as valued members of the community.

The paper recommends focusing primarily on improving the following areas of provision:

• HEIs should consider alternatives to the IELTS examination as a way of assessing language competencies, such as spoken interviews, potentially using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to sift through applications.

• Institutions should support Chinese students before and when they arrive, including with buddying systems pairing domestic and Chinese students and including Chinese students in market strategies.

• To reduce ethnic clustering, institutions should give Chinese students more information in advance, allocate on-campus accommodation to international students and work more closely with agents recruiting in China.

• Careers centres should consider international students separately and institutions should embed internships and practical work experience in academic programmes.

Pippa Ebel, author of the report, said:

Although the financial value that Chinese students contribute to the UK economy is increasingly being realised, their potential social and cultural contribution is often overlooked. All international students face challenges when moving to an unfamiliar environment, but there is evidence to suggest that the problems facing Chinese students are more acute and distinct. Chinese students belong to a specific digital context and this permeates all aspects of their life abroad. 

This report looks to challenge existing preconceptions around Chinese students' behaviour in the UK by presenting fresh insights and expert perspectives. If more assistance was provided for Chinese students to integrate, not only would the students have a better experience but campuses and UK society at large would feel the benefits.

Uoffer Global, an education consultancy partnered with over 100 universities globally and the sponsor of the report, said:

One of the key aspects of this insightful report is its focus on the integration challenges faced by Chinese students, particularly regarding language barriers and employment struggles. Despite their academic qualifications, many students encounter difficulties adapting to spoken English in academic and social settings. Similarly, the lack of clear and personalised career support often leaves them feeling unprepared for the job market in the UK. This report offers practical recommendations, such as enhancing admissions assessments and incorporating internships into academic programmes, which address these issues with actionable clarity. 

Josh Freeman, Policy Manager at HEPI, said:

The international environment is changing and UK universities can no longer rely on Chinese students arriving in increasing numbers. Yet these students, and the high fees they pay, are critical to the long-term economic health of many institutions. That means institutions will have to work harder to attract and keep them. But the sector should not do so at the expense of quality, and rigorous admissions standards on language and academic ability must be maintained.

Notes for Editors:

1. Pippa Ebel is a China specialist and researcher, based in Guangzhou. Over the past five years, she has advised universities, schools and the UK government on China. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Oxford and a Masters in China Studies from Peking University where she was a Yenching Scholar. Her work has been published by international think tanks in English and Mandarin. In 2024 she was awarded the Li Kaiyuan prize for academic excellence for research conducted at Peking University.

1. The author conducted research across nine months, engaging experts across the UK and China, as well as over 100 students in a series of surveys and interviews. Students were recruited from over twenty different higher education institutions in the UK studying a range of degrees both undergraduate and postgraduate.