Haowu Dong, Grade 4, Shenzhen College of International Education

A recent report published by the lobbying body Universities U.K. International found that in the 2016-17 academic year, 95,090 Chinese students were enrolled by British universities, by far the biggest international student group to the country.

With the improvement of family income and living standards in the past years, young Chinese are increasingly enthusiastic about furthering their study abroad and gaining international degrees. In my point of view, there are four major factors which contribute to the U.K. as a favorite choice.

Firstly, U.K. boasts many globally famous higher learning institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL, Imperial College and others. Its diversified culture and abundant heritage are also attractive to Chinese students.

Secondly, British universities are improving their marketing efforts and international profile in recent years. According to latest statistics, at present, 296 of the 661 international schools in China teach the British A-level curriculum. Thus, the United Kingdom becomes a sure destination for these students when choosing foreign schools.

Thirdly, with Brexit pending, British universities are eager to attract more international, especially Chinese students to secure funding, because Brexit means that many universities in the country may lose research and financial support from European Union institutions.

Last but not least, with the escalation of Sino-American trade friction and the cooling of bilateral relations, the U.S. Government is prepared to restrict and shorten the length of visas issued to Chinese students. On the contrary, Britain has introduced a new policy this year allowing foreign graduates from 23 universities to apply for six-month post-study work visas.