Status, culture, cost: more Chinese students choosing Singapore as US declines

The Star

09-07-2025

Miya Zheng once aimed to earn a master's degree when she first arrived in the United States for her undergraduate studies. But now, three years later, the Chinese national has shifted her sights halfway across the world – to Singapore.
'After staying here for some time, I realised that this isn't quite the right place for me in the long run,' said Zheng, who is majoring in economics and statistics in the US and aspires to work outside China after graduating.
She has faced increasing hurdles as an international student in America. Difficulties adjusting to cultural differences coupled with her parents' concerns about safety have prompted her to apply to Singapore's top two universities in the coming application cycle.
'Singapore offers a great environment,' said Zheng, who is drawn to the nation's warm climate, abundance of Chinese cuisine and relatively high economic and diplomatic openness.
Singapore, home to six publicly funded autonomous universities and a handful of private universities, has long been a popular destination for Chinese students seeking an overseas education. In 2023, there were more than 73,000 international students in Singapore, according to local media reports, with a significant proportion believed to be from China.
And while the US has historically been the primary draw for Chinese students, industry insiders say Singapore may see an uptick in applications from Chinese students in the short term amid growing uncertainty and instability in the US.
For Chinese, Singapore ranks second among 28 popular study-abroad destinations for the overall appeal of its environment, according to a report jointly compiled by China's Ministry of Education and the Beijing-based think tank Centre for China and Globalisation (CCG).
Britain tops the list, while the US ranks fourth after Canada, dragged down by disquiet about safety.
'These concerns, such as conflicts, public order issues and its general stance towards China, would prompt many students to consider other options,' said CCG vice-president Zheng Jinlian.
The number of Chinese students in the US was already in decline, with India overtaking China as the top source of international students in the US last year.
And in May, US President Donald Trump's administration announced it would 'aggressively' revoke visas issued to Chinese students, a day after the US State Department suspended student visa processing for all foreign students.
Trump has since reversed course – welcoming Chinese students after a long-anticipated phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping last month and resuming student visa processing with stricter social media vetting – but only after policy shifts sparked anxiety and confusion among Chinese students.
Zheng said many applicants seeking a backup option in the event their US study plans did not eventuate were likely to consider Singapore, which has high rankings for safety and stability and, unlike the US, imposes no restrictions on majors deemed sensitive for international students. Given the current global climate, my family isn't comfortable with me going to Europe or the US alone
An admissions consultant with a Wuhan-based agency, who gave her last name as Gao, confirmed that her firm had received more queries about studying in Singapore in the past month following recent developments in the US.
Beyond safety, the city state's cultural familiarity and reputable universities were also main draws for Chinese students, Gao noted, especially as academic prestige remained a key consideration among many Chinese employers.
The National University of Singapore (NUS) retained its place as the top university in Asia and ranked eighth globally in the latest QS World University Rankings 2026, while Nanyang Technological University (NTU) ranked 12th.
'NUS has quite a high degree of recognition in China,' said third-year undergraduate student Oswald Dong, who plans to apply for postgraduate studies in finance abroad but would like to then return to the mainland to work.
He once considered studying in the US, but has dropped that plan. Most American master's programmes run for two years, making them more expensive, and the current unpredictability in the country is a deterrent for Dong.
'One-year programmes in the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore seem like better value,' Dong said.
Tuition fees for these programmes typically range from US$30,000 to US$55,000 – sometimes less than half the cost of programmes in the US.
'I personally didn't want to get a master's degree, but I have no choice. I won't get a job if I don't,' Dong said. He noted that Britain was his first choice because admissions were not as competitive as Singapore's top universities.
In China's highly challenging job market, a postgraduate qualification has increasingly become the minimum entry requirement for many desirable positions.
More than one in seven people aged 16 to 24 living in urban areas, excluding students, were unemployed in May. This figure is expected to rise sharply in summer when a record 12.2 million graduates enter the workforce.
Faced with intense competition, many Chinese students and parents view a master's degree – local or international – as a necessary credential to stand out. Nearly 3.9 million people signed up for this year's domestic postgraduate enrolment exam, as many others look to further their education abroad.
Undergraduate student Zhao Hongyi hopes to pursue postgraduate studies at Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), the country's youngest autonomous university.
Zhao, from Taiyuan in Shanxi province, admitted that his academic background was not competitive enough for Singapore's top universities and said he would also apply to private universities as a backup plan.
'Given the current global climate, my family isn't comfortable with me going to Europe or the US alone,' Zhao said. 'And I find life in Singapore more comfortable than places like Hong Kong.'
Universities in Singapore are keen to capture this growing interest among Chinese students. Several programmes now feature Mandarin versions of their websites, complete with WeChat contacts for live support in the application process.
And institutions are even beginning to offer programmes taught entirely in Mandarin. NUS and NTU offer executive master of business administration degrees in Mandarin.
The launch by SUSS of its first Mandarin-medium postgraduate programme in management last year was 'met with strong interest', a spokesperson said.
'SUSS has observed a significant increase in applications from international students across various countries within Asean and China,' the university spokesperson said, noting that international undergraduate applications had more than doubled this year compared with the previous academic year while postgraduate applications rose more than 30 per cent.
The university has since introduced several more Mandarin-taught programmes that will welcome the first intakes this month in areas such as financial technology, intellectual property and data analytics, which Zhao is considering.
While some have warned Zhao that SUSS is not as well-known on the mainland and its degree might lack employer recognition, he remains unbothered.
'I don't really care about that. The main thing is my family insists I get a master's, since everyone is getting one,' he said, adding that if given the opportunity, he would like to work in Singapore after graduating.
Admissions consultant Gao noted that post-graduation employment prospects for staying in their study abroad countries were sometimes a factor in how students decided where to go.
'It's not a given [that securing a job after graduation will be easy], but Singapore's salary levels are attractive. Its wages are among the highest in Asia,' she said.
According to the country's annual graduate employment survey, undergraduates fresh from university took home a median gross monthly salary of S$4,500 (US$3,400) in 2024.
This contrasts sharply with the average monthly income of 6,199 yuan (US$860) for Chinese undergraduates last year, according to a report released by the Chinese education consulting company MyCos last month, which did not reveal median figures.
But securing residency in Singapore remains a significant hurdle for many international graduates. Amid a push for local hiring, the country's employment pass framework has become increasingly selective over the years, as minimum qualifying salaries have risen.
'I did some research [into securing an employment pass] and it seems difficult,' said Miya Zheng, the undergraduate studying in the US who plans to apply to postgraduate programmes in Singapore.
She is, however, optimistic that while competitive, it will still be easier there compared to the US.
'I'll have to take things one step at a time,' she said. 'I don't want to return to China to work.' - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST