International students are optimistic that they will be able to return to China to study after years of not being allowed into the country due to Covid restrictions. Universities are starting to open their doors to overseas students again, with visas expected to be issued for international travel from the beginning of January. Whilst this is excellent news for prospective students, various experts have advised caution due to the recent Covid outbreaks in the country.
China is in the process of overturning its zero-Covid measures, meaning lockdowns and mandatory testing will soon be a thing of the past. This will enable confidence in students that China is starting to get back to normal and can once again offer a vibrant and bustling student life.
One example of this is the return of in-person examinations, sat by millions of students across the country at the end of 2022. This is a big step towards classrooms and lecture halls opening their doors again, which has always been a selling point for further education. Students will still have to declare if they have tested positive for Covid in order to protect the rest of the university community. Still, the consequences will be much more relaxed than they have been previously.
Currently, students in China are at home on holiday but are due to return after the winter break in February. It is not yet known how universities will function or what the new normal will look like until the next term begins. There will have to be an adjustment in learning, as most courses have taken place online for the last few years. However, this has been the case across the world, meaning China has many positive examples to follow.
Whilst there is still caution about the state of Covid in China and how long it will take before the restrictions are lifted, optimism is growing that international students will soon be able to enjoy the quality of learning that China has to offer, both in-person and back on campus.
