China’s Education Market: 570,600 Chinese Students Went Abroad in 2025

Chinese students are studying abroad again in large numbers. After three years of border closures and visa uncertainties, the outbound Chinese student market is recovering fast. Universities, language schools and education agencies that invested in their China presence during the quiet years are now reaping the benefits, while others are scrambling to rebuild connections they let go cold.

In 2025, 570,600 Chinese students left to study abroad, according to the Ministry of Education Study Abroad Service Center (source). The record was 703,500 in 2019 (source). Many families who delayed overseas education plans during the pandemic are now moving forward. The competition to attract these students has never been more intense.

In EIC Education’s 2026 China Study Abroad White Paper, about 40% of students planned a study abroad budget between 310,000 and 600,000 RMB (source), covering tuition, accommodation and living expenses. This makes education one of the highest-value segments in the China outbound market.

Why Chinese families still choose to study abroad

The motivations are clear. Chinese parents value overseas education for the language skills, international networks and career credentials it gives their children. A degree from a well-regarded foreign university still opens doors in China that domestic credentials cannot match. The status factor is also real, having a child studying abroad is a source of family pride in many Chinese communities.

Top destinations remain the United States, UK, Australia and Canada. But parents are increasingly open to alternative destinations including Germany, Netherlands, Japan and Singapore, especially as US and UK visa processes have become more complicated for Chinese applicants.

What Jon Wang says about the education market

“Education is one of the most research-intensive purchasing decisions a Chinese family makes,” says Jon Wang, analyst at CTA. “Parents spend 12 to 18 months gathering information before committing to an overseas education plan. They search on Baidu, they join WeChat parent groups, they read Xiaohongshu posts from current students. If your institution is not present in those research channels you simply don’t exist for most Chinese families. The brands that invest in content and community-building in China have a massive advantage over those relying on agents alone.”

Case study: how Green Valley Language Academy found Chinese students

Sophie Marchand had been running Green Valley Language Academy, a mid-size English language school in Vancouver, for nine years. Her school had a strong reputation among Japanese, Korean and Brazilian students. Chinese students had always been part of her enrollment but they came through education agents, and Sophie had no direct relationship with them or their families in China.

In 2022, her main education agent in Shanghai closed down during the pandemic disruptions. Sophie lost 40% of her Chinese enrollment in one year. She realized she had no plan B and no direct presence in China to fall back on.

She contacted CTA in early 2023. The first step was building a Chinese-language version of her school website, hosted with a CDN that loaded reliably in China. CTA also set up a Baidu SEO campaign targeting parents searching for English language schools in Canada, and opened a WeChat Official Account where Sophie published monthly updates about student life at the school, visa tips, and testimonials from current Chinese students.

The Xiaohongshu strategy was particularly effective. CTA worked with three current Chinese students at Green Valley to post honest, detailed accounts of their experience. These were not promotional posts. They covered everything including the weather, the food, the homework load, and what it felt like to arrive knowing nobody. This type of authentic content is exactly what Chinese parents and prospective students search for when making decisions.

By September 2023, direct Chinese inquiries through the WeChat account had reached 34 per month. By January 2024, Sophie had enrolled 22 Chinese students directly, without an agent, saving approximately 18% in commission fees per enrollment. Total additional revenue from direct Chinese enrollments in the first full year was 310,000 CAD.

“The WeChat community changed everything for me,” Sophie said. “Parents in China could ask me questions directly and get real answers. Some of them had been reading my posts for six months before they made contact. By the time they applied, they trusted the school completely. The agent relationship was never that personal.”

How education brands should approach China in 2026

The education market in China is highly competitive and very relationship-driven. Here is what works:

• Baidu SEO and PPC. Chinese parents search for overseas schools extensively on Baidu. Ranking for the right keywords puts you directly in front of families at the moment they are actively researching.
• WeChat Official Account. This is your direct channel to Chinese parents and prospective students. Regular, honest content about student life, academic programs and practical tips builds real trust over time.
• Xiaohongshu student content. Current students sharing authentic experiences are more persuasive than any brochure. This platform reaches both students and parents doing research.
• Chinese-language website. Your enrollment page must load in China and be written in proper Mandarin. Auto-translation creates a poor impression and loses applicants before they even inquire.

New Oriental’s 2026 report shows Hong Kong rising to second place among intended destinations, ahead of the US, while the UK stays first (source). Asian options are gaining ground: Japan counted 131,097 Chinese students in May 2025, up 6.2% on the year, according to JASSO (source). Education brands in these markets have a real window to build Chinese market share right now.

For education brands that want to understand the full picture of Chinese digital marketing, our guide on Chinese digital marketing strategy covers the main platforms and approaches in detail. For the specific role of WeChat in parent and student communication, see our WeChat marketing guide.

How CTA Can Help

CTA works with universities, language schools and education agencies to build visibility and trust with Chinese families. Our services include:

• Douyin (TikTok China) campaigns
• WeChat Official Account management
• Baidu SEO and PPC
• RED (Xiaohongshu) influencer marketing
• Chinese website design and localization
• KOL/KOC partnerships

About CTA

CTA is a Shanghai-based Chinese digital marketing agency founded in 2012. We work with education brands tourism companies real estate businesses and luxury brands who want to reach Chinese consumers. Our team runs campaigns on Douyin, WeChat, Baidu, RED and builds Chinese-language websites. Over 14 years we have helped hundreds of international clients grow in China. Visit our services page to learn how we can help your institution reach Chinese families.

Claire is a digital marketing specialist at CTA Shanghai. She covers the Chinese overseas education market, Chinese student behavior and digital marketing strategy for education brands. May 2026.