Europe seeks to welcome more Chinese students amid US crackdown

But UK, EU states have long placed curbs on postgraduate students from China

- Jonathan Eyal

LONDON - Universities across Europe are planning to attract more Chinese students after President Donald Trump's administration announced its latest crackdown on visas for Chinese nationals studying in the US.

Hope for a boost in Chinese enrolment numbers is particularly strong in British universities, where Chinese students registered at higher educational establishments generate an estimated £5.5 billion (S$9.6 billion) in yearly revenues. This accounts for about half of the income British universities receive from international students who pay full, rather than heavily subsidised, tuition fees.

Even before the latest US immigration restrictions were introduced, an uptick in Chinese applications to British universities was under way.

A study by Knight Frank, a consultancy, noted that in January 2025, just as Mr Trump was about to be sworn into office on Jan 20, applications from China to study in British universities surged by 8.9 per cent.

"We remain dedicated to welcoming the brightest and the best to study with us," said Dr Michael Spence, president of University College London, where tuition fees from Chinese students are reputed to account for around 10 per cent of revenues.

Comparable top educational establishments throughout Europe are making similar statements.

While European officials claim to be shocked by the recently imposed US immigration restrictions on the admission of Chinese students, the reality is that European governments have imposed similar curbs for many years.

Such European restrictions, however, very rarely affect undergraduates from China. Still, they are increasingly restrictive on Chinese nationals wishing to register for postgraduate degrees in leading scientific disciplines.