Introduction

After three years of dealing with border restrictions, sky-high airfares, and school closures due to the pandemic, Chinese are once again applying en masse to universities overseas. In the United Kingdom, a record 33,660 Chinese students applied for undergraduate programs in the 2022 fall semester up 9.2% from the previous year. However, Chinese students may find themselves returning to a changed world, at least in terms of higher education as they will face more competitive admissions and an altered job market after they graduate.