Challenges Encountered By Chinese Students In The UK

The United Kingdom provides some prestigious universities, which hold the highest ranks among all the universities in the world. It's a no-brainer when they say the UK attracts millions of international students yearly. They have some stunning historic campuses and are supported by an intellectual rigour acknowledged globally, making them a desirable place for research funding. It is hardly surprising that they are a popular choice for students from outside, especially those from China.

Chinese students in the UK are almost double the number of students coming from India and seven times more than the incoming students from Nigeria, which is, respectively, the second-largest country of origin for students in the UK. 

Although studying abroad is not just warm and blooming, it also has its shallow sides. There are numerous Chinese students in UK problems. Despite international students paying high tuition fees, some factors lead to facing challenges and implications.

Some Challenges Faced by Chinese Students in the UK

One of the prominent challenges Chinese students face in the UK is getting mixed into other social groups, say 'some Chinese students in the UK'. Here’s a link to some common challenges of studying abroad in 2023.The below-listed points are some implications a Chinese student in the UK faces. Not all students are victims of these problems, but it is an important issue to be looked upon.

1. Language Barrier

The native language of China is Mandarin. English is their second or third language, which may cause difficulty communicating fluently with people around them. Often some Chinese students may find it difficult to comprehend a particular course or frame a tough sentence, small aspects like these might be a source of de-motivation for the Chinese students.

2. Cultural differences

Most students come from multiple cultures and express different views and opinions. But some Chinese students in the UK might not comply with the academic culture of the UK, and they often might feel helpless, thinking the staff is not willing to respond to their queries. The United Kingdom natives have a completely different set of cultural norms and practices, and often some international students may fail to act in accordance and get left out.

3. Lack of social interactions

It is something that is observed in universities with high diversity levels. Small social clusters of people with similar cultural backgrounds are established. One of the prominent challenges faced by some Chinese students in UK is getting mixed into other social groups. One argument is that Chinese students find British students' preference for crowds, loud music, and alcohol-filled settings unattractive, making it difficult for them to socialise and make friends. But Again, some Chinese students just get along with other traditions.

4. Perception of teaching style

Getting well-versed with Western teaching methods is one of the challenges faced by Chinese students in UK. Few Chinese students often describe having difficulties in group-based activities, like forming arguments and expressing opinions in group discussions. Often the students skip getting included in class discussions due to the embarrassment of making a mistake in their spoken English. Chinese international students' challenges go on. Research shows they frequently worry about lacking institutional support to ease their academic and social transition.

5. Finances

Value for money is one of the major reasons for Chinese international students' challenges. The reason behind that is there is no assurance that these graduates would be able to obtain respectable work in China; thus, the value of degrees has been declining. In search of value for money, most Chinese students are no longer pulled towards the north. They are exploring the hubs in Asia, South America, Africa and Middle Eastern countries for their educational standards and cultural proximity. 

6. Mental Health Concerns

Chinese students in the UK are frequently regarded as lacking specific success-related abilities and as 'cash cows' for the UK higher education sector, generating significant amounts of fee income to finance services for local students and endeavours like research. Chinese students are often discriminated against over linguistics. Linguistic racism often causes serious psychological and emotional implications, and the language barrier limits them from getting support from the university or society. Many Chinese international students who were spoken with claimed to have experienced verbal abuse for wearing masks or hearing xenophobic remarks like "Go back to China" from random onlookers. Such comments take a heavy toll on the student's mental health, and Some international Chinese students absorb this geopolitical discourse and find it difficult to talk about their personal experiences.

7. Covid-19 Impacts

Due to COVID-19, Chinese students in the UK have increased tension and anxiety, as well as an increase in occurrences of racism and hatred in recent years, which have had a significant impact on their adjustment psychologically and academically.

Although universities in the UK have stepped up their efforts in recent years to advance anti-racism and racial justice in response to persistent student activity and professional concern, there have been many widespread, beneficial advancements on some issues, such as making sure campuses are welcoming to students and staff from a variety of cultural and racial backgrounds and that there are appropriate methods to report instances of racial harassment. One notable instance is the establishment of the Report and Support system in several UK universities, which gives students and employees the option to report grievances anonymously or get in touch with a counsellor to request official action be taken. 

This blog is not meant to be a source of discouragement but a dose of motivation. Knowing when reality sets in the real world is hard to face, but fighting and overcoming that hurdle is another step to success, students go abroad to explore new cultures and build stairways to a grand future, adversity is an evitable part of this journey. In such events, it is always better to reach out to a counsellor or a friend, not everyone you meet will be a bad influence, but some people are worth your time and money. Here’s a link to a blog expressing common student problems and their solutions.