Study of Chinese Students’ Application to UK Universities in Uncertain Times

Abstract

A large number of Chinese applicants use education agents to apply for overseas programmes. This research investigates agents’ practices with in-service Chinese applicants to UK universities in the context of information asymmetry. COVID-19 pandemic has generated severe challenges for the international higher education sector and on Chinese applicants’ plans to study overseas.This study reports on the findings from in-depth interviews with 16 Chinese agent consultants undertaken in nine cities across China in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic (May 2020). The findings indicate that education agents attempt to mitigate the information asymmetry and emotionally reassure applicants through a four-step information management process. Our contribution generates a new understanding of the role that education agents play in international students’ applications and mobility, voices that are often ignored but essential for international students’ decision-making processes and existing university recruitment services.

The Economics, Ethics and Discourse of Recruiting International Students

“…Agents are therefore seen as essential to the UK's international student recruitment. Particularly during the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic, agents fi ltered and interpreted the rapidly changing information coming from institutions and governments to support students in applying and preparing to study ( Yang et al, 2022 ). Our research with prospective Chinese international students who used education agents to apply to UK universities indicates that overall agents' input into the university application process, including both practical and emotional support, is recognized and appreciated by all the participants ( Zhang, Yang and Hoh, 2021 ).…”

“…On the institutional level, universities are able to set their own strategies within the structures of the national policy context. In many cases, UK universities make international student recruitment a key part of their institutional strategy or mission statement ( Yang et al, 2022 ). Th is is sometimes set in the form of specifi c targets for recruitment, but oft en framed more broadly within the context of internationalizing and global engagement ( Lewis, 2021 ).…”

“…As private entities, they provide a range of services from counselling students, preparing application documents and supporting institutions with marketing promotion ( BUILA, 2021 ) -and charge commission from institutions and/or fees from students. In this section, we draw on several linked research projects led by Ying Yang which explore the role of education agents in China in shaping the international higher education trajectories of Chinese postgraduate students ( Yang et al, 2020 ;Yang et al, 2022 ). BUILA (2021) estimates that 50 per cent of international students in the UK used the services of an education agent to help gain admission and navigate visa processes.…”

“…In the Chinese context, education agents support institutions in recruiting international students. Th ey promote international student recruitment overall by disseminating information about studying abroad, facilitating the process and bridging the information gap ( Yang et al, 2022 ). Agents can mediate between the country, university and the student, to make sense of information, regulations and create accurate expectations about prospective student experiences.…”

The influence of gratitude and personality traits on career resilience and career success among college students

“…In the pursuit of academic and professional achievements, career success emerges as a crucial goal for college students, significantly influencing their future prospects. This objective is particularly paramount among Chinese college students, where the pursuit of career success gains heightened importance due to the intensely competitive and dynamically evolving job market in China ( Yang et al, 2022 ; Zhong et al, 2022 ). Prior research has delved into various antecedents of career success, highlighting the roles of academic achievements ( Kraimer et al, 2019 ), networking ( Davis et al, 2020 ), and personality traits such as conscientiousness and extraversion ( Spurk et al, 2019 ; Lei et al, 2021 ) in shaping individuals’ career trajectories.…”