Spurned by the US, African students turn to China for a university degree
Chinese universities emerge as a promising option as they rise up the rankings and Washington tightens visa rules
For 23-year-old Kunle Adeyemi, it took some time to overcome the disappointment of being denied a student visa by the US consulate in Lagos last year. One year later, he considers the rejection a blessing.
“It is cheaper, the standards are good, and business between Africa and China is growing, which means more opportunities.”
The obstacles to entering the US have only increased since US President Donald Trump returned to office last year and unveiled a raft of anti-immigration policies.
In the decade before Trump’s second term, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, sent the most students to the US of all African countries.
In the 2023-24 academic year, Nigeria had more than 20,000 students in the US, followed by Ghana with more than 9,000 and Kenya with about 4,500, according to the New York-based Institute of International Education (IIE). Ethiopia had about 3,000 students in the US, followed by South Africa with 2,800.
Not only are African students reporting a higher denial rate, but those who are successful are often given short validity periods, complicating student travel. On top of that, tuition in the US is expensive, with an average annual cost ranging from US$29,000 for public universities to US$67,000 for private institutions.
African countries make up a disproportionate number of those on Trump’s travel ban list. And this year, there have been reports of immigration officials not processing the documents of students from banned countries seeking renewals or authorisation for work related to their study.
Another rule set to come into effect on September 15 upends a regulation in place since 1978 that allowed students a longer stay in the US.
“For decades, foreign students have been admitted into the US indefinitely, allowing thousands to abuse our immigration system by perpetually enrolling in courses to avoid having to leave,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said, announcing the change on July 16.
“By implementing clear, finite limits on these visas, the United States is reclaiming its ability to properly screen, vet and monitor individuals within our borders.”
All these new measures, coupled with the high cost of US education, have led many prospective students to consider alternatives, including going to China.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, 265,090 foreign students from 194 countries were in China in 2010, rising to 380,000 students from 191 countries in the 2024-25 academic year.
While Africa ranked third after Asia and Europe in 2010, accounting for about 15 per cent of the foreign student population, it had moved to second place with 16.2 per cent by the 2024-25 academic year, ahead of Europe with 15.6 per cent.
The numbers are set to rise as interest in Chinese education grows.
Many are also able to use Chinese state-funded scholarships, according to Kenny Laoshi, a Chinese teacher who doubles as a Chinese education consultant in Abuja, Nigeria, helping prospective students find places.
“I have been receiving more calls towards September and February admissions than used to be the case,” he said of the growing interest.
The shift has been aided by Chinese universities’ rise in international rankings.
In a scientific impact ranking published early this year by the Centre for Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University, the Netherlands, two Chinese institutions – Zhejiang University followed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University – ranked ahead of Harvard University, which was third.
The report evaluates more than 1,500 universities worldwide with a minimum of 100 scientific publications from 2020 to 2023. Key indicators include total publications, the number of publications in the top 10 per cent most frequently cited globally and the percentage of those high-impact papers.
Chinese universities also took the fourth to ninth positions: Sichuan and Central South universities, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Sun Yat-sen, Xian Jiao Tong and Tsinghua universities. The University of Toronto in Canada placed 10th.
For African students looking to study in China, the Sino-Africa Union Education Institute has played an active role with a commitment “to connecting Chinese and African schools, promoting bilateral academic exchanges”.
A team from the institute visited more than 20 schools in Ghana last year to explain educational opportunities in China to the students.
After decades of focusing on Europe and North America, educational consultants are now increasingly shifting their attention to China.
“China has become the largest destination for African students outside Europe and North America, hosting over 80,000 African students annually,” CEC Afrique Consulting, based in Cotonou, Benin, says in a marketing proposal to prospective students.
China For Education, a consultancy based in Yaounde, Cameroon, points out that in Chinese universities, many courses are taught in English. It also highlights opportunities for scholarships in top universities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
A common pitch among advisers is the high quality and affordability of Chinese education.
For Adeyemi, the Nigerian student now headed to China after being denied a US student visa, it was the affordability that won him over.
“I couldn’t resist the chance to get a good education at a fraction of the US price,” he said.