Insights from the U.S. Admissions System for the Reform of International Student Recruitment in China

The current international student recruitment system in China is fraught with challenges such as an incomplete standardized examination framework and an inadequate performance-based assessment system, which fail to holistically evaluate students’ true capabilities and potential for growth. By examining the successful experiences of the U.S. admissions system, particularly the shifts in Stanford University’s admission policies before and after the pandemic, this study explores the implications of these experiences for the reform of China’s international student recruitment system. It is suggested that future reforms in China should focus on establishing unified and transparent admission criteria, strengthening performance-based assessments, and improving the preparatory education system to enhance the global competitiveness of Chinese higher education institutions, attract more outstanding international students, and promote the internationalization of higher education.