Changing Chinese parental and student responses to higher education for study abroad during the Covid crisis

Since 2020, Chinese students studying in the United States have suffered a precipitous decline in enrollment. The restrictive nature of Chinese and American student visa policies during COVID-19 impacted Chinese international students' travel and admissions patterns. The result was an increased number of Chinese students studying in the U.K. and the European Union. Meanwhile, Chinese parents have a reputation for their significant involvement and influence in the educational decision-making domain concerning their children's academic trajectories and developmental pathways. This study employed approximately 60-minute ethnographic interviews with 15 participants to investigate Chinese parental decision-making regarding their children’s study abroad during the COVID crisis. The semi-structured audio-recorded interviews were conducted both remotely and physically. Interview data identified six major factor themes directed toward these fifteen parent participants: 1. Physical Safety, 2. Gender of Applicant, 3. Familial Financial Concerns, 4. Likelihood of Return, 5. Elite Education, and 6. “Conor-Overtaking”. These were strong indications that factors impacted the decision-making process regarding study abroad among Chinese families during the COVID crisis, and the “one child” has been a common factor involved in the decision-making process across these themes. Implications are discussed.