Make the grade

Over the past half century, the vast majority of foreigners studying at Chinese universities have concentrated their academic efforts on achieving one goal: mastering the Chinese language. However, recent years has seen that trend change with a growing number of foreign students choosing Chinese universities that offer far more than Chinese language mastery or immersion in the local culture. 

Many expatriates who have settled in China are drawn to local universities based on their reasonably priced programs and other benefits that come from having a degree from a domestic university. Even the daunting prospect of attending lectures taught in Chinese has done little to deter ambitious foreign students seeking an academic challenge with promising rewards.

Trimming tuition costs

David Shallcross, 29, graduated last summer with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Peking University (PKU). Despite the complex course being taught in Chinese, the Briton was unfazed and excelled in his studies.

"I wanted to stay in Beijing and gain work experience here. Business school gave me the chance of working and studying at the same time, which seemed like a good opportunity as I could effectively support myself throughout my studies," he said. 

A program assistant at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, better known as UNAIDS, Shallcross conceded that working and studying at the same time in China isn't always possible. However, it was a viable option for him given his two-year MBA studies cost around 150,000 yuan ($23,777). By comparison, the average cost of a two-year MBA from an American university is about $80,000.  

Maya Reid, 27, juggled work as a copy editor at an English-language magazine with her studies for a Master of International Multimedia Journalism administered by Britain's University of Bolton at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

"It's far cheaper to do a master's degree here than it is in the US. There were other programs that I could have done in New York, but I would have gone broke," she noted.

The American student paid about 90,000 yuan for the one-year program taught in English and invested approximately 40,000 yuan in course materials. Reid noted that there are no scholarships to support her program, but she estimated that a similar master's degree studied in New York would have cost her at least $30,000 per year on top of the city's costly living expenses.

"When I started the program, I had already been living [in Beijing] for four years. It seemed convenient to study here. Also, I wasn't ready to leave Beijing," she recalled.

Armed with an electronic dictionary, 29-year-old Filipino Boj Capati sits in the front row of his lectures only pausing to look up Chinese words his teacher uses that he's unfamiliar with.

The urban planning major, who studies at PKU's College of Urban and Environmental Science, is the only foreigner in his Chinese-taught course. 

"It's an interesting experience being the only foreigner in class. Sometimes, I feel that anything I say is new for my classmates. I share my experience with them and they also practice their English with me," said Capati, who was granted one of several scholarships available to Philippine nationals through the China Scholarship Council.

Though fluent in Chinese, Capati readily admits it's an ongoing challenge to study using a foreign language.

Acceptance among peers

Fernanda Ramone, 33, lived in Beijing for seven years before deciding to enroll for a Master of Cultural Industry Management at PKU. The two-year program in Chinese costs 26,000 yuan per year, with classes held once a month from Friday to Sunday. "This program offers fantastic insight into the strategies and needs of the cultural industry in China," Ramone explained.

"I can only learn this here, and it's essential for me to understand China and Chinese people to expand my work."

A cultural events organizer, Ramone is the sole foreigner among her 52 Chinese classmates of different ages who range from undergraduates to entrepreneurs.

"Integration is quite a challenge as a foreigner. You have to try and fit in without special privileges," she said.

"The atmosphere at PKU is great and students have privileged access to lectures and networking." 

Being accepted equally among peers is a challenge that Shallcross also faced when he enrolled at PKU. 

"I had to fight against low expectations classmates had of my language ability and cultural knowledge. Also, there were strong preconceptions that prevented them from understanding why a foreigner would choose to study in Chinese," he said, hastening to add that he made many good Chinese friends among those who didn't give him any special treatment and accepted him as one of their own. 

Golden rewards

Many foreign students agree that polished Putonghua is essential to fit in socially, while also handy for excelling in course assignments. However, opinions differ when it comes to the value of having a degree from a Chinese university. Degrees from Western universities might cost a small fortune, but they also carry a prestige favored by many employers worldwide. 

"I have no idea whether [an MBA from PKU] is well regarded or not," Shallcross conceded. "I tend to believe that most employers still place a greater value on a degree from a respected Western university." In contrast, Shallcross's fellow PKU alumni Capati is much more optimistic, describing PKU as "one of the best universities in the world."

Reid left China in last month shortly after her graduation. She said her experience studying in China had shed light on cultural differences in education. "I'm glad I attained a degree from the US because the educational standards are different in China. I've heard of people whose training means nothing in the US and they end up coming to China to do something they didn't set out to do," she explained.

For her part, Ramone said her PKU degree will pave the way for future employment opportunities whether they are in China or abroad. "To study and improve is always a plus. I suppose the decision on what to do and where to do it depends on one's personal goals," she said. "In my case, studying in China was a decision that aided my personal and professional experience. It will help me achieve my future goals."