Chinese families are increasingly prioritizing cost-effectiveness when selecting overseas study destinations while continuing to seek high-quality education, according to a report released on Saturday by EIC Education, a Beijing-based education consultancy.

Educational quality remained the top consideration for the fifth consecutive year, the report said. However, the ranking of "study costs" rose to sixth place in 2025, up from eighth place in 2022 and 2023. At the same time, "economic strength" climbed to eighth place, reflecting heightened financial awareness in overseas education planning.

This growing emphasis on value for money is shifting attention toward destinations with stable policies and lower overall costs. European and Asian countries are gaining popularity as alternatives, the report said.

Germany and France were cited as notable examples, attracting Chinese students with reputable public universities — many offering tuition-free education or low registration fees — as well as a growing number of English-taught programs.

More than 38,000 Chinese students studied in Germany in the 2023-24 academic year, while more than 27,000 Chinese students were studying in France during the same period, indicating strong interest in both countries, the report said.

Malaysia has seen a sharp rise in demand, with the number of Chinese applicants increasing nearly four times from 2020 to 2024, reaching 33,216. The report attributed its appeal to branch campuses of top global universities, such as the University of Nottingham, where students can earn identical degrees at about one-third of the cost of studying in the home country.

The shift toward cost-conscious choices has coincided with a stronger focus on employment prospects. Data reveals a growing preference for science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, as well as interdisciplinary studies aligned with future job markets.

EIC's student service data from 2022 to 2025 showed applications for science and engineering disciplines rose steadily over the four-year period. Business and economics-related majors continued to account for the largest share of total applications, but their proportion declined year by year over the same period.

Returning to China after graduation has also become the mainstream plan, driven by a favorable employment environment and supportive talent policies in major Chinese cities, the report said.

Feng Mingqiu, 25, completed a postgraduate program at the University of Malaya and graduated in July this year. She is now seeking employment in China.

She chose Malaysia primarily for its affordability. The total tuition for her program, including semester service fees, ranged from 60,000 to 70,000 yuan ($8,504 to $9,922), far lower than comparable programs in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, she said.

With a less competitive undergraduate background but a strong grade-point average, Feng said she was not competitive enough for universities in Hong Kong and the UK. The University of Malaya, which has a high global ranking, allowed her to realize her goal of studying at a top-ranked institution.

The program was taught in English, and Malaysia has no time difference with China and is geographically close, making daily life and study easier to adapt to, she said.

Feng said her postgraduate degree had improved her employment prospects, noting that many positions explicitly require a master's degree or higher. She has submitted job applications and is awaiting interview invitations.

Yuan Ye, a 24-year-old veteran currently studying at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, plans to pursue postgraduate studies in Singapore after graduating next year.

He cited several reasons for his choice.

Singapore's postgraduate programs typically last one to one-and-a-half years, shorter than the three-year domestic programs. This allows him to graduate at age 26, close to the average graduation age for domestic postgraduate students.

He also pointed to the strong international reputations of the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, as well as suitable advanced study directions in his field. In addition, Singapore's large ethnic Chinese population, convenient communication, familiar food, minimal time difference with China and proximity to home make it easy to adapt to, he said.

Yuan ruled out the United States because of visa difficulties for veterans, safety concerns and high costs, noting that a two-year US master's program would cost about 1 million yuan.