The Times: British universities charter jets to fly in Chinese students

A flight carrying hundreds of students to Belfast from Beijing has become the first of several expected to be chartered by British universities to bring a record number of Chinese people into the country to study.

More than 24,000 Chinese students sought admission to British universities this year, up by 23 per cent, of which 8,570 were accepted, a rise of 14 per cent.

The increase in numbers has been welcomed by universities, which had expected a shortfall in overseas students this year, and affirms the results of a recent survey that showed the UK to have overtaken the US as the most desirable destination for Chinese students.

With global travel crippled by the pandemic, however, more universities are following Belfast’s lead and have chartered flights to bring applicants and students from China into the country. Several universities have conducted surveys to establish the Chinese cities where the largest portion of their applicants reside to arrange charter flights after calls from some students to assist with their travel.

Some students told Chinese state media that they might reconsider their plans to study in the UK if there were no charter flights because of the coronavirus risks associated with commercial flights. The hired Qatar Airlines flight to Northern Ireland carried 369 students who will be attending Queen’s University Belfast, at a one-way cost of £616 per passenger. All on board were required to take a Covid-19 test 48 hours before departure and needed to provide a negative result in order to board the aircraft.

Full article: British universities charter jets to fly in Chinese students