US-China tensions: Summer study abroad service industry in "crisis"

(Dan Tri) - Many Chinese parents are reconsidering their summer study abroad plans for their children, as the US government tightens visa issuance for students from the "billion-people country".

Over the past two decades, sending children to study abroad in the United States during the summer has become a popular trend among many middle-class Chinese families. Summer study abroad trips often include activities organized by American universities in collaboration with foreign language centers.

When participating in summer study abroad trips, students will combine visiting universities and famous tourist destinations.

According to a report by Beijing-based consultancy Huaon, in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, about 1.3 million Chinese students participated in summer study abroad trips, of which the US was the most popular destination.

Currently, many Chinese parents are hesitant to send their children to study abroad in the US during the summer (Illustration photo: SCMP).

However, the appeal of a world-class education in the US is being overshadowed by a series of recent changes in visa policy.

Last month, the Trump administration announced it would tighten visa screening for students from China, with the review process being particularly rigorous for those with “sensitive” ties or studying “strategic” fields in the US.

On June 9, the US Embassy announced the removal of the interview exemption rule for Chinese children under 14 years old. Accordingly, children planning to study abroad in the summer are required to participate in interviews to apply for visas.

Growing anxiety causes many parents to cancel plans.

Mr. Chen Dakai, international education manager of the US-China Science Education Foundation, said that the US is currently tightening its visa approval process, prolonging processing time, which has discouraged many families.

“Parents are worried that their children will be unnecessarily depressed if their visa is rejected, despite their careful preparation. Many children are really excited about studying abroad in the summer, so they will be very disappointed if they are rejected,” Mr. Chen said.

David Li, a civil servant in Beijing, said he had canceled plans for his son to participate in a summer study abroad program in the United States, fearing that the nature of his job could inadvertently cause difficulties in obtaining a visa to the United States.

US President Donald Trump is tightening control over international students coming to the US (Illustration photo: SCMP).

“My son studied abroad in the US last summer and had a wonderful experience. He was eager to return. But after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that visas could be revoked if Chinese students coming to the US had “sensitive” connections, I decided not to take the risk.

In the context of bilateral tensions and the nature of my current job, I feel it is prudent to keep my child out of unnecessary trouble and confusion,” said Mr. Li.

Number of students decreased by 80%, summer study abroad industry in the US is in "crisis"

Li Tao has been in the business of organizing summer study tours for Chinese students since 2009 and works for Sky Blue Education. He said the new visa regulations are having a serious impact on the number of students taking summer study tours to the US.

“Currently, it is very difficult for us to recruit students for summer study abroad programs in the US. Before the trade tensions between the two countries, summer study abroad programs in the US were very developed, accounting for 70% of our revenue. But after the trade tensions and especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of students studying abroad in the summer has decreased sharply, now it has decreased by 80%,” Mr. Li said.

Li believes that 2025 could be a turning point for the international summer study abroad industry. “After this year, it will be very difficult for summer study abroad programs to the US to recover to the level before. The UK may become the top alternative destination for Chinese students,” Li said.

Summer study abroad in the US is seen by many Chinese parents as a stepping stone to help their children prepare early to adapt to studying abroad later (Illustration: NYT).

Chinese parents turn to Europe

Ms. Susan Zhang, a technology company director in Jiangsu (China), said she changed her son's summer study abroad plan from the US to the UK.

“I was denied a visa to the US to attend a business conference in March this year, perhaps because I work in the high-tech industry, which is also a strategic area that both countries are pursuing. I felt that I was not welcome.

“To avoid similar troubles for my son, I chose England for him to study abroad in the summer. Many of his classmates also made the same choice,” said Ms. Zhang.

The trend of "localization" and tightening spending

Mr. Li Tao believes that part of the reason for the decline in the summer study abroad industry is that Chinese parents are less and less “idolatrous” of Western education. They believe that the quality of education, technology level and infrastructure in China are increasingly developing closer to that of the world’s powers.

In addition, the Chinese economy is currently facing many difficulties, which also affects the income of families. The cost of international summer study abroad programs is very expensive and can become a financial burden for many middle-class families in this difficult time.

However, this trend is opening up opportunities for domestic summer camp organizers. According to Guangzhou-based market research firm iiMedia Research, the domestic summer camp market in China could exceed 300 billion yuan (about $41.7 billion) in value by 2028. In 2023, the value of China's summer camp industry reached 146.9 billion yuan.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/cang-thang-my-trung-nganh-kinh-doanh-dich-vu-du-hoc-he-khung-hoang-20250615130136449.htm