When can international students return to China?

The deadly coronavirus outbreak presents a host of challenges for different sectors of society. University campuses with their congregate settings are considered particularly vulnerable to infection. As China continues to battle the epidemic, universities across the country have followed public health guidance to shut campuses.

Chinese students are the largest international student population in many countries 389,548 are enrolled in institutions in the United States, 152,591 in Australia and 106,530 in the United Kingdom.

The administrations have decided to postpone the enrolment until further notice. This is a proactive measure taken in response to the growing number of virus cases. Most Chinese students are still at home as the outbreak coincided with the winter vacation.  

Extended school closures due to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus outbreak are raising concerns that high-stakes university entrance exam schedules in some Asian countries will be disrupted, and that delays and disruptions could have knock-on effects for the coming intake later this year.

Responding to such disruption, many institutions are shifting to online instruction so that students can keep up their studies. As most of the students here in the international dorm are the Chinese language students, we are being constantly briefed in our class WeChat groups.

The class teachers have been providing students with materials for self-study, while for certain classes, online classes are being conducted on WeChat. The utmost efforts are being carried out by the teachers to make sure that students are not stressed or worried about learning. 

As life is now slowly returning to normal in Chinese cities, many universities are thinking of resuming classes. But not before imposing strict rules in classrooms, dining halls, dormitories, and even off-campus areas.

Only schools in the northwestern provinces of Xinjiang and Qinghai and in southwest China’s Guizhou have opened sending hundreds of thousands of students back to school.

(Junior high students wearing face masks attend a class on their first day of returning to school following an outbreak of the novel coronavirus, in Guiyang, Guizhou province, China)

Taiyuan University of Technology in the capital city of Shanxi province is one of north China's top universities. Its spring semester usually starts in mid-February but the suspension of classes continues amid the virus outbreak.

Shanxi had reported no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 for 13 consecutive days up to 12 p.m. on March 8. A total of 126 recovered patients have been discharged from hospital among the 133 confirmed cases. There are also no suspected cases now. 

(The Taiyuan University has closed all its entrances since the outbreak and left the only front gate open)

The specific date for the start of the spring semester is dependent on the outbreak situation. But Taiyuan University of Technology is one of the universities that have already started to prepare for reopening.

China has no opening dates for the new semester for most of the universities, leaving it to provincial authorities to determine reopening once the virus outbreak is effectively under control in each province. Even then classes can only reopen on a staggered basis to reduce the numbers on campus.

The students can avail this time by taking part in online courses. Online and distance learning offers a new way of combining innovative learning and teaching techniques with interaction with your tutor and fellow students from around the world.

It is advisable not to hurry and take any action that can result in serious consequences. Students should wait for the confirmation of opening dates from the universities. We will also update about any new information as we get it.

Sources

1)https://www.iscresearch.com/cornavirus-covid-19-update

2)https://thepienews.com/news/us-covid-19-travel-ban-had-low-impact-on-chinese-students/

3)https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/blogs/experiencing-coronavirus-outbreak-international-student-china#survey-answer

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