Last week, Sunrise International presented at the Washington International Education Conference (WIEC), sharing the latest market intelligence on Chinese student recruitment with university leaders and higher education professionals across the United States. Below are the key findings from our 2026 trends analysis.
Read MoreChinese students don't start their college search with a brochure. They start with a scroll. A campus tour video, a student testimonial clip, or a short reel on social media often does more to shape early impressions than any printed material a university sends. For admission teams, that shift has made video production a core recruitment tool, not an optional add-on.
The question is whether the video you're producing is actually built for how students discover and evaluate schools today.
Read MoreIn 2026, ground game will matter most for recruitment in China. China remains a core source of self-funding undergrads and grads. Demand for overseas study is resilient, pulled by higher-quality programs abroad and pushed by a tough job market and a stressful domestic university system. After the pandemic and policy swings in the Big Four Anglophone destinations, students now compare more options and expect face-to-face engagement for clarity and reassurance.
Read MoreFor U.S. universities, recruiting in China can feel like trying to steer by lightning: headlines about geopolitics, visa risk, and trade conflict dominate the news cycle, while the factors that actually shape student decisions move more quietly. In 2026, those quieter signals are unusually worth tracking. Five of them point toward a friendlier environment for U.S. institutions that are willing to get on a plane and rebuild in-person trust.
Read MoreFrom November 14-21, Sunrise partnered with SSAT and the Enrollment Management Association to host the SSAT Official Briefing and EMA Overseas High School Partner Connect across Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. The series brought together 30+ overseas boarding schools and 40+ Chinese education agencies, creating a high value platform for training, direct communication, and early stage partnership development. Across all three cities, the agent speed dating sessions generated 300+ meaningful conversations, giving schools and agencies a rare opportunity to exchange insights efficiently.
Read MoreAs Sunrise highlighted at WIEC 2026, sustaining engagement with Chinese students in today's volatile recruitment environment increasingly depends on precision rather than scale. Moreland University's work in China offers a practical example of what that looks like for a niche program.
Read MoreIn a world where geopolitics and student preferences are constantly shifting, Chinese families are undergoing a “diversification shift” in their study abroad choices. A 2023 survey found that students in 69% of Chinese high schools apply to universities in multiple countries. Chinese enrollments in the “Big Four” study destinations grew by 1.6% in the past year, while applications to less traditional destinations have accelerated. New Zealand recorded 17% growth in Chinese enrollments in 2024…
Read MoreRecent I-94 data reveals a noticeable trend in U.S. international student arrivals for the 2025 fall academic season. While overall numbers have declined due to factors like visa delays, policy uncertainties, and travel restrictions, China stands out as a remarkably resilient market. At Sunrise, we analyze these insights to highlight why strategic investment in China remains critical.
Read MoreChina’s international education market is changing quickly. Families are no longer looking only at rankings, they want programs with clear career value and strong return on investment. A recent 2025 Global Student Recruitment Report by Keystone found that 45% of students prioritize “programs,” 35% focus on “universities,” and only 20% put “destination country” first. Research from the Western Returned Scholars Association and the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) also shows that more Chinese students are choosing fields like STEM, AI, and environmental technology.
Read More
