You've heard of an Oxford Man. But do you know a Beida Ren?
As the world begins to turn its attention to the Asia-Pacific, international students are increasingly looking to top Asian universities as an alternative to Western institutions.
The price of a college education has skyrocketed in the United States, and tuition fees continue to climb in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
The same cannot be said for Asia.
Top institutions in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore have made major strides in world education rankings and are eager to recruit international students.
This is exemplified in the mainland's Chinese Government Scholarship that typically covers tuition, room, and health insurance costs along with a generous monthly stipend.
Tuition costs are similarly much lower at institutions in Hong Kong and Singapore.
For about the same price of in-state tuition at an American university, students can instead opt for one of the world's top institutions in a new and exciting city.
According to the QS World University Ranking for 2020, Singapore's Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore currently rank in the top 15 universities in the world.
Similarly, Beijing's elite institutions, Tsinghua University and Peking University, come in at 16 and 22.
The University of Hong Kong has held steady remaining at spot number 25.
About the Author: Alexander Parini
Alexander is a recent graduate from Portland State University in the United States where he received his undergraduate degree in political science. He is currently pursuing his graduate degree in international relations at Peking University in Beijing, China.