China Press, News Report, Posted: Jul 17, 2010

LOS ANGELES—Colleges and universities in California have become more welcoming of international students from China at a time when many schools are facing severe budget shortfalls. According to China Press, international students can pay as much as eight times more in tuition than state residents. Chen Zhunmin, who oversees education issues at the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles, says the pool of foreign students has changed in the last few years. Previously, he says, foreign students from China were mostly high-performing students seeking master’s and doctorate degrees, and the U.S. government would offer them scholarships and funding to entice them to stay in the country and contribute their talents to the U.S. workforce. In 2008, Chen says, the United States loosened rules on student visas from China, increasing the number of undergraduate and high school students from the country coming to study in the United States. In effect, he says, the United States has traded higher caliber students in order to make more money in tuition. Chen says he believes the trend will ease up after the economy rebounds.