Amidst the evolving global education landscape, studying abroad has become a pivotal choice for numerous Chinese families planning their children's futures. To align with the needs of contemporary overseas students, multiple government departments including the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have jointly introduced several new policies. These initiatives comprehensively address the entire spectrum of overseas study – from preparatory stages and overseas safeguards to post-return career development – establishing a more robust overseas study service system.

I. Enhanced ‘Safe Study Abroad’ Safeguards: Fortifying Overseas Security Defences

As the core national-level assurance brand, ‘Safe Study Abroad’ undergoes significant upgrades in 2025. The Ministry of Education has released the revised ‘Safe Study Abroad Guide’, systematically covering key information including visa application procedures, overseas fraud prevention techniques, and mental health support, providing practical guidance for students to pre-empt risks. Concurrently, multiple regions nationwide have established dedicated ‘Study Abroad Service Windows,’ offering one-stop consultation, documentation assistance, and other support services to significantly enhance the efficiency of pre-departure preparations.

II. Optimised Academic Credential Verification Processes, Markedly Improved Processing Efficiency

In the first half of 2025, the China Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) formally launched the ‘Global Degree Certification Electronic Platform,’ achieving full digitalisation of the academic credential verification process. This enables online applications, real-time progress tracking, and electronic certificate issuance. For graduates from partner countries such as the UK, Australia, and Canada, the certification cycle has been reduced to seven working days, effectively alleviating procedural pressures for students returning to China for employment or further studies.

III. Enhanced Support for High-Level Talent Return, Strengthening Guarantees for Domestic Development

To attract outstanding overseas students to contribute domestically, the state continues refining policies beyond existing initiatives like the ‘Spring Sunshine Programme’ and ‘Overseas Talent Introduction Project’, prioritising support for returnees' innovation and entrepreneurship. In 2025, multiple local governments further expanded the coverage of ‘residency permits for returnees’ and ‘overseas study subsidies.’ Specific measures include providing housing subsidies, offering start-up capital for entrepreneurship, and prioritising residency applications in core urban areas, thereby clearing obstacles for overseas students returning to develop their careers domestically.

IV. Diversification of Study Destinations, Policy Support for Emerging Directions

Beyond traditional popular study destinations such as the UK, US, and Australia, an increasing number of students are shifting their focus to Asian countries (e.g., Singapore, Japan), European nations (e.g., Germany, the Netherlands), and countries along the Belt and Road Initiative. In response, the Ministry of Education has explicitly stated that it will further refine the accreditation mechanisms for institutions and programmes in emerging study destinations, while strengthening risk warnings to ensure students can select safe and compliant study programmes.