Is studying abroad at a young age an easy option? According to surveys of the overseas education market, in 2010 high school students and those with lower levels of education already accounted for 19.75% of all overseas students. The vast majority of these students are high schoolers, middle schoolers, or even elementary schoolers who have not yet turned 18 years old, many of whom study in Australia. Studying abroad at a young age continues to grow in popularity. Many parents express that the heavy academic pressure is one of the major reasons they want their children to study abroad.
Parents these days are really open-minded. As long as the financial conditions allow, they no longer want their children to endure late-night homework sessions or weekend tutoring classes. When the child is more relaxed, so are the parents, especially when it comes to planning for self-guided study abroad experiences. This way, parents don't have to face issues like school selection, extra tutoring, primary school graduation exams, high school entrance exams, and college entrance exams—a series of stressful concerns. Whether or not the foreign educational methods suit Chinese characteristics in children is another matter entirely.
From another perspective, would you rather spend your money openly by sending your child abroad, or be unsure about how much sponsorship fees you need to pay to ensure your child's success in the domestic education system? It’s up to you to weigh the options. Written and photographed by Meng Haoqiang.