A REPRESENTATIVE of seven universities in China visited Yangon last month in an effort to recruit Myanmar students who are interested in studying overseas.

Mr S P Saju Bhaskar, the chief executive officer of the India-based International Health and Educational Trust, which represents the schools internationally, said China offers high-quality education at lower fees than many other countries.

“Interest in these schools will grow among students because they are recognised internationally but are inexpensive to attend,” he said.

The schools represented by the trust include Shangqui Normal University, China Medical University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Zhejiang University, Jinhua University, Huazhoung University of Science and Technology and Yangtze University.

U Kyaw Thu, a Yangon-based overseas education agent who recruits Myanmar students for schools in Malaysia, Singapore and China, agreed that attending university in China could save students plenty of money.

“China is inexpensive compared with other countries. A student can earn a medical degree at a total cost of about US$15,000, including living expenses,” he said.

“It is also easier for students to attend these universities because they don’t need to take IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) to get accepted,” he said.

However, Mr Bhaskar admitted that China does not provide the same opportunities for graduating students to stay and work as some other countries, such as Singapore.

“Singaporean schools cost five times more than Chinese schools but graduates can often find jobs there. In China there are problems with unemployment so it is tougher for foreign students to find work,” he said.

But Mr Bhaskar added that students can get an international-standard education in China and apply what they learned when they return to Myanmar.