GROK High School Fairs, CHINA – Spring 2024

On March 30th, Grok concluded its Spring China High School Fairs in Chongqing and Chengdu. Over the course of six days, participating universities visited 12 high schools, engaging with thousands of students eager to pursue an overseas education.

Students in the tier-2 cities of Chongqing and Chengdu benefited from a diverse range of university interactions during the fairs. This included keynote speeches, panel discussions, and large-scale interactive one-on-one consultations to help students and parents understand more about their study options.

A participating university representative expressed gratitude for Grok’s thoughtful arrangement and support during the tour, highlighting the close communication with high schools and the convenient bus connections provided.

 “Many thanks to Grok for the thoughtful arrangement and support during the tour. Close and timely communication with the high school before and after the events, as well as the tight arrangement for each stop are greatly appreciated. In addition, the bus connection provided great convenience for the trip.”

As part of the fairs, 94 participants completed a post-event survey, capturing data on student decision-making sentiment relevant to overseas university study. Key findings from this data include:

• At education fairs, students and parents are most interested in learning about the application process and admission requirements, study and living abroad experiences, and an overview of the destination country.
• Over 80% of surveyed participants are willing to pay at least 250,000RMB (34,600 US$) per year for overseas study.
• The U.S. and Australia were the top study destinations among the students and parents surveyed, followed by the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Spain.
• Business Administration and STEM subjects were the most popular fields of study.
• Surveyed participants tend to gather study-abroad information from their high school counsellors and official university websites.
• Overall ranking was the most important factor for students when choosing a university or a study program.
• Employment rate abroad and future income level were the most important outcomes for students upon graduation.

Two Counsellor Breakfast events were held in Chongqing and Chengdu during the tour. Key takeaways from the discussion include:

• Chinese students and parents are more concerned about ROI on education post-pandemic.
• Highlighting scholarship opportunities, local industry hubs, business/employer partnerships, alumni testimonials, and curriculum relevance to the industry are effective ways to showcase ROI on a degree in the China market.
• Engaging high school students in a university information session can be achieved by showcasing real stories from graduates and their families and collaborating with current students on social media platforms.
• Different groups of students have different decision-making factors when choosing a university.

If you are interested in reading the full Grok School’s Community Insights Report, get in touch info@grokglobal.com