China, read as a whole demand pool.
The economic and demographic context that shapes how many people in China are looking for higher education, set beside the student pipeline into five destinations. Each destination counts a different instrument, so the figures below are read for scale and direction, never as a ranking between them.
Beta dataset. Every figure carries its own reference year.
What the economy and the population look like.
| Measure | Latest |
|---|---|
| Population | 1.41bn (2025) |
| GDP per capita | US$13,862 (2025) |
| GDP growth | 5.0% (2025) |
| Tertiary gross enrolment ratio | 76.9% (2024) |
| Bachelor's attainment, adults | 7.7% (2020) |
| Youth unemployment | 15.8% (2025) |
| Research and development spending | 2.6% (2023) |
Where the students go, and on whose count.
| Destination | Latest | What is counted | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrolled in Australian higher education | 168,290 (2025) | enrolments by nationality, an annual stock | 24 July 2026 |
| UK sponsored-study visas | 89,019 (2025) | visas issued to main applicants, a flow | 24 July 2026 |
| Canada study permits | 48,790 (2025) | permit holders by the year the permit took effect | 24 July 2026 |
| US F-1 visas | 82,654 (FY2024) | visas issued, US fiscal year | 25 July 2026 |
| EU-27 first education permits | 39,025 (2024) | permits issued, not people | 24 July 2026 |
Figures come from the CoreBridge Asia Markets Intelligence dataset (beta): World Bank World Development Indicators and Global Economic Prospects, ILOSTAT earnings, and the student pipeline series published by the Australian Department of Education, the UK Home Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the US Department of State and Eurostat. Each destination counts a different instrument, so the pipelines are read for scale and direction and never ranked against each other. Every figure carries its own reference year; verify against the original source before relying on one. Analysis © CoreBridge Advisory.
The other markets
Data build: 24 July 2026 · Product release: 25 July 2026