As the United States continues tightening its rules for international students, Latin American students are turning to Asia as an option for higher education opportunities.
Manuel Morelos is an undergraduate law student at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), one of the country's leading schools. While he intends to continue his studies in the U.S. after graduation, recent student visa changes have made that path less viable.
"Today it's very hard to think about postgraduate studies in the United States, since its migration rules have changed a lot, which made things much more difficult for students," said Morelos.
Rather than abandoning their plans to study abroad, students like Morelos are turning to Asia.
With world-class universities, government scholarships, and more accessible tuition, China, in particular, is positioning itself as a welcoming hub for international students.
Chinese universities are increasingly opening their doors to international students, Chinese ambassador to Mexico, Chen Daojiang, said in a recent lecture. He also said that China wants to build a bridge for global academic exchange with programs linked to the Belt and Road Initiative.
Still, the shift to Asia comes with challenges. Language may be a concern for some students.
"Asia is certainly an option, but I see the language as a problem," said Morelos.
However, Professor Enrique Dussel, director of the UNAM's China-Mexico Studies Center who has overseen bilateral academic exchanges for more than two decades, said the language barrier is overstated.
"China has fantastic academic opportunities, and every semester we have hundreds of Mexican people and students from UNAM studying in its universities. It's an experience that changes their lives," said Dussel.
As global education dynamics change, Asia's growing appeal may reshape the academic journeys of Latin America's next generation.
Latin American students turn to Asia as US tightens visa rules
