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And this is Story in the Story.

In line with the increasing number of Chinese students studying abroad, there has been a corresponding surge in the number of them deciding on London as the place to further their tertiary education. 

New statistics from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) reveal that 118,145 international students went to London in 2017/18, which is an increase of 5.3 percent from 2016/17, twice the growth rate of the previous year. 

Study London, the Mayor of London's official university guide, has hailed the statistics, announcing earlier this month it was a "significant win" for London with a marked uplift in overseas students to the capital for the fifth consecutive year. 

China is London's largest student market, growing by 89.6 percent since 2011 with a current total of 21,350 undertaking studies in the British capital. The US and Italy are the second and third preferences, with 7,105 and 5,770 students in London respectively. Also, China and India remain the fastest growing markets, with student numbers from both increasing by 20 percent since 2016/17. 

Today's Story in the Story looks at why Chinese students choose London over other places and what effects Brexit might have on future plans.

Chinese students get information on studying in the UK at an international education exhibition held in Beijing. (Photo: VCG) 

Deputy Mayor for Business Rajesh Agrawal said London has more world-leading universities than any other city on the planet, and a buzzing cultural landscape which attracts international students from more than 200 countries. 

"These new statistics show that London is as big a draw as ever for the brightest young talent from around the world. I'm delighted to see so many students choosing our city as their destination of choice to learn and to discover all the benefits of a first-class education," he said. 

"This is yet more evidence that London is open." 

The academic appeal of London is thought to be the biggest motivating factor for Chinese students. 

Lalage Clay, Director of Education & Talent at London & Partners, said, "They choose London because they will have access to quality teaching and can achieve an internationally recognized degree at a reputable, world-leading university. 

"The vast and varied choice of over 10,000 courses here means that Chinese students are more likely to get a place on their chosen course." 

Graduate student Linda He said she came to Imperial College London as it is a label of high quality education, which means graduates are in a better place for opportunities in China's competitive job market. 

According to "Measuring Our Cultural Dividends", a report by the British Council published in 2017, Chinese people have a high level of interest in UK culture and there is a strong and direct link between Chinese students' interest in overseas culture and their attitudes towards studying overseas. 

A deflated British Pound due to uncertainties over Brexit is another encouraging factor because it results in lower tuition bills. According to a study by the Oxford Migration Observatory, Chinese students experienced a 13 percent cut in fees between the Brexit referendum in June 2016 and December that year.

A visitor consults at the UK counter at China Education Expo in Beijing in October 2017. (Photo: China Daily) 

In addition, the British government has made changes to its immigration rules in order to attract more international students. After reducing documentary requirements for Tier 4 student visa applicants from China in July 2018, the Department of Education announced in March this year that international students will be given visa extensions of up to a year to look for work in the UK. 

Alongside the extended visas, the Department of Education and the Department for International Trade are to unveil an international education strategy for a 30 percent increase in overseas students in UK higher education during the next decade. 

International students contributed an estimated $4.54 billion to London's economy during the 2016-17 academic year and the Chinese mainland was the largest contributor, with Chinese students splashing out $789.8 million. 

Half of that was spent on fee expenditure, 46 percent went on subsistence such as rent, food, transport and leisure, and the rest was spent by friends and relatives visiting the city. 

Another element Chinese students will need to factor in when considering whether to study in London in the future is Brexit. The UK is involved in Erasmus, an EU program that funds overseas learning. It has a budget of $16.6 billion and serves 4 million European students each year. 

Universities are readying themselves for several eventualities brought on by Brexit, including fewer applications from students in other EU nations and the loss of billions of dollars in contributions from EU research funds. 

Should the UK lose access to EU education funding, heads of British universities say they will be forced to recruit a larger proportion of fee-paying students from foreign nations beyond the EU, including China. 

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Brian Lowe, Lance Crayon, and Chelle Wenqian Zeng. Music by: bensound.com. Text from Global Times and China Daily.)