International Students

Tsinghua attracts a wide range of foreigners. South Koreans are the most numerous — enough study here to support a small but thriving Koreatown outside the main campus gate. Kazakhstan, Britain, Germany, Australia, and the United States are well-represented. I have also met students from Burma, Mexico, Malaysia, Israel, Brazil, and South Africa. Few Japanese or Indian students come to Tsinghua, due to the strained relations between their home countries and China.

English is the default language for conversation, since most international students are not yet proficient in Chinese. The common draw for foreigners is a desire to better understand China as its role in the world continues to expand.

Photo: The Grand Auditorium, one of the oldest Tsinghua buildings, is modeled after the Rotunda designed by Thomas Jefferson for the University of Virginia.