Why does Kyrgyzstan has growing number of Chinese students?

More and more Chinese students are choosing Kyrgyzstan for higher education these days. A local statistics committee says the recorded number of Chinese students in Kyrgyzstan in the academic year of 2025/26 rose to 3,402.

President Xi Jinping earlier travelled to Kyrgyzstan for a state visit. Education Minister, Huai Jinpeng, who was in the delegation, visited Kyrgyz State Technical University for an opening ceremony at the Institute of Advanced Engineers, an academy established by the two countries. The school will start welcoming new students later this month.

Apart from the new institution, China and Kyrgyzstan have been enhancing exchange in education in recent years. This Chinese undergraduate student is studying architecture design at the Kyrgyz State Technical University.

Asked why he chose Kyrgyzstan for higher degree education, he says the country offers a more promising job prospect because of several infrastructure projects, including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway.

But most courses at the university are taught in Russian. A local Chinese student union says that while language is a main issue for many people at the start, the challenge is minimised by some foundation help courses. The union says Chinese graduates are popular in the local job market, especially in the business service sector, which students can handle translation work.