Over the last decade, the number of Chinese students studying abroad has continued to increase. With abundant educational resources and outstanding instructional quality, the United States continues to be the first choice for Chinese students looking to study abroad. There are more international students from China studying at U.S. universities than international students from any other country. In 2020, approximately 34.6% of international students studying in the United States are Chinese students.1Although many Chinese students wish to study in America, it can be a difficult journey. In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the WholeRen Group Research Center compiled data from 9,620 dismissed Chinese international students who studied in the U.S. from 2013-2021 and utilized WholeRen’s services. A random sample of 800 cases from March 2020 to March 2021, representing the latest trends regarding academic dismissal, were selected to develop this report. The 8th edition of the White Paper on Chinese International Student Dismissal and Consequences (“2021 White Paper”) is the latest to our annual White Paper reports from 2014-2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic deeply impacted every Chinese student studying abroad. The 2021 edition of the White Paper investigates Chinese international students who were dismissed from U.S. schools, analyzes why they were dismissed, and looks at changes and trends which led to their dismissals. The 2021 White Paper provides valuable data to international students, universities, governments, industry professionals, host families, and all those involved with Sino-U.S. educational exchange.

The data from the past year showed that poor academic performance remains the primary reason for Chinese international student dismissal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. schools transitioned from normal in-person classes to online classes and relaxed the grading system accordingly. For example, many schools used Pass/No Pass grading for online classes.. As a result of the relaxed grading system, students who were dismissed due to poor academic performance decreased compared to previous years. However, because of the online class setting, the internet made it very easy to cheat for students who lack self-discipline. We have observed that the number of students who were dismissed due to academic dishonesty spiked in the past year. The 2021 White Paper will focus on the reasons for academic dishonesty.