Studying Abroad: Social Mobility or Social Reproduction? Examining the Strategies of Chinese International Students in Toronto

Students around the world are increasingly mobile in their educational pursuits, with many moving out to move up. The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is experiencing a studying abroad feverit is the worlds number one country of origin for international students. Using semi-structured interviews, this research explores the education migration narratives of international students from the PRC at two universities in Toronto, specifically their international higher education (IHE) experiences and shared realities during their time studying abroad. It unpacks the relationships between students IHE experiences, their family situations as well as institutional influences, all of which co-constitutively shape their perceptions about future career trajectories and social position in the PRC. I argue that contrasting the dispositions and socialization experiences of both Chinese elite and non-elite families sheds light on student education migration experiences and reveals diverse yet competing trajectories within the evolving institutional landscape of the PRC.