Approximately 25% of undergraduates and over 50% of postgraduates are from outside the UK or ‘international.’ Based on official 2024-2025 statistics released by the University of Cambridge, 2582 out of all the 24,912 students came from mainland China. However, despite the large number of Chinese students in Cambridge, there is a lack of integration between them and the rest of the students.

For most without an accent that is sufficiently Anglo-American, it is often assumed by others that their English is subpar. Without a doubt, it is difficult to speak in your non-native language. Aryan Misra, an undergraduate from India, explained, “To communicate in one’s own language goes a long way in not feeling alienated when in a new country.”

A report by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) found that English language proficiency, particularly spoken English, is lower among Chinese students than those from other international countries like India and Malaysia. For most Chinese students, English is a second language that is only used in formalised settings such as the classroom. Undoubtedly, not having a full grasp of Western colloquial English forms a language and, thus, a social barrier. The semantic nuances of a language you did not grow up speaking make it hard to contribute to conversations in a way that makes you stand out as a potential friendship candidate. On the other end of the spectrum, even if you fully grasp the nuances of British conversations, not sounding posh enough can create a different barrier. One international student we spoke to was told by a Music Fellow that they sounded “not English enough” in their audition.

“Spoken English is lower among Chinese students than those from other international countries like India and Malaysia”

In many ways, this racial microaggression reflects the classist and exclusivist nature of Cambridge. “It’s a very hard place if you’re from a different culture other than Anglo-Europe,” said Victoria Xiao, a PhD finalist from mainland China. She continued, “The concentrated, exclusive English culture [in Cambridge] is designed to construct a sense of entitlement and prestige.”

While many international students come from a relatively well-off background, class dynamics do not only manifest in monetary forms. “The fact is that you’re paying a disgusting amount of money unless you’re on some sort of scholarship,” said Megan Wang, an undergraduate. Growing up in Hong Kong and Singapore, she observed the particular class culture and sense of superiority in Cambridge to be more about “not speaking in the same way as they do and going on ski holiday every winter.”

This relates to the way wealth is displayed in different cultures. It is thought that Chinese students often display their status through “tacky” brand-named clothes— which have not enjoyed as much popularity in the UK. On the other hand, British poshness tends to manifest in a more symbolic and embodied form, like one’s accents or going to the theatre. While language plays a role here, social and cultural capital is also a dividing factor.

While it is unclear if the recent influx of ‘TikTok refugees’ to XiaoHongShu in the U.S. is going to change the current dynamic, we are certainly witnessing a new phenomenon as foreigners begin to enter China’s digital barriers in mass. Vivian* recalled the length of effort she would go to access foreign media when she was living in Shanghai. “Even entertainment and recipes will not load,” she said. Due to the embedded Google APIs in many websites, the Great Firewall blocks many foreign websites, irrespective of the sensitivity of their content.

“China’s unique domestic digital ecosystem […] creates technological barriers for Chinese students, “increasing ethnic clustering.””

One of the HEPI report’s key findings was that China’s unique domestic digital ecosystem—WeChat instead of WhatsApp, WeiBo instead of X (previously known as Twitter), Douyin instead of TikTok—creates technological barriers for Chinese students, “increasing ethnic clustering.”

That being said, of course, the tech-savvy Gen-Zs know how to access foreign media with technologies like VPN. One platform made almost £44 million from the pirating of Squid Game in the first two weeks after its release. It seems like breakthroughs in new technologies are, in some way, breaking cultural barriers as well.

However, perhaps more concerning, Vivian also pointed out that “the lack of time [from] being in school” might be more of a reason for the lack of (foreign) entertainment consumption among mainland Chinese students, compared to the effects of the Great Firewall’s blockade. This also speaks more widely for the study and work culture in East Asia.

“When I was 15, I had a watch and counted the time of resting […] making sure [that] I studied 16 hours a day,” said Arthur Wong, a postgraduate from Taiwan. Gloria Li, a postgraduate who was born in China but grew up in Singapore, echoed the different attitudes and priorities towards academic excellence between the UK and Asia. “Work-life balance here [in Cambridge] is much better than in Asian cultures,” she said, recalling instances where PhD students would go to the lab at midnight during her undergraduate studies in Singapore.

“When I was 15, I had a watch and counted the time of resting […] making sure [that] I studied 16 hours a day,”

While having a better work-life balance does not necessarily mean that the gap between international and home students will be reduced, there’s a higher probability of forming new connections when one is not hermiting in the ivory tower or their room.

Despite this, most students remain optimistic about the possibility and importance of full integration. Integration could look like cooking for each other, teaching each other a new language, and generally building a friendship out of learning each other’s differences.

However, Hayden Young, a British-Asian undergraduate, believes that integration is not worth the effort as “there are enough (people) on both sides” and they are “reasonably happy.” Above all, “it is more of a task” to connect with people you have less in common with.

While one could resonate with this sentiment, given our busy schedules, a British-Caucasian graduate provides a directly contrasting opinion to Hayden: “More than anything, people have to actually believe that integration between groups is worth the effort.”

He urges us to appeal to our common humanity, adding that “if one allows for the inherent and real value of all humans, then the self-giving effort required” for “integration is much more easily arrived at and, crucially, much more easily put into practice.”

Pippa Ebel, author of the HEPI report, writes that the “potential social and cultural contribution” of Chinese students is overshadowed by their financial value for universities. Admittedly, UK universities are highly reliant on Chinese students for financial stability, with Chinese international students paying £2.3 billion a year in fees. However, the university has the pastoral responsibility to ensure their students are “valued members of the community,” rather than revenue sources.

The university must consider Chinese students as distinct from other international students, and reflect this in their student services. Most importantly, quoting Aryan, students should revel in the “beauty in sharing your culture with others and learning about theirs.” After all, do we attend university merely to achieve the best grades and interact with those from the same background as us?

*Name changed