With just 2,246 of those applicants being from China, international applicants from countries other than the US increased by a “remarkable” 53%. Students will now have to compete for one of 500 places.

“With its three global campuses and academic centres around the world, NYU was able to respond with lightning speed at the start of the pandemic by shifting students to other campuses or study-away sites, and creating the ‘Go Local’ program,” said Annie Lu, director of admissions at NYU Shanghai.

“I don’t think there is another university anywhere that can match the options we’ve provided to our students.”

“I don’t think there is another university anywhere that can match the options we’ve provided to our students”

International students at other Chinese universities however have suggested the fact NYU Shanghai has been the sole university whose international students have been permitted to return to China may have played a role in record enrolments.

NYU Shanghai previously told The PIE News students were allowed to return last autumn as part of “a test case for the safe return of international students” but declined to give further details.

They would not comment on whether the next intake of students would also be permitted to enter the country.

Meanwhile the China International Students Union is continuing its campaign to open the borders to international students but they have found little support from China’s higher education stakeholders, the government or their universities.

A video posted by the group on sites such as Bilibili has also been met with comments from netizens that they can’t enter the country because they are “trash” and that “China is for the Chinese”.

I hope the people can not be so racist and understand that foreigners come to China because they respect the culture and want to contribute to their society.

If foreigners talked about Chinese students this way there would be outrage.#TakeUsBackToSchool #TakeUsBackToSchool https://t.co/mMe1sxrjeX pic.twitter.com/ZSHsVJ0bRV

— China International Students (@takeusbacktoCHN) February 24, 2021

One exception to the lack of support has been the former US Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank Curtis Chin.

“More international students might question their decision to study in China”

He has called for “greater communication and compassion to students whose lives and education have been disrupted by travel restrictions” and for the Chinese authorities’ approach to “include consistency and equal treatment of all international higher education students”.

“Until that time, more international students might question their decision to study in China, especially as counterparts return to schools elsewhere,” he said.