Satatistics show that, in 2017, there are 489,200 foreign students in Chinese universities and colleges, a year-on-year upswing of over 10 percent, among which, 21,871 foreign students from 176 countries of five continents are pursuing study in 37 Hubei universities (including the vocational colleges), 10.7 percent higher than the previous year.

In Hubei, more than 60 percent of foreign students are studying in eight universities under direct leadership of central ministries (Wuhan University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan University of Technology, China Geoscience University (Wuhan), Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Huazhong University of Agriculture and University of Zhongnan Nationalities), mainly majoring in languages and medicine. The top three source countries of students are Pakistan, India and South Korea.

The Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) boasts 4,049 foreign students, the largest number among Hubei universities and has 1, 693 postgraduates, ranking the second place among the universities in the country. (en.hubei.gov.cn)