American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Over the past two decades, international student mobility has become an increasingly important dimension of higher education, with studying abroad emerging as a significant aspiration among secondary-school students and their families. In China, overseas university education is often associated not only with academic opportunity but also with social status, personal development, and future professional mobility. Although international study involves substantial financial, cultural, and personal challenges, many Chinese families continue to encourage adolescents to prepare for education outside the country. This commitment has persisted despite travel restrictions, public health concerns, and changing official attitudes toward overseas education. This study examines the motivations underlying this continuing interest through the conceptual lens of transactional and transnational citizenship. Drawing particularly on Vanessa Fong’s analysis of Chinese youth pursuing transnational citizenship and Aihwa Ong’s discussion of flexible citizenship under globalization, the paper interprets overseas educational aspirations as more than straightforward academic choices. Interviews with high-school students planning to attend universities abroad indicate that their aspirations combine educational ambitions with expectations of professional advancement, personal autonomy, international exposure, and expanded social possibilities. The findings suggest that contemporary Chinese youth increasingly understand citizenship, education, and future mobility through a transnational framework. Their pursuit of overseas higher education therefore reflects broader transformations in social expectations and the evolving relationship between national belonging, global opportunity, and individual life planning. This phenomenon also raises important questions about the future direction of education and citizenship in an increasingly interconnected society.

Keywords: Transactional Citizenship; Transnational Education; Chinese Youth; International Student Mobility; Globalization and Higher Education.