“My hope has been shattered once again. I feel my bedroom is turning into a prison cell,” says international student Cedric*, who has been stuck in China since February due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
He told SBS Mandarin that he wished to return to Australia to continue his studies at Deakin University, in Victoria.
He is among thousands of Chinese students unable to return to their studies in Australia due to the coronavirus travel ban for people from mainland China, which was enforced on February 1.
Their uncertain situations come amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Canberra, which has seen the 
On July 9, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao doubled down on his country’s stance by warning students they risk “discrimination and violent attacks” in Australia.
Cedric is taking remote online classes in Beijing for his degree majoring in real estate. Source: Supplied/Cedric
Furthermore, to bring 350 international students back into the country until there is a “clearer picture around the COVID-19 trajectory".
Cedric said he never expected that a reunion with family members in China during Lunar New Year celebrations would lead to his current state of endless anxiety.
He had hoped that Australia's travel ban would be quickly lifted after it was enforced in February.
Considering the health risks of returning to Australia via a third country, which other students decided to take, Cedric instead stayed in China to continue his studies online.
But he said his experiences have been far from satisfactory.
“The internet connection is not stable. As it’s not face-to-face teaching, it takes a long time just to ask a question, and the lecturer won’t respond in time. So, it has a huge impact on my study,” he said.
University of New South Wales student Marissa Ma has had a similar experience.
She said the differences associated with online learning were so immense that at times, she cannot complete her assignments.
“We are paying expensive tuition fees… But we can’t experience the Australian environment and culture. The objective of studying abroad is to widen our horizons, to improve our English and to be independent.
“And now we stay at home every day to take online classes. We don’t feel we are participating at all.”
Queensland University of Technology post-graduate student Vicky Feng believes online classes “miss the point” of studying abroad.
“Apart from the actual classes, I chose to study abroad for the interaction with the professors and classmates, to learn more about different cultures and different perspectives so that I can look at things more critically,” she said.
“Online classes will never achieve that.”
Ms Feng said she worries about the value of her degree. If she is unable to return to campus soon, it would mean she only spent three months in Australia for her one-and-a-half-year degree.
Vicky Feng (right) with her friend in Australia. Source: Supplied: Vicky Feng
“For my parents or for me personally as a student, we wouldn’t consider this a worthy experience. And the employers as well. Everyone knows Australia only offers online classes these days."
Other issues experienced by international students from China include rental uncertainty, relationship breakdowns, and psychological hardships.
Some students who cannot enter Australia are forced to continue paying for their accommodation, as their belongings are still there.
As the end of their lease approaches for some, they face the possibility of losing everything they have in Australia.
Cedric said the wait to hear good news has taken his “normal life” away from him.
“Every day I search all the websites in different languages, trying to learn about the latest development,” he said.
“I start to lose patience with the people around me. My mood grows dependent on online analysis and predictions about when we can return to Australia.”
Out of desperation, he even wrote a letter to Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews asking for assistance, which went unanswered.
Ms Ma said her relationship with her Australian partner was in “bad shape” due to the uncertainty surrounding her return.
“We tried getting an exemption but failed. We feel powerless. Both of us are suffering from insomnia.
“We have missed his birthday and our second anniversary. We really don’t want to miss more.”
Ms Feng believes the situation not only hurts the students but also Australia's education sector.
Marissa Ma with her boyfriend. She is currently in Ningbo, a port city close to Shanghai. Source: Supplied: Marissa Ma
“Online classes for two consecutive semesters, this is irresponsibility to the student, and disrespect to the education sector,” she said.
She said Chinese students who study in other countries have already returned to their universities, leaving only those who study in Australia.
The United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States where visa conditions for international students are being tightened have allowed international students to return.
When asked whether the strained relationship between Australia and China would stop them from returning, some students said they .
They said as continuing students, they have invested too much time, effort, and money to just change their minds.
However, SBS Mandarin understands that some students are making plans to change destinations.
“I know many people who were going to Australia for their study, and now they are going to places like Canada and the UK because they are open to international students. No one wants their study plan disrupted,” Ms Ma said.
Associate Professor Dr Yue Zhang from the Swinburne University of Technology explains that the difference between continuing students and starting students is partly due to the different impacts that the official warnings have on students and their parents.
“To a degree, these warnings have a much larger impact on parents… Many Chinese parents, especially the older ones, tend to pay attention to official voices. [They say] ‘See? The government is telling you! How can you go there? You will be discriminated against! It is dangerous!’.
“For every parent, especially those from a middle-class family, they have spent so much of their fortune on their kids, they will definitely have their concerns.”
Ms Ma said she understands that Australia is concerned about the safety and health aspect of letting international students return, but she believes China is quite safe now and students will do everything to help minimise the risks.
“The situation in China is under control. The recent Beijing outbreak has been reporting zero cases for several days, and there is no increase in my city for several months.
“The pandemic has affected us, Chinese students, the most. We are very aware of the virus and we will use every preventative measure.
“We will do the nucleic acid test, we will quarantine for 14 days, and we will test again after the quarantine.
“We will not bring safety issues to Australia.”
About 120,000 students or 20 per cent of total international enrolments in Australia are currently blocked from entering the country.
*Not his real name
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
