Nine Antigua and Barbuda students are entering their second month of face-to-face learning in the People’s Republic of China following a two-year break in scholarship students being able to travel to China for studies.

Zuriel Lackna, a first-year Architecture student at Beijing Jiaotong University said that all the Antiguans and Barbudans have settled successfully with a number of them pursuing their first-year language studies. 

He noted that a few of the students including himself would have completed their language year online while in Antigua and therefore are now in the first year of their major studies.

“Despite the bone chilling cold and adjusting to the Chinese cuisine we are doing very well and are enjoying our studies and also making new friends and exploring the rich historical cities of China,” he said.

The students: Daniel Perez, Zuriel Lackna, McKenzie James, Gerrick Schouten, Danny Perez, Micheal Murray, Ahliya Samuel, Joel Holder and Alexia Turner are pursuing a variety of first-degree studies to include Architecture, Medicine, Urban and Rural Planning, Hotel Management and Engineering will spend a maximum of six years in China pursuing their programmes.

The Prime Minister’s Scholarship Committee, which handles the programme outlined that the deadline for application for studies in China for 2023 is fast approaching and advised prospective students that twenty scholarships are available for the 2023/2024 academic year.