When 40-year-old freshers enliven campus

Xu Jian, a 45-year-old founder of a consulting startup in Chengdu, Sichuan province, studied at UCL for a master's in industrial and organizational business psychology five years ago.

"I felt intimidated at the start of the course, when I was surrounded by young people, but gradually found that doing a degree in middle age is not as scary as it seems, because you have got world experience and wisdom on your side."

His seven-year experience as HR manager of a US manufacturing company truly helped his communication with people in the UK.

"I saw teachers as my friends and colleagues, and was not shy or nervous to ask for whatever resources I needed," Xu said.

"Everyone is paired with a personal tutor at school. I communicated with mine every week on topics concerning work, life and study. However, some young people in class told me they barely talk to their tutors during the whole academic year.

"Fitting in is not an issue, either, given my previous business trips, international meetings and overseas work experience," he added.

Xu said he has put the knowledge he retained to good use in his own consulting business, and it has served him well.

Zheng Jielan, a 34-year-old studying for her PhD in international relations at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia in Moscow, said she spent most her spare time at her part-time job.

"I did a lot of translating and interpreting jobs for money, social relationships and a better understanding of the culture and people in Moscow, despite the tuition being covered by the Russian and Chinese governments.

"It is different from an exchange program I attended in Moscow during my undergraduate study years ago, when spare time was mostly spent on hanging around with friends," she said.

Approaching graduation in 2019, Zheng said her studies will lay a great foundation for her future career change from an administrative position to an academic role at a university in Shanghai.

However, Chen Danli, manager of the marketing department at Beijing Aoji Enrollment Center of International Education Company, suggested that people in middle age shouldn't rush into going to study abroad.

According to the Ministry of Education, the number of Chinese students studying abroad hit 608,400 in 2017, a record high and an increase of 11.7 percent year-on-year.

At the same time, in 2017, the number of graduates returning to China after studying overseas grew by 11.19 percent over the previous year, reaching 480,900.

"The domestic job market is filled with talented Chinese people returning from overseas with an advanced education background and work experience now," said Chen.

"For those who quit their career believing that an overseas study experience in a new industry will make for a more competitive and impressive resume, they may be putting themselves back into a fierce and inevitable competition with their younger counterparts."