For most, the degree itself is not a hurdle. It's acclimating to a foreign culture that's the challenge. Cao Peixin, currently a doctoral student at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany, describes being "shocked" initially at how Germans seemed to keep their distance. "They respect and guard personal space a lot," Cao says. "In Chinese culture, a person who keeps his distance is indifferent. It shows he doesn't care."

　　But after living in their midst, he learned that "for the German people, distancing is considered as a form of respect, though they are willing to help when needed."

　　Mastering the local language has often proved as important as mastering the degree subject. Chu recalls how she could not grasp the Australian accent initially. "At the tax office, the officer tried to communicate with me," she says. "I couldn't understand his accent at all. I felt so embarrassed and humiliated because here I was in Australia, majoring in linguistics, but I couldn't make out a word he said." Fortunately for Chu, the officer toned down his accent, which helped bridge their communication gap.

　　"Like it or not, to penetrate the society and understand its culture, you must learn the local language," says Cao, whose course is conducted in English. "I've learned German, how to make German food, and visited churches to find out more about Christianity, on which most of Western culture is based."

　　In recent years, the question of whether a foreign degree is necessarily an asset has been under debate - though most find that the foreign degree still gives a competitive edge. "The job market is so competitive, we do all we can to improve and get ahead," says Cecilia Ning, 31, whose sister-in-law is in Germany pursuing a postgraduate degree in International Communications. "Everyone I know is hurrying to get a master's, and if they can, overseas. It's expensive, but there are intangible benefits." Ning, an assistant sales director at a hotel in Beijing, hopes to eventually do the same. "I'll go when I've saved enough money," she says.