An international student who flew back and forth between China and Australia for 11 consecutive weeks has revealed the airfare was cheaper than paying rent in Melbourne.
Xu Guangli, 28, traveled from his home in Dezhou, Shandong Province, China, to Melbourne for 11 weeks between August and October this year.
Mr Xu traveled grueling 5,000 miles every week to complete his master’s degree in arts management at RMIT University.
The round trip from Melbourne to Dezhou took three days and cost $1,500.
“It takes about 72 hours round trip. It takes about 10 to 13 hours by plane one way,” Xu told SBS Mandarin.
Shockingly, the 28-year-old discovered that airfare was cheaper than paying the cost of living in Melbourne.
“The overall cost hasn’t changed much, but I think the money could be better spent.” [in China] Because the overall cost is lower here,” he said.
Mr Xu slept one night on a friend’s sofa during his week in Melbourne and boarded a plane to China the next day.
Mr Xu undertook a grueling 8,800km journey every week for 11 weeks to complete his master’s degree in arts management at RMIT University in Melbourne (stock image)
He said he traveled “for love” to visit his girlfriend, who had returned to Dezhou after studying abroad in Australia.
“Living alone in Melbourne is too lonely,” Xu told local media outlet Taichung Ilbo.
Mr Xu said after coming to Australia for further studies eight years ago, he wanted to spend more time with his loved ones.
He completed a bachelor’s degree in game design and a management course.
Before setting off on a three-month solo trip to China and back, Xu researched whether his degree would be recognized in China.
He also considered whether he could cover the cost and recruitment schedule to complete the required courses from China.
Mr Xu said there were frequent flights between China and Australia and there were no problems traveling between the two countries.
His journey began at 7am on Monday, when he was scheduled to leave his home for the airport in Jinan, about 126 kilometers southeast of Dezhou, before flying to Melbourne.
Mr Xu undertook a grueling 8,800km journey every week for 11 weeks to complete his master’s degree in arts management at RMIT University (stock image)
Mr. Xu was scheduled to fly back to China on Wednesday night after spending the night in the city.
Xu, who graduated in October, is currently taking a break from her grueling travel schedule.
He became popular on the Chinese social media app Douyin, where he posted videos of his solo trips and amassed around 10,000 followers.
Dozens of viewers were shocked by his commitment to the travel schedule.
One person wrote, “I have never seen anyone so devoted to love.”
“I wouldn’t travel that long every week for something. It’s too tiring,” another wrote.
As of August 2024, Chinese students account for the largest proportion of new international student admissions to Australia.
Of the 969,230 new students enrolled, 22% were international students from China.
According to Australian government statistics, each student visa holder costs around $29,710 per year in living expenses.
