The British Council, an organization specializing in international cultural and educational opportunities in the UK, jointly issued an announcement with eight British universities on Monday, dispelling rumors that these universities would not accept students from non-elite Chinese universities.

　　这几天，一篇关于英国八所大学停止招收部分中国学生的新闻在坊间传播甚嚣。星期一，英国文化教育协会联合这八所英国大学发表了声明。

　　“The UK welcomes students from any country, including China, to study here. International students have injected vitality in British academic research, as well as making great contribution to the diversity of British society. No limitation will be applied to international students who meet the universities’ entrance requirement,” read the announcement.

　　声明中说，“英国欢迎来自世界各地，包括中国的国际学生前来就读。国际学生为英国的学术领域发展注入活力，更对英国社会的文化多元性做出了巨大的贡献。英国对于符合入学标准的国际学生数量不设限制。”

　　The rumors, which have circulated on Chinese social media for the past few weeks, noted that eight UK universities, including Durham University and the Queen Mary University of London, have established new entrance requirements, rejecting students from less prominent Chinese universities.

　　过去几周在中国社交媒体上流传的谣言称，包括杜伦大学(Durham University)和玛丽皇后大学(Queen Mary University of London)在内的八所英国大学已经制定了新的入学要求，拒收来自中国不太知名大学的学生。

　　“It is common for UK universities to have a preference for students graduating from elite Chinese universities, but students from non-elite Chinese universities can also enter UK universities as long as they meet the requirements,” Stacy Luo, a Beijing-based educational consultant, told People’s Daily Online.

　　来自北京的教育咨询师史黛西.罗在接受《人民日报》在线采访时表示：“英国大学偏爱从中国名牌大学毕业的学生是很常见的，但中国非名牌大学的学生也可以进入英国大学，只要他们符合要求。”

　　Chinese authorities launched their Double Top University Plan in 2015, including over 40 universities and 100 individual university departments, to develop them into world-class universities and disciplines by the end of 2050. Such categorization has thus become an evaluation criterion for foreign universities to assess the academic performance of Chinese students.

　　2015年，中国政府启动了“双一流大学计划”，包括40多所大学和100多个大学院系，计划到2050年底建成世界一流大学和学科。这种分类已经成为国外大学评价中国学生学业成绩的一种评价标准。

　　The eight universities have also expressed their willingness to accept Chinese students, as long as they meet the entrance requirement.

　　这八所大学也表示欢迎中国学生，只要他们符合入学要求。

　　The United Kingdom remains the top choice for Chinese students seeking overseas education, despite growing uncertainties stemming from Brexit and the UK’s tightening policies. According to China Daily, in the 2016-17 academic year, UK universities welcomed 95,090 Chinese students, by far the most significant international student cohort. In comparison, the UK welcomed 17,580 students from the United States, the country’s second biggest overseas student group.

　　尽管英国退欧和英国收紧政策带来的不确定性越来越大，但英国仍是中国学生寻求海外教育的首选。据《中国日报》报道，2016至2017学年，英国大学迎来了95090名中国学生，是迄今为止最重要的留学生群体。相比之下，作为英国的第二大留学生群体，英国只招收了17580名来自美国的学生。