The number of foreign students studying in China reached a record of more than 195,000 last year, up 20 percent year on year, latest figures from the ministry showed.

"With a good social environment, fast economic development and rising international stature, China has become more and more attractive to foreign students in recent years," said Zhao Lingshan, the ministry's official in charge of foreign students' study in China.

"The country's improved quality of higher education has received worldwide recognition," Zhao said.

China has also signed mutual diploma recognition contracts with 32 countries including Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand, Austria and Russia.

Students came to China attracted by its unique culture and low cost of living and tuition, he said.

Last year, foreign students came from 188 countries and regions and studied in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the Chinese mainland, official figures showed.

Chinese universities provide both diploma education and non-diploma education, with the former including senior and junior undergraduate students, masters students, and PhD candidates, and the latter including trainees and research scholars.

Last year, more than 68,000 foreign students came to China to seek diploma education.