Wang Zixuan, a 22-year-old PhD candidate in clinical psychology at George Washington University, was at the university's library when she learned about the announcement of the new visa policy between China and the US.

She immediately put down her cell phone and went online.

"Over the past week, this was the most heated topic. Many of my friends are tweeting related articles on WeChat," she said. "This policy is related to every one of us (Chinese students), and we are all quite happy to see the change. Obviously it will be a big convenience."

Under the new policy that took effect Nov 12, student visa will be extended to five years from one year.

Wang started her doctorate program in the US in 2013. Now she is on a three-year visa. If the new visa policy had not gone into effect, she would have had to return to China to renew her visa to continue her student life in the US.

"It's always troublesome to travel thousands of miles just to renew your visa," she said. "And the new policy is exciting because we can travel to more countries on our current visa. Also, if we are willing to stay in the US for internship or job-hunting after graduation, things will be more flexible."

Li Kaiwen, a 19-year-old Chinese freshman at Syracuse University, is on an international student visa. She learned about the new visa renewal process shortly after it was announced.

"As far as I know, I just need to fill out a DS160 Form," she said. "Details of renewing the visa have not changed much."

According to a report from the Council of Graduate School in the US in August, the number of Chinese students who went to the US for a graduate degree dropped by 1 percent in 2014. The report said the number had already dropped 3 percent in 2013. "This incentive is likely to make studying in the US more attractive for Chinese students. In previous years, the US's strict visa application as well as its renewal policy was one of the major concerns for Chinese students," said Wang Jing, a senior counselor with Chivast Education International in Beijing, an education agency that helps students who want to study abroad and is under the Ministry of Education.

Wang said he believes that the new policy aims to show mutual respect between China and the US because it also gives US students a five-year visa to study in China.

Wang is not concerned about the decline in the number of Chinese students who are applying to graduate school in the US.

"I think this is not because Chinese students do not appreciate US higher education anymore. I think it's because Chinese students are going to the US at a much earlier age."

zhangyue@chinadaily.com.cn