SINGAPORE, Oct 12 — Chinese visitors flocked here for the Golden Week holiday earlier this month, with many using the vacation to scout the republic’s university campuses in between tourist destinations.

Chinese parents, eager to give their children an academic advantage, used their vacation time to assess higher education options in the city-state.

"I just wanted to bring the children to visit, and in the future, if there’s the opportunity and they are willing, they can study in this university,” Chinese mother Alice Zhang was quoted as saying by Bloomberg while visiting the National University of Singapore (NUS) with her children.

"In China, the academic demand is a little higher.”

According to the Bloomberg report, tour agencies in China are already capitalising on this trend, offering university tours and consultancy services for settling in Singapore.

The surge in visitors led Singapore universities like NUS and NTU to implement crowd control measures and restrict tourist access to certain areas.

Students at these universities complained about overcrowded buses, cafeterias, and disruptions to their classes.

Chinese parents are increasingly attracted to Singapore's universities for their high rankings, easy visa process, and proximity to home.

NUS and NTU do not disclose admission statistics by nationality, but international student numbers have remained steady at around 10 per cent.

For many Chinese families, Singapore offers a safer and more affordable alternative to US or Australian universities for their children's education.