The number of Chinese students going abroad to study reached 399,600 in 2012, up 17.65 per cent from 2011. The annual tuition fee in a US private school is between US$30,000 to US$40,000. The total cost of studying in the US is about RMB300,000 annually. The tuition of in a China-based international school is about RMB144,000 annually. The total cost is about RMB250,000 annually. Reports bbtnews.com.cn on 25 March 2013.