'Home' comfort, key to education abroad

Chinese are snapping up properties overseas to enable their children to pursue quality courses

When she takes off from Shanghai for Vancouver this summer for full-time postgraduate studies, Olivia Zhang, 26, sales manager with a commodity trading company, will be moving herself and her considerable funds. Unlike other students who look to rent a dormitory bed or a hostel room, Zhang is seeking to buy a flat.

"I had applied for student dormitory rooms. But their availability is limited. Will I get one? Fat chance! So, I thought, why not just buy an apartment if I could afford one? I'll then own it and I can earn return on my investment later," said Zhang.