["European Journal of Education, Volume 61, Issue 3, September 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\nRecent disruptions to cross‐border mobility, alongside shifting geopolitical and economic conditions, have intensified interests in “off‐beat” study destinations beyond the traditional Anglophone Global North. China has become a key case for understanding international students' considerations of alternative destinations and programmes. This study centres on an international MBA programme at a top‐ranked university in China and draws on semi‐structured interviews with 10 international students to explore why this student group chose to study in China. Findings suggest that participants' motivations were strongly shaped by pre‐existing professional and social ties to China, including prior work experience and Chinese community networks. Pursuing the MBA programme was seen as a strategic pathway to learn China‐specific business cases and models, expand China‐relevant professional networks and position themselves for career progression “with” and “through” China. These findings challenge the conventional assumption of (absolute) advantages and privileges of studying at the popular universities in “onbeat” countries.\n"]