BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The number of Chinese student visa applications to Britain in the first quarter of this year increased by 65 percent over the same period of 2007, an official source at the British Embassy in China told Xinhua on Wednesday.

    "From January to March this year, among all the 3,521 student visa applications, 1,628 visas were granted, accounting for 46 percent of the total applications," said Ren Donghua, a press officer at the embassy.

    Official figures from the embassy's visa section, however, show that out of the 29,202 applications in 2007, about 70 percent or 23,000 visas were granted in China.

    Despite a lower rate of granting, there are likely to be more Chinese students applying to study in Britain in 2008 based on the first quarter's application statistics.

    The continuing rise in the number of Chinese students studying in Britain is mainly because of the latter's mature education system, wide range of universities available and globally recognized degree certificates, analysts said.

    The UK side has also come up with varied study and work programs to meet the requirements of Chinese students, allowing students to stay and work in the United Kingdom upon graduation, said a source with the British Council (BC).

    "We organize activities each year in major Chinese cities to help students learn about British culture and get prepared for life and study there in the future," the BC source added.