In recent years, China has grown from an insignificant player to a major destination in the global market for international students. Based on a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews conducted in 2013, this study uses Shanghai as an example to examine international students' experiences in China. It is found that China has become a niche market for international students due to the distinctiveness of the Chinese language and the country's continuous economic growth. However, the considerably and consistently low levels of international students' satisfaction with their study and living experiences show that China has not paid sufficient attention to improving its supply of higher education and other support services, which may threaten its sustainable growth in the international student market. (HoF/text adopted).