Tsinghua University, one of China's most prestigious universities, refuted the rumor that 80 percent of its students who graduated last year chose to continue their education overseas.

The Beijing-based university claimed on its WeChat public account on Wednesday that only about 8 percent of all its 2023 graduates — both undergraduates and graduate students — pursued further studies abroad.

Specifically, 15.6 percent of Tsinghua's 3,200 undergraduate students continued studying overseas, while 65.2 percent decided to stay in China to study. About 5.9 percent of its 5,200 master's degree recipients opted to study abroad after graduating, while 6.9 percent chose domestic institutions, according to the university.

In addition, Tsinghua said most of those who graduated and finished their further studies abroad have returned to the mainland to work over the past 20 years, according to figures from its alumni association.

And most of last year's graduates who chose to work rather than pursue further studies now serve in key industries in China that are closely tied to people's livelihoods, including defense sciences, technology and energy.

Meanwhile, according to the university, 53.8 percent of the graduates hired last year found work outside of Beijing. The university has also seen a growing number of its graduates land jobs in the defense industry and companies in the nation's western provinces over the past decade — areas where the environment is harsher and economic development still lags behind the east coast's.