The expansion of student international mobility has been discussed increasingly with respect to concerns about social inequality. The outbreak of the COVID pandemic has exacerbated the risks of studying abroad. Due to the differences in the ability of students from different social backgrounds to cope with risks, the inequality of opportunities for studying abroad may further expand. Based on the survey of 1256 college graduates between January and March 2021, this study analyses the impact of family background on the choice of studying abroad under the background of the epidemic. The research shows that the inequality in transnational education participation has been intensified by the pandemic. Findings of mediation analysis suggested that family background has powerful influences on students’ willingness to continue with their overseas study plan after the pandemic. It shapes students’ decision on whether go abroad or not directly, via their mentality of the pandemic, and through their past educational choices (field of study) and attainment (university type). Our study provides a more nuanced understanding of the way how COVID pandemic affects students from different backgrounds.

由于对社会不平等的担忧，人们越来越多地讨论学生国际流动性的扩大。新冠疫情的爆发，加剧了出国留学的风险。由于不同社会背景的学生应对风险的能力存在差异，留学机会的不平等可能会进一步扩大。本研究基于2021年1月至3月对1256名大学毕业生的调查，分析了疫情背景下家庭背景对出国留学选择的影响。研究表明，疫情加剧了跨国教育参与的不平等。中介分析结果表明，家庭背景对学生疫情后继续留学计划的意愿影响较大。它通过学生对疫情的心态、过去的教育选择（学习领域）和成绩（大学类型）来影响学生是否直接出国的决定。我们的研究让我们更细致地了解新冠病毒大流行如何影响不同背景的学生。