Quantitatively assessing the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on international students studying in China is of great significance to promoting the highquality development of the education for international students in China. Using panel data of 183 countries from 2008 to 2018, this paper conducted an empirical research employing differenceindifferences models to analyze the effect of the BRI on international students studying in China. The results show that the BRI significantly promoted the growth of international students studying in China, and the overall growth rate ranged from 5.7% to 7.7%. The BRI played its role in promoting international students to study in China through the effects of peopletopeople connectivity and talent demand. The effects of the BRI on international students from different types of countries or regions studying in China were heterogeneous, and the quality of education played an important role. In order to better promote the highquality development of education for international students in China, it is necessary to rationally view the role of the BRI in promoting international students to study in China, and establish a correct value orientation; to strengthen the formulation and optimization of strategic planning of differentiated development of education for international students in China, and build a multisubject coordination mechanism; to improve the ability of resource integration and utilization, and build the brand of "Studying in China" by relying on the guidance of preponderant and characteristic disciplines.