Overview

• Ding Yuanzhao holds degrees from Tsinghua, Peking, Nanyang Technological University and Oxford after scoring nearly 700 on the gaokao in 2004.
• He lost his postdoctoral position at the National University of Singapore in March 2024 and failed to secure roles despite attending more than ten interviews.
• He turned to food delivery in Singapore, working 10-hour days to earn about SG$700 per week and support his family.
• He returned to Beijing in mid-2025 to join Meituan full time, opting for steadier pay amid scarce academic positions.
• The viral spread of his story has drawn attention to the real-world value of advanced degrees as China’s urban youth unemployment rate stands at 14.9 percent.