For the record, I supported myself through my studies [cue mournful violin playing in the background], as my mother died young and my father was a manual worker.

You did it your way, and I woz lucky enough to do it my way before Thatcher changed the rules re free tertiary education! Else, I wouldn't have done it at all!
Never mind, a degree and a secondary education teaching qualification, (high school for the benefit of you North Americans reading this), is at least equivalent to a Bachelor's in ratcatching,if there is such a qualification available, from the point of view of teaching EFL, as the Chinese government believes in its wisdom, with the proviso it's from a western university, any bachelor's degree will do. Good on 'em!

BTW, I've been following Britain's post hung parliament deliberations. I reckon it'll be very interesting to see the final outcome. Clegg is the kingmaker, and will take the best offer. He's following Chinese business procedure. As Gordon Brown is an academic, whose father is, or perhaps was, a man of the cloth, I hope he can continue in power. Being a socialist Scot, I was happy to see the resurgent Tories, lol, still just with one Scottish seat! That's why it's a hung parliament..lol!