The number of students who went to study abroad through government-sanctioned agencies last year fell 20 percent year-on-year to 10,442, even as the total number of students studying overseas continued to rise, local media reported Thursday.

The 15 local agencies with Ministry of Education approval attracted fewer clients last year as more resources to help students win admission to overseas universities have emerged and a greater number of unauthorized agencies have crowded into the market.

The agencies help students choose a suitable university to attend and then help guide them through the application process, said Cai Jun, a teacher from Shinyway Education, one of the government-approved agencies.

The agencies charge anywhere from 20,000 yuan ($3,216) to 100,000 yuan per client, according to a report in the Shanghai Evening Post.

With their years of experience, the agencies lend students a degree of expertise in navigating the university admission process. "Whether a student gets admitted depends on his own abilities, but we can help students show off their best attributes, because different universities value different qualities," Cai told the Global Times.

One of the reasons for the decline in clients has been that more students have opted to submit applications by themselves, Cai said. Many seek advice from friends who have already gone through the process.

In addition, many international high schools and local universities now have international studies departments where students can get help if they want to study abroad, according to the Shanghai Evening Post report.

Some overseas universities also make special trips to the city to recruit students directly.

Recent years have seen an increase in the number of agencies that don't have government approval. There are now more than 100 study abroad agencies in the city, including the 15 sanctioned by the government.