After his graduation from the “Oriental MIT” National Chiao Tung University, Qian Xuesen was admitted to Tsinghua University and obtained the opportunity to study in the US under the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Program. After one year’s study of aviation industry courses, Qian Xuesen packed his luggage to begin his overseas study at “MIT”, the world-famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology of the United States.

MIT was located in Boston, right next to Harvard University, was honoured as the “top  of the global universities of technology” and its natural science and engineering science majors are of high prestige. At that time, the National Chiao Tung University of China was established by referring to the model of MIT, and Qian Xuesen had known this earlier. Due to his excellence in mathematics, Qian Xuesen studied in MIT just like a fish in water.

Undoubtedly, the feeling of loneliness due to living in a foreign country often came to his mind. However, what tortured Qian Xuesen most was the prejudice that the locals showed to China and Chinese people.  

One day, in front of Qian Xuesen, his American classmates sneered at China, said China was ignorant and backward, and people smoke opium, bound their feet, and paid no attention to hygiene in China. Qian Xuesen pounded the table and stood up to refute them with much anger, “as a country, China really falls behind America; but as an individual, do you dare to make a comparison with my grades at the end of this semester!” 

His American classmates became dumb on the spot. Qian Xuesen studied harder than ever before, finished all the courses designated for the aeronautical engineering master degree in one year and obtained the master degree diploma from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

However, although he obtained excellent academic results, Qian Xuesen was still unable to start his practical course in the aircraft factory, for the local factories only accepted American students. That situation was exactly the same as the experience his mentor Wang Zhu underwent in the Boeing Company. At that time, Wang Zhu, acting as chief designer of the company, was prohibited to enter the test site, which irritated and caused him to resign and return to China. 

Qian Xuesen had been in the United States just for one year, and he held a strong desire to save China and receive further study, all of which caused him to withstand pressure and not to give up without self-control. Therefore, Qian Xuesen decided to change his major, diverting from aircraft mechanical engineering to the aircraft theory that necessitated solid foundations in math. Fortunately, math was his advantage.  

Von Kármán was the authority of aircraft theory research, and became the best new mentor that Qian Xuesen wished to have; at the same time, the school where Von Kármán was working at that time also became the university where Qian Xuesen wanted to study for his doctoral degree.

The California Institute of Technology attached great importance to students’ innovative ability. Besides, Von Kármán also advocated the spirit of innovation. He disliked problem solving styles without originality, preferred students with creative and active thoughts, and often encouraged students to discuss academic issues, or even argue against each other in his classes.  

Under the good academic atmosphere, Qian Xuesen began to think actively. Although he was introvert and did not talk too much sometimes, he would dare enough to speak out his own thoughts when it came to the point of academic issues. Even if he had different ideas from his teacher Von Kármán on some issues, Qian Xuesen would directly bring up his doubts on the spot.

Under the careful instruction of Von Kármán, Qian Xuesen obtained his doctorate degree of aviation and math from Caltech in June, 1939. Qian Xuesen always treasured that certificate until his death.