Twenty-six percent of Chinese students leaving higher education were eager to start their own businesses in 2017, a rise of 8 percent from the previous year, a recent survey showed.

The survey, jointly conducted by more than 30 higher education institutions, enterprises and social organizations, covered 52 higher education institutions across the country.

According to the survey, 22 percent of respondents said they were looking to enter the e-commerce sector.

The survey showed a variety of motivations for students looking to set up their own businesses, with 31 percent of respondents saying they hoped to achieve a free and independent work-life balance. Another 18 percent of respondents said they wanted to "realize their dreams", while around 10 percent said they were waiting for the right business opportunity, the survey showed.

More than 50 percent of respondents said a lack of funds remained the biggest obstacle to their entrepreneurial plans, the survey showed.

Students also wanted higher education institutions to provide more opportunities to foster entrepreneurship and develop finance systems to help them start their own businesses, according to the survey.