International students who want to study at Chinese universities must meet the requirements set out by both the Chinese government and the university they apply to.
Requirements of the Chinese Government
1.Applicant must be a real student, must hold a student or visitor visa;
2.No criminal record. Applicants from some countries are requested to provide a non-criminal certificate notarized and certified by the Chinese Embassy;
3.Some official sectors restrict the number of applicants from certain countries;
4.Applicants should have the appropriate qualifications and be able to meet all the requirements (in accordance with the school requirements), be in a reliable financial state and have a guarantor in China;
5.Transfer students need to provide the agreement certificate between the two schools.
For more information regarding the requirements of the Chinese Government, please visit the Ministry of Education or China Scholarship Council.
Requirements of China's Universities
In accordance with different levels of degree, Chinese universities have different requirements for all enrollees. Before applying, you must carefully review these requirements.
Usually, non-degree language and culture programs have minimum requirements; as long as you have obtained a high school diploma, you can apply for admission.
Chinese-medium degree courses (i.e. degree courses taught in Mandarin Chinese) require the applicant to provide HSK examination results to prove their Chinese language proficiency. Applicants for master's degrees also need to provide a copy of transcripts and recommendation letters.
English-medium courses do not require HSK exam results. Instead, applicants for English-medium courses should provide recognized English proficiency tests such as TOEFL or IELTS. (English native speakers or those who hold an academic degree taught in English need not provide test scores).
More and more universities are starting to offer international programs taught in English. These programs will no longer require HSK examination results and are suitable for international applicants.
This is a list of requirements for different programs: (Applicants may search for degree courses by degree level according to your personal educational background and the following requirements.)
| Type of Student | Application and admission requirements | Required Chinese language level | Study time |
| Short-term student | High school graduate or the equivalent (e.g. A-level). In some of China's universities, any education background is accepted. | No requirement | 1 - 20 weeks |
| Language student | High school graduate or the equivalent (e.g. A-level). | No requirement | 1 - 2 years |
| Undergraduate or associate student | High school graduate or the equivalent (e.g. A-level). A passing grade on China's college entrance examination may be required. Please note that GCSE holders are not admitted onto degree programs by China's universities; those students should apply for a one year program of Pre-College training (or International Foudation Year program) at the chosen university. | HSK level 4-6 (for Chinese-medium courses) | Undergraduate student: 4 - 5 years; Associatestudents: 2 - 3 years |
| Master's degree student | Possession of a Bachelor's degree, at least two letters of recommendation from professors. A passing grade on China's college entrance examination may be required. | HSK level 5-8 (for Chinese-medium courses) | 2 - 3 years |
| Doctoral student | Possession of a Master's degree, at least two recommendations from professors. A passing grade on China's college entrance examination may be required. | HSK level 5-8 (for Chinese-medium courses) | 3 years |
| Transfer student | Student who is studying at another Chinese university should provide a sealed transfer letterfrom the Foreign Students' Office of current university; and meet other requirements according to degree level. | Depending | Depending |
Note
Required Chinese language level: For more on HSK/Chinese Proficiency Test, please click here. Each school sets its own requirements.
China's college entrance examination: Test subjects are decided by each individual school. In addition to Chinese proficiency; for example, humanities students will usually be tested in mathematics; science and engineering students will be tested in chemistry and biology. Some universities have special review classes before testing to help students prepare. Students who have received an academic degree from a Chinese institution may be allowed to skip the entrance exam.