China University International Student Admission Guide

Must be a non-Chinese citizen holding a valid ordinary passport (for private affairs) issued by a foreign country, with the passport having been valid for 4 years or longer. Additionally, the applicant must have physically resided abroad for a minimum of 2 years within the past 4 years (calculated as 9 months per year) by April 30 of the enrollment year.

For example, in cases where both parents or one parent is a Chinese citizen permanently residing abroad, and the individual holds foreign nationality at birth, taking Wuhan University as an example, it is necessary to provide the individual's birth certificate and documentation of the parents' nationality.

Undergraduate: High school graduation or equivalent (notarized academic credentials required).
Master's: Holding a bachelor's degree or equivalent (relevant academic background required for some majors).
Doctoral: Holding a master's degree (some institutions accept outstanding undergraduates for direct admission to doctoral programs).

For example, Tsinghua University requires that before the registration date for new postgraduate students in 2024, domestic university students must have obtained a nationally recognized bachelor's or master's degree, and overseas university students must obtain the "Certificate of Foreign Academic Credentials" issued by the China Academic Degrees & Graduate Education Development Center of the Ministry of Education. Otherwise, their admission qualification will be invalidated.

Chinese-taught programs: Chinese-taught majors generally have Chinese proficiency requirements. HSK scores are required (generally a minimum score of 210 on HSK Level 4, with majors such as medicine/engineering possibly requiring HSK Level 5).

For example, at Wuhan University, Chinese-taught majors require a Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) Level 4 score of 180 or above. Applicants whose native language is Chinese or who have studied in Chinese-medium high schools may be exempted from submitting HSK scores upon recognition by the university. At East China Normal University, applicants for Chinese-taught majors in liberal arts, economics, art, and sports must pass HSK Level 5 with a score of 210 or above, or HSK Level 6 with a score of 180 or above. For other science majors, applicants must pass HSK Level 5 with a score of 180 or above.

English-taught programs: For native English speakers, some schools may exempt them from providing English language proficiency certificates. For non-native English speakers, they usually need to provide English proficiency certificates such as IELTS 6.0 or above, TOEFL 80 or above, or other equivalent English proficiency certificates.

For example, East China Normal University also recognizes certification of study experience in English-taught programs (where the language of instruction and examination for the undergraduate or master's degree obtained is English). Additionally, some schools have additional requirements for specialized programs. For instance, the Shenzhen International Graduate School of Tsinghua University admits international students with a bachelor's degree to directly pursue a doctoral degree. Those without Chinese language requirements may be exempted from submitting HSK scores, but applicants whose native language is not English must have a TOEFL score of no less than 80 or an IELTS score of no less than 6.5.

List of Application Materials

Passport Personal Information Page

Highest Education Certificate and Transcript (to be notarized and translated into Chinese/English)

Proof of language proficiency (HSK/IELTS/TOEFL, etc.)

Personal statement (500-1000 words, explaining study plan)

Recommendation letters (1-2 letters, undergraduate applications can be issued by high school teachers)

Medical examination report (using specified template) 

Certificate of No Criminal Record 

Proof of economic guarantee (proof of deposit of approximately 40000 to 100000 RMB) 

Portfolio (Art/Design Majors)

Application process and timeline

Self-application: Submit through the target university's "International Student Online Application System" (e.g., Tsinghua University's OAS system).

Recommendation application: Apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship through Chinese embassies or consulates overseas, or Confucius Institutes.

Autumn enrollment: Applications open from December to May of the following year (the deadline for most universities is June 30th).

Spring enrollment: Open to a limited number of universities, with applications accepted from September to November.

Special Policies and Scholarships

HSK Level 5 score of 260 or above and excellent high school performance (applicable to undergraduate studies).

Master's degree applicants who graduated from top 500 universities in QS (some 985 universities in China are exempt from written exams).

Precautions