Overview of international students education in China

The education of International students in New China began in 1950, and has witnessed great development in recent years.

Statistics show that 363 universities in 31Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities (not including Taiwan Province, Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions) received 61,869 students from l69 countries to study in China in 2001.

Chinese universities provide both diploma education and non-diploma education, with the former including senior and junior undergraduate students, Master Degree Students, and Ph.D Students, and the latter including trainees and research scholars.

Chinese universities teach different types of students with different methods. Junior undergraduate students are required to study for two or three school years according to teaching programs, together with their Chinese counterparts in the same class, and conferred diplomas after they pass examinations.

Senior undergraduate students are required to Study for four or five school years according to teaching programs, and taught separately or together with their Chinese counterparts according to subject requirements. And meanwhile, some optional courses are cut to cater to varying conditions of each student, or separate courses are added to meet different needs. These students are conferred bachelor's degree after passing examinations and graduation thesis. Master degree students are required to study for two or three school years according to teaching programs. International students have to finish all courses set in teaching plans under the guidance of their tutors and pass examinations and graduation defence before being conferred master's degree.

Ph.D students are required to study for two or three school years according to teaching programs. International students have to finish all courses set in teaching plans under the guidance of their tutors and pass examinations and graduation defence before being conferred doctor's degree.

Visiting students are required to study for one or two school years and are taught either separately or together with their Chinese counterparts according to their subjects. They are conferred refresher certificates after passing examinations or proficiency assessment.

Senior Visiting Students are required to study for one or two school years. The school must offer a tutor for each of them to direct their research according to different research projects. They are conferred refresher certificates after finishing their studies and research programs.

Research scholars are offered a liaison teacher each according to their research projects. They have to depend mainly on themselves for research, and the research time is decided according to the requirements of monographic research projects.
Chinese language learners, who are equal to graduates from high schools in China, are usually required to study for one or two school years, and are conferred refresher certificates after finishing their studies.

Chinese universities encourage International students to come to China and study for MBA, and doctor's degrees. Some universities are able to offer courses directly in foreign languages.

Types and qualifications of foreign students accepted

Undergraduate student

Foreigner equal to or above graduate from high school in China, having passed examination held by the university or college, is admitted. 

4－6 years

 
Master Degree student

College graduate with recommendations of two vice-professors or professors, having passed enrollment examination; or graduating as an undergraduate in China at the same year, excellent in courses, recommended to be admitted without entrance examination. 

2－3 years
 
Ph.D student

Postgraduate, recommended by two vice-professors or professors, passed entrance examination.

3 years

Chinese Language Learner

Equal to or above graduate from high school China.

1－2 years
 
Visiting students 

Equal to or above a sophomore grade.
1－2 ( year )
 
Senior Visiting students

With Master's degree or above or studying for doctoral degree.

( within 1 year )
 
Research Scholar 

Vice-professor or above. 

(within 1 year)
 
Short-term Student

Equal to or above graduate from high school China. 

4－20 (week) 
 

The applicant shall be 18 years old and healthy.

Entrance exams and proficiency

Visiting Students and Senior Visiting Students are admitted according to their diploma credentials, based on competitive selection.

Undergraduate students of liberal arts are admitted according to their diplomas, academic record credentials, and the medium stage C-level credentials for the HSK test, after passing entrance exams or proficiency assessment, based on competitive selection.

Undergraduate students of science, engineering, agriculture and medicine are admitted according to their diplomas, academic record credentials, and the primary stage C-level credentials for the HSK test, after passing entrance exams or proficiency assessment, based on competitive selection.

Master Degree or Ph-D Students are admitted by related universities according to their bachelor, or master's degrees, academic record credentials, and recommendation letters by two associate professors or professors, after passing exams or proficiency assessment. Those who apply for enrollment out of China and are admitted without the entrance exam have to finish all courses and pass corresponding examinations before obtaining qualifications to work on graduation thesis. They would otherwise have to graduate as trainees. Applicants in China have to take part the entrance exam for graduate students. Graduating senior undergraduate or Master Degree Students in China, who have met the requirements of being recommended to study for master, or doctor's degrees without the entrance exam, can be admitted by related universities according to corresponding regulations.

Undergraduate, Master Degree or Ph.D students and Visiting Students applying to major in disciplines of arts, have to offer the pictures, recordings, and audio-visual materials of their own works of art, as well as letters of recommendation.

Admission priority will be given to graduates who once studied in China and apply for further studies again.

Preparatory education on the Chinese language for International students in China

Chinese is the major teaching language for International students in Chinese universities. Books, periodicals, and reference materials in university libraries and archives are mostly in Chinese. International students have to have a command of Chinese to a certain level in order to finish their studies smoothly.

Undergraduate, Master Degree or Ph.D students and Visiting Students who didn't learn Chinese or whose Chinese proficiency doesn't meet the needs of subject studies before coming to China, have to learn basic Chinese for one or two school years upon arrival. Visiting Students and graduate students who are taught directly in foreign languages, still need to pick up some Chinese for the convenience of daily life and study.

HSK in China

The Chinese language proficiency test, or Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK), is a standard test designed to check the Chinese language proficiency of non-native Chinese speakers. The HSK committee under the Ministry of Education is responsible for organizing the test, setting, reviewing and marking the examination paper, and issuing certificates. The HSK is divided into primary, medium and advanced levels. Whoever passes required standards receives a commensurate Hanyu Shuiping (HS) certificate.

The HSK certificate may serve as:
1.Credentials for practical HSK required for studying in Chinese universities or taking part in exams for graduate students.

2.Credentials for a certain level of the Chinese language or being excused from learning the corresponding Chinese courses.

3.Credentials for employers to judge the HSK of applicants.

The HSK is held regularly both in China and overseas annually. The test in China is held twice a year at designated universities in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Dalian, Wuhan, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Xi'an; the test abroad is held once or twice a year, entrusted with local universities or institutions of higher learning in more than 20countdes including Singapore, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Canada.

Fees of Se1f-financed Students

The following form contains general fees of self-financed foreign student. As for about the details, please see the admission guidebook made by the accepting school.