Can I change my major after enrolling in China?
Unofficial answer · Sources checked
Yes, in principle. Article 17 of Order No. 42 states that after enrolment an international student may change major, on the student's application and with the university's agreement. The conditions and the procedure are written by the university itself, so the practical answer to "how" is always your university's own regulation, not a national form.
The two Chinese texts quoted below are published in Chinese; the English wording on this page is this site's translation.
What the rules say
The governing provision is short. Article 17 of the Administrative Measures for the Enrolment and Education of International Students by Schools (Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security) reads: after enrolment, on the student's application and with the university's agreement, an international student may change major; the conditions and procedure for the change are set by the university. Order No. 42 was issued on 20 March 2017 and has been in force since 1 July 2017 (Article 48); its Chapters 2 to 5, Articles 7 to 34, apply to higher education institutions (Article 2), which is the range Article 17 falls in.
Two nearby provisions explain why the university holds this authority. Article 10 states that higher education institutions determine their own international student enrolment plans and majors on the basis of their own conditions and training capacity, except where the state provides otherwise. Section 10.1 of the Quality Standards for Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) (attachment to Ministry of Education notice Jiaowai [2018] No. 50) requires institutions to improve their student-status management, implement electronic student-status and qualification registration for international students, and stipulate the conditions and procedures for international students changing major. That standard is a trial document addressed to institutions: it says what a university's own rules must contain, and it is not an application guide.
Who decides
The university decides, and it also writes the procedure. The articles and sections read for this page give no timeline, no limit on the number of changes, no credit-transfer rule and no fixed point in the academic year at which a change may be made; those are left to the university. If you want the actual steps for your case, ask the university's international student office.
| Situation | What the text read for this page states | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|
| Not holding one of the scholarships named here | Change of major is possible on the student's application and with the university's agreement; conditions and procedure are set by the university | Order No. 42, Article 17; 2018 quality standards, section 10.1 |
| ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship | Recipients shall not change the host university, field of study or duration of study stated on the Admission Letter after coming to China; changing academic programme, host university or length of schooling is not allowed in principle, and requires an application through the host university plus approval from both CSC and the ACYLS Joint Committee based in Jakarta | ACYLS guidebook, sections 8C and 9 |
If you hold a scholarship
Scholarship conditions can override the general position, and they are conditions of that award rather than of studying in China in general. The Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, published by the China Scholarship Council, states in section 8C that scholarship recipients shall not change their host university, field of study, or duration of study stipulated on the Admission Letter after coming to China. Section 9 restates it for the study period: scholarship students are not allowed, in principle, to change their academic programmes, host universities or the length of schooling during their study in China; those who need a change for special reasons must apply to CSC through their host university, and the change can happen only after approval from both CSC and the ACYLS Joint Committee based in Jakarta. Section 8A also states that CSC reserves the right to adjust a candidate's preferred university and field of study, with placement results confirmed by the universities.
The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan's guidance for the 2021/2022 bilateral Chinese Government Scholarship intake is a separate document for that past intake. Section III (Application Procedures) covers nomination through the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, pre-admission letters from target universities, and the note that the embassy accepts only application documents forwarded by the HEC. The section read for this page does not state a rule on changing university, field of study or duration after enrolment; for that, ask the body administering your award.
What the official pages do not say
The articles and sections read for this page do not say whether a change of major requires a new Admission Letter, a new JW201 form or a change to a residence permit; they do not give a deadline for applying, a fee, or any limit on how many times a student may change. They also do not describe what happens if the university refuses. For the procedure and its consequences, ask the university's international student office; for a scholarship-funded change, ask the scholarship administrator through your host university.
Related questions
Can a scholarship recipient change their host university?
Under the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship guidebook, not in principle. Section 9 states that scholarship students are not allowed to change academic programmes, host universities or the length of schooling during their study in China; a change for special reasons requires an application to CSC through the host university and approval from both CSC and the ACYLS Joint Committee based in Jakarta.
Who confirms my placement, and when will I hear the result?
According to section 8 of the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship guidebook, CSC sends qualified applications to the candidate's preferred universities, the placement results are confirmed by the universities, and winners receive the final results from CSC by email before 31 July; admission documents (Admission Letter and Confirmation Form for Study in China, JW201) come from the host universities.
Can I be placed in a field of study I did not choose?
Yes, for that scholarship. Section 8A states that CSC reserves the right to make necessary adjustments or changes to a candidate's preferred university and field of study, based on factors including scholarship funding requirements, the host university's teaching capacity, study length and applicants' criteria.
Sources
- Administrative Measures for the Enrolment and Education of International Students by Schools (Order No. 42) — Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China
- Quality Standards for Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) — Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China
- Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
- Guidance of Applying for the Chinese Government Scholarship Bilateral Program (2021/2022 Academic Year) — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Checked 11 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary of the official documents named above; it is not legal or immigration advice, it is not published by or affiliated with any of those bodies, and where it differs from the official text or from the instructions of the university, embassy or exit-entry office handling your case, those prevail.