What are the requirements to study in China?
Unofficial answer · Sources checked
There is no single national checklist of admission requirements. Each university in China writes and publishes its own international student admission brochure, sets the conditions in it, and decides who is admitted (Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security, Articles 11 and 12). Those conditions have to sit inside national minimums: a minimum prior education for each level, a language floor for Chinese-taught programmes, and proof of financial guarantee.
Order No. 42 and the 2018 quality standards are published in Chinese and carry no official English version on the page. The English wording on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese text.
What the rules say
Under Order No. 42, Article 9, the degree categories for international students are junior college student, undergraduate, master's student and doctoral student; the non-degree categories are preparatory student, advanced student and research scholar.
The 2018 quality standards, section 1, require a university to set its own entry standards for international students according to national provisions and to its training goals and capacity, covering educational background, academic level, language ability, identity qualification and financial ability. Section 1.1 fixes the floor on prior education:
| Level you apply to | Minimum prior education | Reference given in the text |
|---|---|---|
| Junior college, bachelor | High school graduation or equivalent | Successful completion of ISCED 2011 level 3 or 4 leading to higher education |
| Master | Bachelor's degree or equivalent | Successful completion of ISCED 2011 level 6 or 7 |
| Doctorate | Master's degree or equivalent | Successful completion of specified ISCED 2011 level 7 |
Where China has signed an intergovernmental agreement on mutual recognition of academic qualifications and degrees with another country or region, and that agreement sets entry conditions for that side's students entering Chinese higher education institutions, the signed agreement applies (section 1.1).
On language, section 1.2 requires that for disciplines and majors taught in Chinese, the Chinese ability requirement in a university's entry standards reach at least Level 4 of the International Chinese Proficiency Standards. The standard states that level against those Chinese proficiency standards and not as an HSK test level. For disciplines and majors taught in a foreign language, the university must state the required foreign-language ability in its entry standards.
On money, section 2.6 requires the university to set its own financial guarantee standard, taking tuition and accommodation fee levels and the general local cost of living into account, on the principle that the amount can adequately cover reasonable costs of study, living and international travel; where the local government education department issues a guiding standard, that standard applies. The university must require applicants to provide financial guarantee proof meeting that standard and must review it on a prudent and due-diligence basis.
Who decides
The university does. Article 11 requires a university to formulate and publish its own international student admission brochure in accordance with national enrolment provisions, and to recruit students according to the conditions and procedures set out in that brochure. Article 12 requires the university to examine an applicant's admission qualifications and financial guarantee proof and to hold an examination or assessment; admission of international students is decided by the university, and an applicant who does not meet the admission conditions may not be recruited.
So the practical answer to "what are the requirements" is always the admission brochure of the university you are applying to. The national texts set the boundaries; they do not replace that document.
What the official pages do not say
The articles and sections read for this page do not state a single national list of application documents, a uniform application deadline, or any amount for the financial guarantee; they also say nothing about visas or residence permits, and scholarship conditions are outside this page. For the document list, the deadline and the amount required at a given university, ask the international student office of that university; for entry and stay questions, ask the embassy or visa centre handling your case.
Related questions
Do I have to show proof of money?
Yes. Article 12 of Order No. 42 requires the university to examine the financial guarantee proof of every applicant, and section 2.6 of the 2018 quality standards requires the applicant to provide proof that meets the university's own standard. The standard itself is set by the university, or by the guiding standard of the local government education department where one exists.
Is there a Chinese language level I must already have?
For a programme taught in Chinese, the university's entry standards must require at least Level 4 of the International Chinese Proficiency Standards (section 1.2). For a programme taught in another language, the university must state the foreign-language requirement in its own standards. The sections read for this page do not name any test, score or certificate as the way to show it.
What kind of student am I admitted as?
Order No. 42, Article 9 lists four degree categories — junior college student, undergraduate, master's student and doctoral student — and three non-degree categories: preparatory student, advanced student and research scholar.
Can I enter a master's programme without a bachelor's degree?
The minimum in section 1.1 is a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification, referenced to successful completion of ISCED 2011 level 6 or 7; "equivalent" is judged against that reference. If a signed intergovernmental mutual recognition agreement sets the entry conditions for students from your country or region, that agreement applies instead.
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, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security
- Quality Standards for Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) — Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (attachment to notice Jiaowai [2018] No. 50)
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, that text and those instructions prevail.