Admission to study in China requires submitting a complete application to the chosen university or program, meeting academic and language proficiency requirements, and providing necessary documentation such as transcripts and a valid passport. It's essential to follow the specific admission guidelines and deadlines set by the university you intend to apply to.
The following guide will help you understand the step to step admission requirements for study abroad in China:
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Choosing a Study Program.
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Choosing a Chinese University for Admission.
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Academic Requirements.
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Method of Application.
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Submitting Required Documents.
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Admission Submission Deadlines
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Waiting for Admission Approval.
Choosing A Study Program
The first step to study in abroad is to choose a stream of education which interests you and has potential of career success in the future. Every stream of education is widely explored in recent times and there is plethora of courses for you to choose from. In fact, the main complication of choosing a study programme is availability of many options. Chinese Universities are offering plenty of study programmes at all academic levels. A student must contemplate upon following factors before while choosing a study program:
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Your interest in subjects
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Search the scope of career your chosen study program has
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The subjects you choose as your study majors must match your intellectual capabilities or else it will be complicated for you to continue studying in the middle of the course
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Every study programme has entry requirement different from other, make sure you meet those requirements
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Read the course outline of all semesters
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The medium of instruction of your chosen study programme must be the language you have command over.
Pakistani Students Choosing A Chinese University For Admission
Start searching for a right Chinese university for you as soon as you finalize the steam of education and study program you want to pursue your degree in. There are many factors that must be considered while selecting a right university for you. It is recommended to explore maximum universities online and shortlist them in order of preference and apply for admission in at least three of them.
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Check the tuition fee of your study program and compare the fee with other universities,
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Confirm that if the university you are choosing for your education is located in the city of China where you want to study,
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Check the global ranking of the university,
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Check admission eligibility criteria,
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Application submission deadline,
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Documents requirements,
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Availability of on campus residence and
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Check if the university offers any scholarships and fee waivers and if any check eligibility criteria.
Academic Requirements For Pakistani Students To Get Admission In Chinese Universities
The academic requirements for each of study program in China will be different. There are age limits set by Chinese institutions for each of academic level and there are minimum grades set for admission. The Age Requirements for each of academic level set by Chinese institutions are as follows:
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For admission in under graduate study programme, the age of applicant must be under 25 years.
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For admission in post graduate study programme (Masters), the age limit of applicant must be under 35 years
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For admission in post graduate study programme (PhD), the age limit of applicant must be under 40 years.
Academic Requirements:
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For admission in Under Graduate programme, the applicant must have passed a High School Diploma or equivalent (A-Level) from a recognized institution of his country. Your chosen Chinese institution might take an entrance exam to assess your capabilities and passing that entrance exam in good grades will ascertain your admission. The GCSE holders are not granted admission in Chinese universities for under graduate courses; they will have to take admission in foundation course of 1 year duration first before taking admission in Under Graduate study programme.
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For admission in post graduate (Masters) programme, the applicants must have passed Bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution of their country in good grades. Passing an entrance exam is also compulsion for admission in many Chinese Universities that you will have to ascertain before choosing the university in China. The applicant will also be needed to provide two recommendation letters from two of his/her professors.
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For admission in post graduate (PhD) programme, the applicants must have passed Masters Degree from a recognized institute of his/her country in good grades. Two recommendation letters from his/her professors will be required. The Chinese Institution you choose for study might also take an entrance exam which you will have to pass in good grades.
Language Requirements
Chinese language is medium of instruction in all of the Chinese Universities. However, many of Chinese universities are offering study programmes in English language which you must ascertain before selecting a study programme. Even if you choose a study program in English, some command over Chinese language will be required for living in China and you will learn it eventually while your stay there. For admission in Under Graduate or Post Graduate courses, the English Proficiency Test Certificates accepted by Chinese Universities are IELTS and TOEFL and for admission in study programmes with Chinese as medium of instruction you will have to pass Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) test. There are three difficulty levels of Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) test which include primary, medium level and advanced level. The level required in Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) test depends on your study programme and academic level and you will prepare for it accordingly. For example for Science, Engineering and IT Courses in Chinese Language, HSK Elementary Test will be required and for Liberal Arts, Economics and Management Courses in Chinese Language HSK Intermediate Test will be required.
Method of Application
International student can apply for admission directly at their chosen Chinese university through their website or they can choose any of the following two methods of application:
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CUCAS Application Method: - CUCAS is an online application platform which serves as mediator between applicants and Chinese Universities for admissions. By using CUCAS application method you can apply at your chosen Chinese University.
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CUAC Application Method: - CUAC aka China University Application Centre is also an online platform working as a mediator between Chinese University and international students. CUAC is also provides professional guidance regarding course selection in Chinese Universities to applicants.
Submitting Required Documents
The documents required may vary from university to university in China and also depends on your study level and study program. For international students the required documents are corresponded with visa documents and national identity of international students. In general, the following documents are required by all of Chinese Universities for admissions to international students:
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2 recent passport size photographs of applicant
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A photocopy of applicant’s valid national passport
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Photocopy of National Identity Card
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Health Certificate (proving the applicant is in good health)
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Clearance letter from local police station proving the applicant has good character and has no criminal offence registered against him
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Language proficiency test certificate (for English taught courses IELTS and TOEFL for Chinese language taught courses HSK)
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A letter of guarantee( signed by the guardian or parents of the applicant stating that the applicant will abide all the rules and regulations of Chinese government during his stay in China and stating that the guardian take responsibility of the actions of the applicant)
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Proof of Financial Resources for your education and stay in China
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Transcripts of your academic records, diplomas and certificates
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Recommendation letters from two of applicant’s professors (for post graduate courses)
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You must meet age requirement if the course
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Letter of intent (written by applicant stating why he has chosen certain study programme and explaining his/her professional aspirations)
Admission Submission Deadlines
In China, the academic year is split into two semesters namely spring semester and autumn semester. Some of the universities in China also implement three semester admission schedule. It is better to ascertain the admission deadlines of your chosen Chinese university before planning your admission schedule. But generally, the admission submission deadlines of most of Chinese Universities have following schedule:
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For admission in spring semester the application must be submitted till 15th of July
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For admission in autumn semester the application must be submitted till 30th of April
Waiting For Admission Approval
After submitting the required documents and admission form you can expect the admission process to take 30 to 40 days. If your application gets approved by Chinese university they will send you an acceptance letter or offer letter for admission. You will be asked to pay tuition fee and from there your student visa process will commence. You will have to visit Chinese Consulate for details regarding student visa, purchase health insurance coverage of worth 62,000 USD along with fulfilling other perquisites of student visa.