Admission standards

University admission in China

Official minimum entry requirements and the school system, from the country's UNESCO classification and national sources.

Official entry requirements

As classified by the country with UNESCO (ISCED 2011), reference year 2023. Universities may set higher requirements.

School-leaving qualification (upper secondary)

Senior secondary education3 years, from age 15
Minimum entry: Junior secondary certificate
Awards: Senior secondary certificate

Bachelor's or equivalent (first degree)

Bachelor' s or equivalent level4 years, from age 18
Minimum entry: Senior secondary certificate
Awards: Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's or equivalent level5 years, from age 18
Minimum entry: Senior secondary certificate
Awards: Bachelor's degree

Short-cycle tertiary (diplomas)

Short-cycle tertiary education2 years, from age 18
Minimum entry: Senior secondary certificate
Awards: Short-cycle tertiary education Graduation Certification

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), ISCED 2011 mappings (country file). CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UIS terms).

School system (official durations)

Primary: 6 years from age 6
Lower secondary: 3 years from age 12
Upper secondary: 3 years from age 15
Compulsory education: 9 years
Tertiary enrolment (gross): 76.9% (2024)

Data year 2025. Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), https://api.uis.unesco.org/api/public, extracted 2026-11-10. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Licence.

Regulators and quality agencies

Shanghai Education Evaluation Institute (SEEI)Listed by INQAAHE
The Education Quality Evaluation Agency of the Ministry of Education in China (EQEA)Listed by INQAAHE
China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC)Listed by INQAAHE
Jiangsu Agency for Educational Evaluation (JAEE)Listed by INQAAHE
Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ)Listed by INQAAHE

From INQAAHE. Network membership is not government recognition: confirm a body's role with the education ministry.

Universities and colleges

3,252 institutions in China

All countries