Graduation certificate and degree certificate in China: two papers, two meanings

A graduation certificate and a degree certificate are two separate papers. The graduation certificate (毕业证书) shows that a student finished the study plan and met the university's graduation requirements. The degree certificate (学位证书) is issued on its own conditions, and a student can hold one without the other, or hold a completion certificate (结业证书) instead of a graduation certificate.

This page uses the English versions prepared by this site from the Chinese texts. The English is this site's translation, not an official English version.

What the national rules say

Order No. 42, Article 21 deals with international students in two separate sentences. The first says a university issues qualification (graduation) certificates or other study certificates under national rules. The second says a university issues a degree certificate to international students who meet the conditions for a degree. Article 21 also says that for international students in degree-level higher education, the university must promptly handle electronic registration of their student status and graduation certificate. Article 21 does not list the "other study certificates" it refers to.

Order No. 41 is written for students in regular degree education in general. Universities apply its provisions to international students by reference (Order No. 41, Article 66; Order No. 42, Article 31). Its certificate articles are as follows.

• Article 32 says that a student who completes the plan within the study period set by the school, passes, and meets the school's graduation requirements is granted graduation. The school issues the graduation certificate before the student leaves. Article 32 also says the degree-awarding unit issues a degree certificate to students who meet the degree conditions. A student who finishes the plan early and earns the required credits may apply for early graduation, and the school sets the conditions for that.
• Article 33 says that a student who completes the plan within the study period but does not meet the graduation requirements may be granted completion and issued a completion certificate. Whether the school allows re-examination, retaking, or making up a graduation project, thesis or defence after completion is decided by the school. The same applies to whether a graduation or degree certificate is issued after completion. Article 33 also says that the graduation date and degree date for a qualifying student follow the date the certificate is issued. For a student who withdraws, the school must issue a certificate of incomplete study (肄业证书) or a factual study record (写实性学习证明).

The Degree Law, Article 29 covers the degree certificate. The degree-awarding unit issues degree certificates based on the resolution of the degree evaluation committee, publishes the list of people awarded degrees, and reports the degree information to the provincial degree committee. The provincial committee files it with the State Council degree committee. This page quotes only Article 29 of the Degree Law.

The papers at a glance

Paper (Chinese)	What it records under the rules	Source
Graduation certificate (毕业证书)	Completion of the study plan within the study period, passing grades, and meeting the school's graduation requirements	Order No. 41, Article 32; Order No. 42, Article 21
Completion certificate (结业证书)	Completion of the study plan within the study period without meeting the graduation requirements	Order No. 41, Article 33
Degree certificate (学位证书)	Meeting the conditions for a degree, awarded by the degree-awarding unit	Order No. 42, Article 21; Order No. 41, Article 32; Degree Law, Article 29
Certificate of incomplete study (肄业证书) or factual study record	Withdrawal from study	Order No. 41, Article 33

Why the two papers can differ

The graduation certificate depends on finishing the plan and meeting the school's graduation requirements. The degree certificate depends on meeting the degree conditions and on the degree decision of the degree-awarding unit. Order No. 41 treats these as two separate points: Article 32 has separate paragraphs for each certificate. Order No. 42 Article 21 also uses two separate sentences for the two papers.

A student can therefore finish the plan without a degree, or be awarded a degree under the conditions set for it. Article 33 of Order No. 41 covers the case where the plan is finished but graduation requirements are not met.

Why an employer or authority abroad may ask for both

This section is this site's own explanation and is not stated in the texts quoted here. A graduation certificate shows that study was finished. A degree certificate shows that a degree was awarded. A completion certificate shows that study was finished without graduation. A foreign employer or authority may need to see which of these a person holds, so it may ask for both papers. Check the exact paper the requesting body wants before you send anything.

What the quoted texts leave to the university

• Order No. 41, Article 32 refers to the graduation requirements set by the school and does not define them.
• Order No. 41, Article 32 refers to the study period set by the school and does not state its length.
• Order No. 41, Article 33 leaves to the school the decisions on re-examination, retaking, and whether a graduation or degree certificate follows a completion.
• Order No. 41, Article 32 leaves the conditions for early graduation to the school and lists none.
• Degree Law, Article 29 refers to the resolution of the degree evaluation committee and does not list the conditions for a degree.
• Order No. 42, Article 21 does not list the other study certificates it mentions.

The university's own published rules for international students set the actual study periods, graduation requirements, and procedure for each certificate.

Suggestion, not a rule

When you read a university's rules, you may find it useful to look for four things: its definition of graduation requirements, whether it issues a completion certificate, its study period, and its procedure for the degree certificate. This is a planning suggestion only.

Questions people ask

Is a completion certificate the same as a graduation certificate?

No. Order No. 41, Article 33 gives a completion certificate for a student who finishes the plan within the study period but does not meet the graduation requirements. Article 32 gives a graduation certificate for a student who meets those requirements.

Does a graduation certificate mean a degree was awarded?

Not under these texts. Order No. 41, Article 32 treats the graduation certificate and the degree certificate in separate paragraphs, each with its own condition. Order No. 42, Article 21 also treats them as two separate sentences.

Sources

• Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), Ministry of Education of the PRC
• Provisions on the Administration of Students in Regular Higher Education Institutions (Order No. 41), Ministry of Education of the PRC
• Degree Law of the People's Republic of China, Ministry of Education of the PRC

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the Ministry of Education, the China Scholarship Council, CHSI or any university, and it is not legal advice. If the official text or the current notice of the university or authority handling your case differs from this page, the official text and that notice prevail.