How an international graduate gets into the national register: student status and graduation certificate e-registration

Your qualification goes on the national record when the university enters it into the electronic register. Order No. 42, Article 21 says a higher school shall promptly carry out electronic registration of student status and of the graduation certificate for international students in degree education, and Order No. 41, Article 35 requires schools to complete that registration promptly. This article sets out what the official rules require and how you can later check your own entry.

The English wording in this article is this site's own translation of the Chinese text.

What the university must register

For an international student in higher education (degree education), the university shall promptly carry out electronic registration of student status and of the graduation certificate (Order No. 42, Article 21). The same article says the university issues academic certificates or other educational certificates to international students under relevant state provisions, and issues a degree certificate to international students who meet the degree-granting conditions.

The Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), section 10.1, require a higher school to implement the electronic registration system for the student status and academic credentials of international students coming to China.

The general national rule on electronic registration also appears in Order No. 41, Article 35: a school shall implement the higher-education student-status and academic-credential electronic registration management system and promptly complete the electronic registration. Order No. 42, Article 31 says a university conducts international student status management by reference to the rules for Chinese students, so this general rule applies to international graduate students by reference. The university's own published rules for international students give the actual periods and procedure.

Your name and certificate details

The certificate is filled in from the information recorded at admission. Order No. 41, Article 34 says a school shall fill in and issue academic certificates, degree certificates and other educational certificates strictly in accordance with the type of institution and mode of study determined at admission and the personal information the student filled in at admission. If you change certificate details such as your name or date of birth while enrolled, you must have a reasonable and sufficient reason and provide the corresponding supporting documents with statutory effect; the school then reviews this (Order No. 41, Article 34). Where the school needs the competent education administrative department of the student's place of origin and relevant departments to assist in verification, those departments shall cooperate (Order No. 41, Article 34).

Suggestion: check that the name on your admission record is exactly the same as the name in your passport, so the registered certificate matches your identity documents.

How a withdrawal or expulsion is recorded

Order No. 42, Article 31 says that where a school makes a withdrawal disposition or an expulsion disposition for an international student, it shall file (for the record) in accordance with the provisions of the competent education administrative department of the State Council.

Checking your own record on CHSI

After graduation you can verify that your record exists. The CHSI (China Higher Education Student Information) service pages say a student's record and qualification can be authenticated online using the student's diploma and ID information, and that a student may also check their own information for free through real-name registration. The pages describe both Chinese and English verification reports for higher-education qualification certificates, student records and academic transcripts.

The CHSI service pages state no fee, no processing time and no application step, name no international student specifically, and describe no step for a foreign student to register on the website. The CHSI website is maintained by CSSD (Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education), which the page describes as the MOE-authorized qualification verification institution in China.

Questions people ask

Will my Chinese degree appear in the national electronic register?

Yes. For degree education the university shall promptly carry out electronic registration of student status and the graduation certificate under Order No. 42, Article 21, and shall promptly complete the electronic registration under Order No. 41, Article 35.

Can I check my own student record on CHSI?

The CHSI service pages say a student may check their own information for free after real-name registration, but state no step for a foreign student to register on the website.

What if my name on the certificate is not the same as my passport?

Order No. 41, Article 34 says a change of name during enrolment needs a reasonable and sufficient reason and supporting documents with statutory effect, and the school reviews it. Suggestion: before enrolment, confirm the name on your admission record matches your passport exactly.

Sources

• Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42) — Ministry of Education of the PRC
• Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) — 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
• CHSI Verification Service — Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education (CSSD)

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, is not legal advice, and the official text and the current notice of the university or authority handling your case prevail if they differ.