Is your degree enough? The minimum education rule for master's and doctoral entry in China

A bachelor's degree or its equivalent is the minimum education for entry to a master's programme in mainland China, and a master's degree or its equivalent is the minimum for entry to a doctoral programme. That rule is in section 1.1 of the Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), issued with Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号. Both thresholds are expressed by reference to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011): the master's one refers to successful completion of a level 6 or level 7 programme, and the doctoral one to successful completion of a specific level 7 programme.

The standards are "trial" standards, and they are addressed to higher education institutions: they state what an institution must set and publish in its own entry standards for international students, rather than what an individual applicant hands in. The Chinese text is quoted as published; the English on this page is this site's own translation.

What section 1.1 sets out

Entry level	Minimum education	Reference given in the text
Junior college (专科) and undergraduate	High school graduation or equivalent	Successful completion of an ISCED 2011 level 3 or level 4 programme that leads to higher education
Master's	Bachelor's degree or equivalent	Successful completion of an ISCED 2011 level 6 or level 7 programme
Doctoral	Master's degree or equivalent	Successful completion of a specific ISCED 2011 level 7 programme

The ISCED references are part of the rule as written; this page does not interpret them further.

When a mutual recognition agreement applies

Section 1.1 adds one condition on top of the thresholds above. Where China has signed a government-level agreement on mutual recognition of diplomas and degrees with another country or region, and that agreement sets the entry conditions for students from that country or region entering higher education institutions in China, the signed agreement applies. This page does not name any agreement.

What the Chinese Government Scholarship guide requires

The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship states the conditions of that scholarship, and they are not general admission rules for self-funded students. In section IV on eligibility, it requires an applicant to be an academically excellent holder of a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent and under the age of 35 when applying for a Master's program (item 3), and an academically excellent holder of a Master's degree or its equivalent and under the age of 40 when applying for a doctoral program (item 4).

The same section sets further conditions for the scholarship, including HSK levels for Chinese-taught programmes and the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) for bachelor's programmes. Those belong to the scholarship application, not to the minimum education rule in section 1.1.

On documents, item 3 of the guide's document list asks for the diploma and certificate of highest education as a notarized photocopy, and states that an applicant who is a current university student shall submit the certificate of expected graduation or student status issued by his or her university. Item 4 asks for academic records, and states that records in languages other than Chinese or English shall be attached with notarized translations in Chinese or English.

Where a university's own requirement comes in

A university sets and publishes its own entry requirements, including programmes, dates, language proof and length of study, in its own admissions brochure. The provisions quoted on this page do not cover how any individual institution assesses whether a particular qualification counts as equivalent, or what it asks to see as proof.

Suggestion, not a rule: read the admissions brochure of the programme you are interested in before you assemble documents, and keep the notarized diploma and transcripts together with their translations, since both the guide's document list and a university's own list are likely to ask for them.

Questions people ask

Do I need a bachelor's degree to start a master's in China?

Yes. Section 1.1 of the Quality Standards requires a bachelor's degree or its equivalent for master's entry, referring to successful completion of an ISCED 2011 level 6 or level 7 programme.

Can I enter a doctoral programme with only a bachelor's degree?

No, under the rule as written. Section 1.1 requires a master's degree or its equivalent for doctoral entry, referring to successful completion of a specific ISCED 2011 level 7 programme.

I am still studying. Can I apply before I graduate?

For the Chinese Government Scholarship, item 3 of the document list covers this: an applicant who is a current university student submits the certificate of expected graduation or student status issued by his or her university instead of the diploma.

Is the age limit of 35 or 40 a general admission rule?

No. Under the age of 35 for a Master's program and under the age of 40 for a doctoral program are conditions in section IV, items 3 and 4 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship. They are conditions of that scholarship.

Does the length of my degree programme matter?

The provisions quoted on this page do not cover it. What they state is a bachelor's degree or its equivalent for master's entry and a master's degree or its equivalent for doctoral entry, with the ISCED 2011 references noted above.

Sources

• Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号 — Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn)
• Attachment to the notice: the standards document (.doc) — Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn)
• Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)

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