A guide to the Chinese (PRC) education system — from primary school through university — and how your Chinese credentials compare to US standards for immigration, university admissions, and employment.
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Apply Now →The People's Republic of China operates a highly standardized national education system governed by the Ministry of Education. The Compulsory Education Law mandates nine years of education (primary and junior secondary) for all children. The system is structured into primary school, junior secondary school, senior secondary school, and higher education. Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua) is the universal medium of instruction, with strong emphasis on mathematics, sciences, and national language throughout all levels.
China's education system is intensely examination-focused, culminating in the Gaokao (高考) — the National College Entrance Examination — one of the most consequential academic examinations in the world. Chinese university degrees are widely recognized internationally and are regularly evaluated for US graduate school admissions, employment-based visa petitions, and professional licensing.
Covers Chinese language, Mathematics, Science, Moral Education, Physical Education, and the Arts. No national board examination at this stage; schools conduct their own assessments. This stage is part of the 9-year compulsory education mandate.
Also part of compulsory education. Curriculum includes Chinese, Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, and Political Education. At the end of Grade 9, students sit for the Zhongkao (中考) — a city or provincial-level examination — which determines admission to senior secondary school. This is a highly competitive examination in urban areas.
Not part of compulsory education but attended by the majority of students. Schools are divided into academic (普通高中) and vocational (职业高中) tracks. Academic senior secondary students prepare intensively for the Gaokao. Core subjects include Chinese, Mathematics, English, and a choice between Humanities (History, Geography, Politics) or Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Upon completing Grade 12, students receive the Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate (高中毕业证书).
Bachelor's degrees (本科, Benke) are typically 4 years (5 years for architecture and some engineering programs; 5–8 years for medicine). Master's degrees (硕士) are 2–3 years. Doctoral degrees (博士) are 3–5 years. Chinese universities use a 100-point grading scale. University admission is determined almost exclusively by Gaokao scores, which determine both the university and program a student may attend.
The Gaokao (National College Entrance Examination) is taken at the end of Grade 12 and is the sole criterion for admission to virtually all Chinese universities. It tests Chinese language, Mathematics, and English, plus a choice between Humanities (History, Geography, Politics) or Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Scores range from 300 to 750 depending on the provincial paper. Top universities such as Peking University and Tsinghua require provincial top-percentile scores. The Gaokao is not a qualification presented for US evaluation — it is the Chinese university's entry mechanism. The credential evaluated for US purposes is the university degree itself.
Chinese university degrees can be verified through the China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC) and the China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC). Evaluation World may request official verification documentation as part of the evaluation process for Chinese credentials.
If you hold a Chinese degree or diploma and plan to study, work, or immigrate to the United States, a formal credential evaluation is required.
H-1B, EB-1A, EB2-NIW, O-1, and L-1 visa petitions require a credential evaluation. For Chinese applicants with a 3-year Dazhuan (junior college) degree seeking H-1B classification, a detailed equivalency opinion is particularly important.
US graduate programs require a course-by-course evaluation converting your Chinese grades (100-point scale) into US credit hours and a 4.0 GPA equivalent.
All Chinese academic documents must be accompanied by certified English translations. Evaluation World offers Mandarin-to-English translation services that can be combined with your evaluation order.