Documents for Applying to Chinese Universities
You apply online on each university's own system and upload scans of your papers. Bachelor's applicants also need a score from the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA), a school-subject test. Here is what to prepare.
Most universities ask for the same main papers.
Educational Documents
Diploma or degree certificate and transcripts.
Language and Test Scores
HSK for Chinese-taught programmes, IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught ones, and CSCA for bachelor's.
Personal Documents
Passport page, personal statement and recommendation letters.
Fee
An application fee of CNY 800 (Chinese yuan) at Tsinghua, PKU, ZJU and SJTU.
Each university sets its own list. Tsinghua, PKU, ZJU and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) are examples.
- ZJU: your senior high school diploma. If you have not finished yet, a certificate that says you are about to finish.
- Bring the diploma when you register at the university at the latest.
- Transcripts for all courses in senior high school.
- ZJU suggests adding your rank in class.
- Your degree certificate, or a letter from your university with your expected graduation date.
- Tsinghua and PKU: degrees from outside China need a CSCSE report.
- Original or notarised copies, in Chinese or English.
- Tsinghua: if your transcript does not show your total grade point average (GPA), add a letter from your university that gives it.
Degree check for master's students
These show who you are and why you want this programme.
- ZJU bachelor's: about 800 words.
- ZJU master's: at least 1,500 words, in Chinese or English.
- PKU: 1,500 words for master's, 3,000 words for a PhD, with a research plan.
- Bachelor's (ZJU): from high school teachers.
- Master's: from professors or associate professors in your field.
- ZJU: your passport must be valid after 1 March 2027.
- SJTU: if your passport has less than 12 months left when you register, renew it first.
- From the 2026/2027 year, ZJU asks every international bachelor's applicant for a valid CSCA report.
- Tests run five times a year: January, March, April, June and December.
Essays
- Say why you chose this programme and what you plan to study.
- Keep to the length your university asks for.
Recommendations
- Ask early. Tsinghua sends the people who write your letters an online link.
- The people who write your letters must add their signature, phone number and email (ZJU).
What you pay when you apply, and money papers for the visa.
- CNY 800 at Tsinghua, PKU, ZJU and SJTU.
- It is not refunded, even if you are not admitted.
- Chinese Government Scholarship applicants also need a physical examination form and a non-criminal record certificate. The certificate is a police paper that shows you have no criminal record. Each must be issued no more than 6 months before you apply.
- Show a scholarship letter, or proof of US dollars (USD) 2,500 for each year of study.
Average Cost Overview for China
PKU master's and PhD applications for 2027
26 October to 25 December 2026
Tsinghua graduate applications for 2027
Generally September 2026 to February 2027
Application fee
When you submit your online application
How papers must look when you upload them.
Language of papers
- Only Chinese or English papers are read.
- Other languages need a notarised translation in Chinese or English.
- Scan originals or notarised copies in colour.
- No phone photos and no scans of photocopies (Tsinghua, PKU).
- Degrees from outside China: the CSCSE check.
- Degrees from mainland China: Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD).
Document Verification Timeline
Get your papers ready
Before you apply
Diploma or degree, transcripts, test scores and passport.
Upload and pay
While you apply
Upload colour scans and pay the application fee online.
Finish your degree check
After you are admitted
Degrees from outside China need the CSCSE report. At SJTU it is due before online registration.
•Uploading phone photos instead of colour scans.
•Leaving out a paper. Tsinghua will not process an application with missing papers.
•Forgetting the CSCSE degree check for a degree from outside China.
Tick off each paper as you get it ready.
Bachelor's applicants
Master's applicants
For the visa later
Tips
Scan originals or notarised copies (copies stamped as true by a notary, a legal officer) in colour with a scanner. Phone photos and scans of photocopies are not accepted at Tsinghua University (Tsinghua) or Peking University (PKU).
Complete Guide to China
Explore all aspects of studying in China with our comprehensive guides
Admissions - Detailed Guides
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Get personalized guidance for studying in China with our expert consultants
Get Free ConsultationNeed Help with Your Documents?
We help you check your transcripts, personal statement and recommendation letters before you upload them.
Document Help