Language requirements to study in China as an international student

Quick summary — what institutions typically require

• For English-taught programs: internationally recognized English test scores (IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo, PTE Academic). Graduate applicants may present GRE scores where applicable.
• For Chinese-taught programs: HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) certificates are the standard; HSKK may be requested for oral proficiency.
• Exemptions are possible if the applicant’s prior education was fully in the language of instruction, but official proof from the previous institution is normally required.
• Conditional admissions and language preparatory years are commonly used when a candidate’s certificate falls below the program requirement.

Accepted language certificates and typical thresholds

English-taught programs — accepted certificates and common minima

• IELTS (commonly IELTS 6.0+ for undergraduate programs; 6.5+ for many master’s)
• TOEFL (institution-specific scores; many accept iBT results)
• Duolingo English Test (accepted increasingly as a flexible remote option)
• PTE Academic
• GRE (mainly requested for specific graduate programs; not a substitute for English proficiency in all cases)

Note: Some universities publish specific score minima by program. For recruitment teams, the practical rule is to treat IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL equivalent as the baseline for many undergraduate English programs and IELTS 6.5+ for postgraduate programs, with competitive and specialised programs often expecting higher scores.

Chinese-taught programs — HSK levels and program alignment

• Undergraduate (Chinese-taught): HSK Level 4 or above is commonly requested. Many STEM programs may accept HSK 4, while humanities and medical programs often require HSK 5 or higher.
• Postgraduate (Chinese-taught): HSK Level 5 or 6 is typical; top-tier institutions or liberal-arts/medicine programs may require HSK 6.
• Oral proficiency: When oral fluency is essential (teaching, language studies, interviews), HSKK scores may be required in addition to HSK.
• Conditional admissions: Universities may offer foundation years or language-preparatory terms when candidates do not yet meet the required HSK level.

Other language certificates — when they help

Certificates such as DELF/DALF (French), TestDaF (German), TOPIK (Korean), JLPT (Japanese), CELI/CILS (Italian), and DELE (Spanish) are not generally required for study in China. However, they are useful as supplementary evidence for applicants applying to language-related programs or demonstrating multilingual capability to scholarship panels.

Documentation and verification — what admissions teams must request

Key documents to collect

• Official test score reports (IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo/PTE/GRE; HSK/HSKK)
• A letter or official transcript confirming the language of previous instruction (for exemptions)
• Valid test dates — ensure certificates are current (many universities require tests taken within the last 2 years)
• Translations or notarized copies where applicable

Verification best practices

• Verify digital test reports through official portals where possible.
• For paper HSK certificates, confirm authenticity against university or HSK registry systems.
• Require an institutional letter when applicants claim exemption due to prior English- or Chinese-medium education.
• Track expiry windows for language tests and flag applicants whose reports will expire before program start.

Conditional admission and preparatory programs — practical options

When conditional admission is appropriate

• One-year Chinese language foundation course (students must reach the required HSK level before starting the degree)
• Intensive summer or semester modules combined with monitored progress reporting
• Conditional offers tied to passing specific sections (e.g., HSK reading/writing minimum scores)

Managing conditional pathways

Recruiters and admissions teams should:

• Clearly communicate conditions in offer letters.
• Provide an enrolment plan and timeline for language testing.
• Offer or recommend verified HSK preparation providers and practice exams.
• Monitor performance and coordinate transcript submission once the HSK requirement is met.

Actionable checklist for recruiters and university admissions teams

Pre-application screening (at inquiry stage)

• Ask candidates: “Was your primary education delivered in English or Chinese?” Request a confirmation letter if answered “yes.”
• Request preliminary test scores or registration evidence for a forthcoming test.
• Use a standard intake form that captures test type, test date, and score to feed your CRM.

Application evaluation (document stage)

• Confirm test validity and expiry.
• Verify HSK or HSKK authenticity for Chinese-medium applicants.
• Compare scores against program-specific minima (flag higher thresholds for top universities).
• Assess readiness for conditional pathways if scores are borderline.

Offer and post-offer follow-up

• Produce a clear conditions checklist in the offer letter with deadlines and acceptable test versions.
• Link applicants to HSK preparation resources and official test dates.
• Use automated reminders and document submission portals to collect updated scores and certificates.

On-site and pre-arrival checks

• Confirm final certificates before visa and arrival processes begin.
• Provide bridging language support and orientation materials for students arriving with conditional admission status.

How Study in China helps you convert and retain international applicants

Integrated international recruitment solutions

Study in China provides tailored international recruitment campaigns that account for language requirements at every stage. Key services include:

• Targeted marketing for English-taught and Chinese-taught program audiences.
• Candidate pre-screening tools to filter applicants by language readiness.
• Localised admissions support to reduce drop-off among conditional admits.

Admissions automation to reduce manual overhead

Our admissions automation tools let you:

• Auto-verify standard test scores using secure integrations.
• Automatically generate conditional offer templates with tracked deadlines.
• Trigger workflows for document follow-up and pre-arrival language provision.

HSK and language-prep partnerships

We partner with certified HSK preparatory providers and language schools to:

• Offer pathway programs that align directly with university language requirements.
• Provide co-branded preparatory modules to applicants with conditional offers.
• Track language progress and integrate outcome certificates into admissions records.

Practical examples and scenarios

Scenario 1 — English-taught master’s applicant with no English test

Problem: Applicant has strong academic profile but no IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo score.

Recommended recruitment workflow:

1. Advise immediate registration for an accepted English test and provide test-date options.
2. Offer a conditional admission option where allowed, tied to submitting a minimum accepted score by a specified date.
3. Use Study in China’s admissions automation to set reminders and capture the test report upon release.

Scenario 2 — Undergraduate applicant for a Chinese-taught engineering program with HSK 3

Problem: Candidate currently holds HSK Level 3; program requires HSK 4-5.

Recommended workflow:

1. Offer a language foundation year if the university accepts conditional entry.
2. Connect the applicant to our HSK preparation partner for an intensive HSK 4 accelerated course.
3. Track HSK exam scheduling and enrollment using our preparatory program portal to ensure timely progression.

Frequently encountered issues and solutions

Issue: Applicants submit expired or unofficial certificates

Solution:

• Implement a verification step at submission and reject expired tests or unofficial scans.
• Provide a clear list of accepted test providers and secure submission methods.

Issue: Program requires specific HSK section minima

Solution:

• Record section-level minima (reading, writing, speaking) in program requirement fields within your CRM.
• Flag applicants who meet overall HSK but lack section minima and route them to oral or writing supplements (HSKK practice, writing samples).

Issue: Students unable to travel to a test center

Solution:

• Recommend Duolingo or online test options where accepted.
• For HSK, provide a list of upcoming test dates and test centers; where permitted, partner with local test centers to support onsite testing.

Recommendations for building a language-compliant recruitment pipeline

• Standardise language requirement fields across your application forms and CRM.
• Train recruitment counselors to explain differences between English-taught and Chinese-taught pathways and to present conditional-admission options clearly.
• Build partnerships with HSK and English-test preparation providers so you can present bundled offers to applicants.
• Deploy automation to manage deadlines for conditional admits, document verification, and reminders.
• Track conversion rates from inquiry → conditional offer → full enrolment to identify bottlenecks related to language readiness.

Take the Next Step with Study in China

Language requirements to study in China as an international student are straightforward when matched to the program’s language of instruction — English-taught programs require recognized English tests, Chinese-taught programs rely on HSK/HSKK certification, and conditional pathways are widely used to bridge gaps. For recruiters and admissions teams, the priority is verification, clear communications, and an automated follow-up process that converts conditional admits into enrolled students.

Explore our resources to streamline your recruitment process: