Degree Law: the national law on awarding bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees
Unofficial entry · Sources checked
The Degree Law of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国学位法) is the national law on awarding bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in mainland China. It was adopted by the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress on 26 April 2024. This definition follows the text of the Law as published by the Ministry of Education of the PRC.
See also Universities and degrees on this site.
Definition
Under Article 2, the state operates a degree system. Degrees are bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. They include academic degrees and professional degrees, and they are awarded by discipline category, professional degree category and similar classifications.
What the official text says
The English wording below is this site's translation of the Chinese text. Quoted Chinese terms are printed in the official text.
- Adoption. The Law was adopted on 26 April 2024 at the ninth session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (2024年4月26日第十四届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第九次会议通过).
- Article 45: entry into force and repeal. The Law took effect on 1 January 2025. At the same time, the Regulations on Academic Degrees (中华人民共和国学位条例) were repealed.
- Article 5: degree-awarding units and points. A higher education institution or scientific research institution that has been approved to hold the qualification to award a corresponding discipline or professional degree is a degree-awarding unit. The disciplines or professional fields it is approved to award are its degree-awarding points. A degree-awarding unit may award the corresponding degrees under this Law.
- Article 6: State Council Academic Degrees Committee. The State Council sets up the Academic Degrees Committee (国务院学位委员会), which leads national degree work. Its chairperson, vice-chairpersons and members are appointed and removed by the State Council, and each term is five years. An expert group under the Committee handles degree review and evaluation, quality supervision and research consultation.
- Article 9: degree evaluation committee. Each degree-awarding unit sets up a degree evaluation committee (学位评定委员会). It has six functions: 1. reviewing the implementing measures and specific standards for the unit's degree awards; 2. reviewing the addition or cancellation of degree-awarding points; 3. making resolutions to award, not award, or revoke the corresponding degree; 4. researching and handling degree-award disputes; 5. accepting complaints or reports related to degrees; 6. reviewing other degree-related matters.
The committee may set up subcommittees and may delegate corresponding functions to them. - Article 14: who approves degree-awarding qualifications. The table below follows Article 14. Under Article 14, the review of qualifications shall organize expert evaluation.
| Level | Review or decision by | Approval or filing |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | Provincial-level degree committee approves the qualification | Filed for the record with the State Council Academic Degrees Committee |
| Master's | Provincial-level degree committee organizes the review | Reported to the State Council Academic Degrees Committee for approval |
| Doctoral | Education administrative department of the State Council organizes the review | Reported to the State Council Academic Degrees Committee for approval |
- Article 22: specific standards. A degree-awarding unit shall formulate and publish specific award standards for each discipline and professional field. It shall do so under the conditions in Articles 18 to 21 and its own academic evaluation standards, and it shall hear the views of relevant parties.
- Article 40: academic review. A degree applicant who disagrees with an academic evaluation conclusion reached by an academic body or person during expert review, defence, or achievement recognition may apply to the degree-awarding unit for academic review. The unit shall re-organize experts to review the matter within 30 days from accepting the application, and it shall issue a review decision. The review decision is the final decision. The unit formulates the method of academic review.
- Article 41: review of decisions. A degree applicant or degree holder who disagrees with a decision not to accept a degree application, not to award a degree, or to revoke a degree may apply to the degree-awarding unit for review, or may ask the relevant authority to handle the matter under the law. When the applicant applies for review, the unit shall carry out the review and issue a decision within 30 days from accepting the application.
- Article 44: foreign individuals. A degree-awarding unit may award the corresponding degree to a foreign individual who applies for a degree, under the academic requirements, academic or professional standards and procedures set by this Law. Where a degree-awarding unit awards degrees abroad, the relevant provisions of this Law apply. A foreign educational institution that awards degrees in China shall comply with Chinese laws and regulations. Recognition of degree certificates issued by foreign educational institutions shall be handled strictly under national regulations.
The press Q&A issued with the Law adds two points.
- Q5 of the Q&A. The answer says the Law sets basic requirements for degree awards, including that applicants must reach the corresponding academic, academic-ability or professional-ability standards. It sets award conditions separately for the three levels and for the two types, with academic degrees emphasising academic research ability and professional degrees emphasising professional practice ability.
- Q8 of the Q&A. The answer says that where a degree-awarding unit intends to decide not to award, or to revoke, a degree, the unit shall inform the applicant of the content of the decision together with the facts, reasons and basis, and shall hear the applicant's statements and defence. The answer also refers to academic review under Article 40 and to review under Article 41.
Related terms
- Degree-awarding unit (学位授予单位)
- Degree-awarding point (学位授予点)
- State Council Academic Degrees Committee (国务院学位委员会)
- Degree evaluation committee (学位评定委员会)
- Academic review (学术复核)
- Degree review (学位复核)
- Regulations on Academic Degrees (中华人民共和国学位条例)
Sources
- Degree Law of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国学位法) — Ministry of Education of the PRC
- Press Q&A on the Degree Law by the Office of the State Council Academic Degrees Committee and the Ministry of Education's Department of Policies and Regulations, 26 April 2024 — Ministry of Education of the PRC
Checked 11 October 2026.
This entry is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, it is not published by the bodies named, and the official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail if they differ.