Preparatory student: study before a bachelor's programme

A preparatory student (预科生) is an international student in the non-degree education category at a Chinese higher education institution. Article 9 of the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42, issued by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security) lists the category. Degree categories are listed separately, as described on Universities and degrees.

Definition

Article 9 of Order No. 42 reads, in this site's English translation of the Chinese text: higher education institutions that recruit international students admit them to degree education in the categories of junior-college students, undergraduate students, master's students and doctoral students; they admit them to non-degree education in the categories of preparatory students (预科生), advanced-study students (进修生) and research scholars.

The category is therefore one of three non-degree categories in Article 9. It is distinct from the four degree categories named in the same article.

What the official text says

Order No. 42, Article 9. The article names preparatory students, advanced-study students and research scholars as the non-degree categories. The English on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

Order No. 42, Article 18. The article states that the common language and script of the People's Republic of China is the basic teaching language for higher education institutions that train international students. For international students whose command of the common language and script falls short of study requirements, the institution may provide necessary remedial conditions. Article 18 does not use the term preparatory student.

Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), section 3, "Preparatory education" (教外〔2018〕50号). The standards are addressed to higher education institutions. Section 3 states the following:

• Higher education institutions shall attach importance to the role of preparatory education in improving the quality and expanding the size of undergraduate student sources, and shall actively carry out preparatory education for international students in China.
• Higher education institutions may set up preparatory education programmes and admit international students who meet appropriate standards.
• Preparatory programmes teach Chinese language and basic subject knowledge, so that students reach undergraduate admission standards and adapt to study and life in China.
• Preparatory programmes of higher education institutions shall meet the requirements of the corresponding education and teaching standards and norms.

Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, section II(II), "Duration" (China Scholarship Council, Campus China). This statement applies to that scholarship only. The guide states that the Chinese Government Scholarship covers both major study and Chinese language (preparatory) study, and that the language courses last one year. Section II(I) lists the categories the scholarship sponsors as undergraduates, postgraduates, general scholars and senior scholars. Section II(I) does not list preparatory students among these categories.

Related terms

• Degree education (学历教育), Order No. 42, Article 9
• Undergraduate student (本科生), Order No. 42, Article 9, see Universities and degrees
• Advanced-study student (进修生), Order No. 42, Article 9
• Research scholar (研究学者), Order No. 42, Article 9
• Remedial Chinese study, Order No. 42, Article 18
• Chinese language proficiency, see Tests and verification
• Chinese Government Scholarship, see Scholarships
• Admission documents, see Admission and documents

Sources

• Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), Ministry of Education of the PRC
• Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), Ministry of Education of the PRC
• Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China)

Checked 11 October 2026.

This entry is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, and is not published by the bodies named. If the official text differs from this entry, the official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail.