Study in China Wiki
Contents

Language

Teaching language: Chinese as the basic language and foreign-language programmes

Unofficial entry · Sources checked

Language of instruction is the language a Chinese higher education institution uses to teach international students. Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security sets the rules on this language. For the degrees and institutions involved, see Universities and degrees.

Definition

The standard spoken and written Chinese language of the People's Republic of China is the basic teaching language for educating international students (Article 18, Order No. 42).

A higher education institution that meets the conditions may open specialised courses taught in a foreign language for international students (Article 19, Order No. 42).

What the official text says

The English wording in this entry is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

Order No. 42 (Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students, Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security):

  • Article 16: International students shall take part in course study according to the university's curriculum arrangements and teaching plan, and shall take the corresponding graduation examination or assessment as required. The school shall truthfully record their academic results and daily performance. Chinese language and China overview shall be compulsory courses for higher degree education; political theory shall be a compulsory course for international students studying philosophy or political science. Article 16 names no proficiency level for the compulsory Chinese course.
  • Article 18: The standard spoken and written Chinese language of the People's Republic of China is the basic teaching language for higher education institutions to educate international students. For international students whose level of the standard spoken and written Chinese does not meet the study requirements, the school may provide necessary remedial conditions.
  • Article 19: A higher education institution that meets the conditions may open specialised courses taught in a foreign language for international students. International students receiving higher degree education in a foreign language may write their degree thesis in the corresponding foreign language; the thesis abstract shall be in Chinese. Whether the thesis defence uses a foreign language is determined by the school.

Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号:

  • Section 1.2 (language ability requirement at entry): In the admission standards for international students, the Chinese ability requirement for subjects and programmes where Chinese is the language of instruction shall be at least level 4 of the International Chinese Proficiency Standards. For subjects and programmes where a foreign language is the language of instruction, the university shall clearly specify the required foreign language ability in its admission standards for international students.
  • Part 1 (language ability at graduation): In subjects and programmes where Chinese is the language of instruction for the specialty, international students shall be able to use Chinese to complete the study and research tasks of the subject or programme and shall have the ability to use Chinese in work related to the specialty; at graduation their Chinese ability shall reach level 5 of the International Chinese Proficiency Standards. In subjects and programmes where a foreign language is the language of instruction for the specialty, international students shall be able to use the corresponding foreign language to complete the study and research tasks and shall have the ability to use that language in work related to the specialty; at graduation, undergraduates' Chinese ability shall be at least level 4 of the International Chinese Proficiency Standards, and master's and doctoral students' Chinese ability shall be at least level 3.
  • Section 6.2 (Chinese and China overview courses): The programme of study for international students shall include a Chinese ability level requirement and a compulsory requirement for China overview courses; it shall not set national defence education components or military courses (including military theory teaching and military skills training). The university shall arrange sufficient and suitable Chinese courses and China overview courses to meet international students' course needs.

Questions

Are there programmes taught in a foreign language in China?

A higher education institution that meets the conditions may open specialised courses taught in a foreign language for international students (Article 19, Order No. 42).

What Chinese ability is required to enter a Chinese-taught programme?

In admission standards, the Chinese ability requirement for subjects and programmes where Chinese is the language of instruction shall be at least level 4 of the International Chinese Proficiency Standards (section 1.2, Quality Standards). For programmes taught in a foreign language, the required foreign language ability is set by each university in its admission standards.

Related terms

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This entry is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, and is not published by the bodies named; the official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail if they differ.

Back to the index

Ask the wiki