English taught masters in China: the language certificate question

No English score is set in the official texts quoted here. Section 1.2 of the Quality Standards requires each university to state the foreign-language ability it requires, and item 5 of section VI of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship names IELTS and TOEFL only as examples of certificates, with the requirement set by each university. The figure you need therefore comes from the admissions brochure of the university you apply to.

Everything taken from the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship in this article is a condition of that scholarship. It is not a general admission rule for self-funded students.

The Quality Standards and Order No. 42 are published in Chinese. The English quotations below are this site's translation of those Chinese texts.

What the Quality Standards require

The Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) address higher education institutions. Section 1.2 has two sentences on language:

• The first sentence concerns disciplines and majors taught in Chinese. It is not about English-taught programs.
• The second sentence says: for disciplines and majors taught in a foreign language, the higher education institution shall clearly specify the foreign-language ability required in its admission standards for international students.

Section 1.2 names no test and gives no score. The requirement sits with the university, which must state it.

What the scholarship guide says

The scholarship guide has two provisions that touch on English-taught programs.

Section VI, item 5 says that applicants for programs taught in other languages are required to provide relevant language proficiency certificates, such as IELTS or TOEFL score reports, in accordance with the requirements of each university. Item 5 gives no score for IELTS or TOEFL.

Section IV, item 11 says that an applicant for a program taught in a language other than Chinese must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others.

Read together with item 5, the scholarship route also leaves the required score to the university. Neither item sets a number.

Thesis language under Article 19

Article 19 of Order No. 42 covers the thesis and the defence. It says three things, each in a separate provision:

1. A university that meets the conditions may offer professional courses taught in a foreign language to international students.
2. For international students receiving higher education in a foreign language, the thesis may be written in the corresponding foreign language.
3. The thesis abstract shall be in Chinese.

Article 19 also says that whether the thesis defence uses a foreign language is decided by the school.

Article 19 names no English test and no score.

A suggestion, not a rule

Before you prepare any certificate, find the language section of the admissions brochure of each university you are considering. Section 1.2 and item 5 each place the requirement with the university, so the brochure is the place to check the test name and the minimum score. If you plan to write your thesis in English, ask the school whether the defence is in English, because Article 19 leaves that decision to the school.

Sources

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

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the Ministry of Education, the China Scholarship Council or any university, and it is not legal advice. If the official text and the current notice of the university or authority handling your case differ, the official text and that notice prevail.