Glossary of Chinese admission terms: 招生简章, 进修生, 预科生

The Chinese words on an admissions page are defined in specific official provisions. The table below lists each term with its Chinese characters, this site's English rendering, and the article or section that uses it. The English renderings are this site's own translation of the Chinese official texts quoted: the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), the Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), and the Ministry of Education reply of 15 February 2008.

Admissions brochure (招生简章)

Higher education institutions formulate and publish their own international-student admissions brochure in line with the state's admission rules, and recruit international students under the conditions and procedures set out in that admissions brochure (Order No. 42, Article 11).

Degree and non-degree study categories

Higher education institutions that recruit international students accept academic-degree education in these four categories: junior-college (associate-level) student; undergraduate student; master's degree student; and doctoral degree student (Order No. 42, Article 9).

These institutions accept non-degree education in these three categories: preparatory student; advanced student; and research scholar (Order No. 42, Article 9).

Certificates

Higher education institutions issue an academic-degree certificate or another certificate of study to international students under relevant state provisions (Order No. 42, Article 21).

For international students receiving higher academic-degree education, the institution shall promptly complete electronic registration of student status and the graduation certificate (Order No. 42, Article 21).

Institutions issue a degree certificate to international students who meet the conditions for degree conferral (Order No. 42, Article 21).

Short-term and long-term study

In these Measures, short-term study means study at a school in China for no more than 180 days (inclusive), and long-term study means study at a school in China for more than 180 days (Order No. 42, Article 45).

Preparatory education (预科教育)

Higher education institutions shall attach importance to the role of preparatory education in raising the quality of undergraduate cohorts and expanding enrolment scale, and shall actively carry out preparatory education for international students in China (Quality Standards, section 3).

Institutions may open preparatory education programmes, recruit international students in China who meet appropriate standards, and provide instruction in Chinese and basic subject knowledge so that those students reach the undergraduate entry standard and adapt to studying and living in China (Quality Standards, section 3). The section states that students must meet "appropriate standards" but sets no specific standard of its own (Quality Standards, section 3).

The preparatory education programmes for international students in China at higher education institutions shall meet the requirements of the corresponding educational and teaching standards and norms (Quality Standards, section 3).

Visa forms JW201 and JW202

Form JW201 (Visa Application Form for Foreign Students to Study in China) is used for students funded by the Chinese Government Scholarship or for those coming to study in China through inter-governmental exchange channels; the Secretariat of the China Scholarship Council requests the relevant higher education institutions to handle the relevant formalities (Ministry of Education reply of 15 February 2008).

Form JW202 is used for self-funded students coming to study in China; each higher education institution handles it for the international students it has admitted (Ministry of Education reply of 15 February 2008).

Both Form JW201 and Form JW202 are important documents that international students coming to study in China use to apply for a study visa, enter the country, report for enrolment, and complete residence formalities (Ministry of Education reply of 15 February 2008).

All institutions that recruit international students may provide Form JW202 (Ministry of Education reply of 15 February 2008).

A private university may apply to its local provincial education administrative department; after approval it may recruit international students and, as needed, obtain Form JW202 (Ministry of Education reply of 15 February 2008).

Questions people ask

Which form does a self-funded student use?

Form JW202 is for self-funded students coming to study in China, and the institution handles it for the students it has admitted (Ministry of Education reply of 15 February 2008).

Is preparatory education required before undergraduate admission?

Quality Standards, section 3 states no requirement that a student must complete preparatory education before undergraduate admission; it says institutions may open preparatory programmes and that students in them reach the undergraduate entry standard.

Sources

• 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) — Ministry of Education of the PRC
• Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号 — Ministry of Education of the PRC
• Ministry of Education reply of 15 February 2008 on the difference between forms JW201 and JW202 — Ministry of Education

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 is not legal advice. If it differs from the official text or the current notice of the university or authority handling your case, the official text and that notice prevail.