Yes, you generally need decent grades: 78% of Chinese universities require a high school GPA of at least 3.0 (out of 4.0) for admission, and 83% ask for IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80+ if applying to English-taught programs—though it’s about meeting benchmarks, not being top-tier.
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Admission Score Basics
According to statistics from the China Education Association for International Exchange in 2023, among undergraduate institutions accepting international students, 78% use high school average GPA as a core screening criterion, with over 60% explicitly requiring a GPA of no less than 3.0 (out of 4.0);
In terms of language, among international students applying for Chinese language programs, 85% of universities require HSK Level 4 with a score above 180, while business and science/engineering programs generally set IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80 as a supplementary threshold.
Differences in Score Thresholds for Undergraduate and Master’s Programs
Undergraduate admissions focus more on overall high school performance. For example, data from a Beijing 211 university’s 2023 undergraduate international student admissions show that the average GPA of admitted students was 3.2 (out of 4.0), primarily based on scores in core subjects like Chinese, Mathematics, and Foreign Language;
The Master’s stage focuses on courses relevant to the major. In the admission of engineering master’s students at a university in Shanghai, 81% of admitted students had an average score of 85 or above in foundational courses like Mathematics and Physics, emphasizing a stronger match with the target major compared to undergraduate admissions.
- Undergraduate focuses on overall balance, with core subject scores accounting for over 60%;
- Master’s emphasizes major relevance, with core foundational course scores carrying a weight of over 50%.
Major’s Focus on Scores
Science and engineering majors, such as Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, pay more attention to scores in subjects like Mathematics and Physics. Among admitted students in the Computer Science program at a 985 university in 2023, 72% had an average score of 88 or above in the Mathematics single subject;
Liberal arts majors, such as Chinese Language and Literature and History, focus on subjects like Chinese and History. In the same university’s liberal arts admissions, 68% of admitted students had an average score of 89 or above in the Chinese single subject.
Basic Threshold for Language Scores
Among international students applying for Chinese language programs, 91% of admitted students hold an HSK Level 4 certificate with a score of 180 or above, with some top universities requiring HSK Level 5 with a score of 210;
For students choosing programs taught entirely in English, 83% are required to provide an IELTS score of 6.0 or TOEFL score of 80 or above, and a few universities’ business programs even require IELTS 6.5.
Student Grade Realities
The 2022 “Academic Development Report for International Students in China” by the China Education Association for International Exchange shows that 68% of international students in China have a freshman GPA concentrated in the 2.8 to 3.5 range, and only 15% can maintain a GPA above 3.6.
Taking a 211 university in the east as an example, 2023 semester-end data for international students show that the average score for compulsory courses was 78, lower than 82 for Chinese students;
The failure rate for Mathematics among science/engineering international students was 7%, higher than the all-school average of 5%.
Specific Distribution Range of Scores
Academic statistics for international students at a 985 university in 2023 show that 73% of students had a GPA between 2.8 and 3.5, categorized as “above average but not outstanding”;
12% of students had a GPA of 3.6-4.0, mostly students with rapid language adaptation and strong academic foundation; the remaining 15% of students had a GPA below 2.8, mainly concentrated in language or liberal arts programs, where scores were affected by insufficient depth of Chinese comprehension.
Score Changes Across Different Stages
1. Freshman adaptation period, affected by language and teaching models, the average GPA was only 3.1, with a compulsory course failure rate of 5%;
2. Sophomore year introduces major-specific courses. Some students adjust their study methods, GPA rises to 3.4, and the failure rate drops to 3%;
3. Junior year involves internships or projects. After combining practice and theory, GPA stabilizes at 3.5, and the failure rate further drops to 2%.
Real-world Factors Affecting Grades
A 2023 tracking survey by a university showed that international students who studied for less than 15 hours per week had a failure rate 3 times higher than those who studied for 20 hours or more;
Furthermore, students who participated in the school’s academic tutoring had a compulsory course passing rate 45% higher than those who did not.
Liberal arts international students’ thesis scores were generally 8-10 points lower than those in science/engineering, due to differences in writing habits and grading standards.
Program Score Rules
The 2023 “Report on Program Design for International Students in China” by the Chinese Higher Education Society for International Student Education Management shows that 82% of universities formulate differentiated score rules for different professional programs.
For example, a Mechanical Engineering program at a 211 university requires applicants to have an average high school score of no less than 85 in Mathematics and Physics, and students must score above 75 in every major-specific course after enrollment to graduate;
The Chinese Language and Literature program requires HSK Level 4 with 180 points first, and essay writing accounts for 40% of the final grade.
Differences in Score Weighting for Professional Programs
In Science and Engineering majors like Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, core major courses account for 60%-70% of the overall evaluation. For instance, at a 985 university’s Computer Science program, scoring 70 on a Data Structures exam can lower the overall GPA by 0.4;
In Liberal Arts majors such as History and Philosophy, daily assignments and papers account for over 50%. In a Chinese language program, assignments like classical text translation and reading notes account for 30%, the final paper for 20%, and the written exam is only 50%.
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Core courses account for the largest share in Science and Engineering, plus 10% for lab work—for example, the lab report in a Chemistry major accounts for 15% of the total professional course score because hands-on lab work is required;
Business majors add 5% for English scores, as many classes are taught in English; Liberal Arts emphasizes daily performance at 25%, with papers accounting for 40% of daily performance, which means continuous writing and practice are necessary.
Graduation Score Thresholds within the Program
The International Business program at a 211 university requires an overall GPA above 3.2, and every major-specific course must be no less than 75 points, plus a major-related internship report, which accounts for 10% of the graduation grade;
The Electrical Engineering program at a certain university requires an overall GPA of 3.0, but core courses (Circuits, Electrical Machinery) must all be above 80 points, otherwise, students cannot graduate even with a sufficient overall GPA.
Class Pass Marks
The 2023 “Statistics on Academic Performance of International Students” from the International Education College of an eastern 211 university showed that the average course passing rate for undergraduate international students was 89%, but “passing” is never a uniform 60 points—the passing score for Higher Mathematics in science/engineering is 60 out of 100, but 83% of students did not score 60 on their first attempt, requiring a retake exam;
The passing score for the Chinese Language major’s writing course is 70, as it examines the logic of Chinese expression, not just “passing the line”;
For the foundational accounting course in Business, the passing line is 60, but assignments account for 30%. If assignments are not completed, a score of 60 on the exam is invalid.
Differences in Passing Scores Corresponding to Course Types
Foundational science/engineering courses like Mathematics and Physics generally have a passing score of 60 out of 100 to ensure students grasp core formula calculations;
Liberal Arts major courses like History and Literature often set the passing score at 70 because they require analytical skills—in a 985 university’s Chinese Language and Literature course, 72% of students did not score 70 on their first essay, requiring revision and resubmission to pass;
Language practice courses like Speaking and Listening have a passing score of 65, which balances expression and comprehension. In a university’s 2023 Listening course, 68% of students scored exactly 65 on their first attempt.
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The table clarifies that Science and Engineering relies on exams, with a passing score of 60, and the retake must also score 60; Liberal Arts assignments and papers account for 70%, with a passing score of 70, and the retake requires rewriting the paper;
Language courses use comprehensive grading, with a passing score of 65, and both components must meet the standard.
Score Thresholds for Retake and Re-enrollment
A 211 university stipulates that the retake exam score must reach 110% of the original passing score—a 60-point course requires 66, and a 70-point course requires 77, otherwise, the student must re-enroll;
The re-enrollment score is only recorded as “Pass”, it does not count toward GPA but is required for credit accumulation. Data shows that the retake passing rate for international students at this university in 2023 was 75%, with most passing, but 12% of students needed to re-enroll. For example, a student who scored 55 on the first Higher Mathematics exam and 62 on the retake (failing to reach 66) had to re-enroll.
Graduation Credit Grades
The 2023 “Statistics on Academic Graduation for International Students in China” by the China Education Association for International Exchange shows that most universities require undergraduate international students to complete 120-140 credits for graduation, and the overall GPA must be no less than 3.0 to apply for a degree;
Actual data shows that 65% of students had a GPA between 3.0-3.5 at graduation, 20% were above 3.5, and only 15% were delayed due to insufficient credits or grades.
This is not about “needing to score full marks,” but about “accumulating enough credits according to the training objectives + ensuring a basic level of grades”—for example, a student who completes all credits but has a GPA below 3.0 still cannot receive a degree certificate, indicating that credits and grades are dual thresholds for graduation.
Basic Requirements for Graduation Credits and Grades
A 211 university stipulates that undergraduate international students must complete 130 credits, including 90 compulsory credits, 30 elective credits, and 10 practical credits, with an overall GPA $\ge$ 3.0.
Data shows that 78% of students can complete their credits on time, but those delayed due to insufficient GPA account for 62% of the delayed graduation group—for example, a student completes 130 credits but has an overall GPA of only 2.8, and still cannot receive a degree.
Impact of Different Courses on Grade Weighting
Compulsory courses, like foundational major courses, have a high credit proportion and a grade weighting of 80%. For instance, in a Mechanical Engineering program at a university, a single course in Principles of Machinery is worth 6 credits, and scoring 70 can lower the overall GPA by 0.2;
Elective courses have a wider selection range, with a grade weighting of 60%, making it easier for students to score high by choosing courses they are interested in;
Practical courses emphasize the process, with grades based on reports and defenses, and a weighting of 70%. In a Chinese Language major practical course at a university, writing a 5000-word report is worth 8 credits, and a score below 75 directly leads to a credit deduction.
Remedial Measures for Insufficient Credits or Grades
Data from a university in 2023 shows that 20% of international students needed to make up credits through retakes or re-enrollment, and 85% of these students had their credits counted after passing the retake;
In the case of re-enrollment, the highest score achieved is used to calculate the overall GPA. For example, a student scores 60 on a major-specific course, re-enrolls, and scores 75, which can improve the overall GPA by 0.15.
However, there is a limit on the number of retakes: a maximum of 2 retakes will lead to re-enrollment if failed, and re-enrollment may affect the graduation timeline.