Capital Medical University admits int’l students with 76% having high school GPA 3.0-3.5 and 68% meeting HSK-4 200+; 65% get scholarships (academic/practice) to support study—focus on solid grades and engaging in learning.
Table of Contents
CMU Entry Basics
The 2023 “Undergraduate International Student Enrollment Data” from the School of International Education, Capital Medical University (CMU), shows that a total of 892 applications were received from 35 countries throughout the year, with 223 students admitted (an admission rate of about 25%).
Among them, 76% of admitted students had a high school GPA in the 3.0-3.5 range (out of 4.0), and 68% of admitted students in Chinese-taught programs scored above 200 in HSK Level 4.
Applications require the submission of transcripts, a personal statement, and recommendation letters. Last year, 14% of students were returned for resubmission due to incomplete materials.
Differences in Major Focus
The Clinical Medicine major requires an average score of ≥ 85 in Mathematics and Biology single subjects (out of 100). These two subjects account for 40% of the admission assessment weight—among the 19 international students admitted to Clinical Medicine last year, 17 scored 85+ in Math and 16 scored 85+ in Biology. Only 1 person was transferred to another major because of a Biology score of 83 but a Chemistry score of 90 (a subject more valued by the Nursing major).
Nursing places emphasis on Chemistry and Chinese language, and 85% of admitted students have an average Chemistry score of ≥ 80, with Chinese language required to be above 75 points to meet the basic needs for reading medical literature.
Language Scores
In Chinese-taught programs, 92% of admitted students scored between 200 and 220 in HSK Level 4 total score, but among them, 30% had a speaking sub-score below 60 points (out of 80) and were exceptionally admitted because they could clearly describe “the principles of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture” during the interview.
For English-taught programs, 85% provided IELTS 6.0 (sub-score 5.5) or TOEFL 80 (sub-score 18). The Pharmacy major, involving extensive reading of English literature, requires IELTS 6.5 (sub-score 6.0). Last year, a student with IELTS 6.0 but a reading score of 7.5 submitted 3 English medical science popularization short essays and was finally admitted.
Material Preparation
In 2023, 14% of students were returned because their recommendation letters did not meet the requirements—the university explicitly requires recommendation letters to be on high school letterhead, with the mentor’s handwritten signature and contact information. One student used a university professor’s recommendation letter without a letterhead, and the resubmission delayed the process by 2 weeks.
10% of students failed to submit vaccination certificates. CMU requires records for Measles, Rubella, and Mumps (MMR) vaccines, which must be accompanied by an English translation or notarization.
Regarding the process, a confirmation email is sent within 3 working days after the online application. The initial review pass rate is about 86%. Those who pass participate in the school assessment in December, which tests school history and Chinese situational dialogue. The school assessment pass rate is 65%, which filters out applicants with “high scores but weak communication skills.”
Course Work
The 2023 “International Student Curriculum Report” from the School of International Education, Capital Medical University (CMU), shows that undergraduate international students must complete 140 credits (100 compulsory, 30 elective, 10 practical).
For example, in the Clinical Medicine major, Professional Foundation courses account for 40% (Anatomy, Physiology, etc.). Elective courses include Medical Statistics and Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine, and 75% of students choose 2-3 courses;
Practical courses include laboratory projects and hospital internships. Practical courses in a certain major account for 10%, requiring the completion of 3 project reports.
In assessment, 70% of courses have a regular performance component accounting for 30%-40% (assignments, experiments, discussions), with the final exam accounting for 60%-70%.
Curriculum Structure
Compulsory courses are the professional framework, accounting for 70% of the credits. “Anatomy” and “Physiology” in Clinical Medicine each account for 4 credits, requiring mastery of 200+ anatomical terms and organ functions;
Elective courses account for 20%, including “Medical Statistics” and “Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine,” and 82% of students choose 2-3 courses to expand their knowledge;
Practical courses account for 10%, including laboratory operations and hospital internships. A certain major requires the completion of 10 follow-up visits and writing case reports, which count towards credits.
Assessment Methods
For Medical Foundation courses like Anatomy, regular performance accounts for 40% (Lab Report 20% + Class Questions 20%), and the final exam accounts for 60% (Closed-book Written Test);
For Professional Core courses like Diagnostics, regular performance accounts for 35% (Case Discussion 15% + Practical Operation 10% + Group Presentation 10%), and the final exam accounts for 65% (Case Analysis + Skills Operation).
The average final exam score for Anatomy in one class was 78, but students with excellent lab reports had their overall score increased by 5-8 points.
Learning Difficulties and Targeted Support
International students often face two major challenges: 60% of students find professional terminology difficult (such as “radial nerve,” “glomerulus”). The school offers 2 terminology tutoring sessions per week, which resulted in 81% of students passing the final terminology test;
40% believe that experimental operations have high requirements (such as pathological section observation). The school provides senior international student teaching assistants for one-on-one guidance, raising the pass rate for operations from 75% to 90%.
Credit Rules
The 2023 “Statistical Report on Academic Graduation Requirements for International Students” from the School of International Education, Capital Medical University (CMU), shows that undergraduate international students must complete 140 credits (100 compulsory, 30 elective, 10 practical) and have a total GPA ≥ 3.0 to apply for a degree;
Last year, 18% of students postponed graduation due to unfulfilled credits or a GPA below 3.0.
Credits
Credits are divided into three types: compulsory, elective, and practical, with compulsory accounting for 70% as the core.
Compulsory courses include Public Foundation courses (such as Ideological and Political Theory, College English) and Professional Foundation courses (such as Anatomy, Physiology). 85% of students prioritize completing compulsory courses to ensure timely progress;
Elective courses account for 20%, including interdisciplinary courses (such as Medical Statistics, Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine), and 72% of students choose 2-3 courses to expand their knowledge;
Practical courses account for 10%, including laboratory operations and hospital internships. A certain major requires the completion of 3 project reports, which count towards credits.
Actual Contribution of Grades to GPA
Compulsory course grades account for 80% of the GPA. For example, scoring 70 in “Anatomy” will directly lower the total GPA by 0.2;
Elective courses account for 60%, and students are more likely to get high scores by choosing courses they are interested in;
Practical courses account for 70%. A certain major’s practical course report accounts for 8 credits, and a score below 75 will result in the deduction of credits for this part.
The grade weighting is not average; the performance in key courses directly affects the GPA. For example, a student who scores 80 in a professional core course but only 65 in “Anatomy” will have a total GPA 0.3 lower than expected.
Details of Makeup Exam and Re-study Rules
20% of international students need to make up credits through a makeup exam, where the makeup exam score must reach 110% of the original passing line—a 60-point course requires a 66, and a 70-point course requires a 77, otherwise re-study is necessary; The highest grade from re-study will be used for GPA calculation. For example, if the “Anatomy” score is 60 the first time and the re-study score is 75, the total GPA can increase by 0.15.
However, there is a limit on attempts: failing the makeup exam a maximum of 2 times requires re-study, and re-study may affect the graduation time.
Scholarship Types
The 2023 “Annual Report on International Student Scholarships” from the School of International Education, Capital Medical University (CMU), shows that 65% of enrolled international students have received university-level or higher scholarships.
For example, the “New Student Sailing Scholarship” covers 12% of undergraduate freshmen, requiring high school GPA ≥ 3.5 and HSK Level 4 ≥ 200 points; the “Academic Progress Scholarship” targets enrolled students, and 28% of recipients increased their semester GPA by 0.5 or more.
Three Types of Scholarships
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Review Process
The review is divided into three rounds: materials submission in September, with the school verifying scores and proofs, eliminating 25% due to incomplete materials (e.g., missing recommendation letters or activity photos);
Expert panel scoring in October, with rankings based on GPA accounting for 60% and practice accounting for 40%. Students with the same score are judged by their interview performance;
The list is publicized in November, and disbursement occurs in December after no objections. Last year, a student who initially missed a recommendation letter was returned for resubmission, but after completing the materials, won the Academic Scholarship due to a GPA of 3.8 and 30 hours of community service.
Scholarships
The New Student Scholarship reduces the tuition fee for the first academic year by 30% (approximately 12,000 RMB); the Academic Scholarship provides 800 RMB per month, covering part of the living expenses;
The Practice Scholarship provides a one-time payment of 3000 RMB, used for purchasing professional books or attending conferences. 75% of recipients reported that the scholarship alleviated financial pressure, allowing them to focus more on studies;
One Clinical Medicine student used the Practice Scholarship to buy “Clinical Case Analysis,” raising their final GPA from 3.1 to 3.4.
Study Help
The 2023 “Report on International Student Learning Support Services” from the School of International Education, Capital Medical University (CMU), shows that 83% of enrolled international students have used campus learning support resources.
For instance, the Medical Foundation Course Tutoring Center is open 5 days a week, receiving an average of 30 students daily, focusing on solving difficult points in subjects like Anatomy and Physiology;
The Language Center offers HSK intensive classes, and 91% of participants improved their final language scores by over 10%.
Academic Tutoring
Tutoring classes at the School of Basic Medical Sciences cover 85% of compulsory subjects. For example, Anatomy has group Q&A twice a week, and 72% of students reported their assignment accuracy rate increased from 65% to 80%;
The School of Clinical Medicine offers “Case Analysis Workshops” for Diagnostics and Internal Medicine, with participating students’ average scores on case analysis questions increasing by 12 points.
- The School of Basic Medical Sciences offers group Q&A twice a week for Medical Foundation courses (Anatomy, Physiology), focusing on terminology memorization and functional analysis;
- The School of Clinical Medicine offers “Case Analysis Workshops,” using real case histories to practice diagnostic logic, and participating students’ case question scores increased by 12 points;
- Tutors are mainly senior international students and lecturers, who use clinical cases to thoroughly explain the theory and lower the barrier to understanding.
Language Support
The Language Center offers 5 sessions of HSK intensive classes per semester, and 87% of students are able to achieve the required score for their applied major upon completion;
The Oral Chinese Corner is held 3 times a week, with native Chinese speakers as practice partners, raising the average oral test score of participating students from 68 to 83.
There is also a specialized course on “Medical Chinese,” and 90% of students believe this course helped them read professional literature faster, for example, being able to translate the “Inflammatory Mediators” chapter in “Pathology” themselves.
Learning Communities and Resources
There are currently 20 international student learning communities, covering areas such as medical foundation, clinical skills, and language improvement, with 81% of members raising their semester GPA by more than 0.3 compared to before enrollment.
For example, the “Anatomy Study Group” shares memorization mnemonics weekly (such as “Median Nerve: inside ulnar, outside radial”), and the “HSK Mutual Aid Team” corrects each other’s essays.
The library also holds 230,000 volumes of medical professional books, and the electronic resource database receives over 12,000 visits monthly. 68% of international students visit the library more than 3 times a week.