Chinese and English are the main teaching medium of Chinese universities. Therefore, when non-native speakers apply for Chinese universities, they are usually required to provide Chinese or English language certificates. If English is not your mother tongue but you want to apply for courses taught in English, then the proof of English proficiency is one of the most common application materials required by Chinese universities. If you want to apply for courses taught in Chinese, then the certificate of Chinese proficiency becomes one of the most common application documents. What kind of language proof should we prepare? Read on to find out!

Part 1. Chinese Proficiency Certificate

Part 2. English Proficiency Certificate

# Chinese Proficiency Certificate

HSK stands for Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, which means Chinese Proficiency Test in Chinese Pinyin. HSK Certificate is valid for two years. If you want to check the information about the HSK test, please visit this website.

For most Chinese universities, HSK4~6 is necessary if you want to apply for courses taught in Chinese. There are also a few Chinese universities that may not require you to provide HSK at the time of enrollment, but you need to learn Chinese and reach a certain level in the Chinese exam in the first year before you can continue to study professional courses. If your Chinese level does not meet the requirements when applying for CSC, Chinese universities may provide you with one or two years of Chinese training then you can enter the academic course after passing the language test. For international students who want to study medical postgraduates in China, even if you apply for English taught programs, it is required by most schools to submit a certificate above HSK level 4, because, in the master's stage, Chinese is necessary to communicate with Chinese patients, nurses, and doctors.

It should be noted that if you have completed the HSK4 course in a school, it does not mean that you will have the HSK4 certificate, but you can only obtain the certificate after passing the HSK4 examination. It's just like, for example, if you attend an IELTS training course, it does not mean that you have an IELTS certificate, but only after you pass the IELTS test. The specific level and score of the HSK certificate to meet the admission requirements of the school depends on the school's enrollment plan. Different schools and different courses have different requirements for HSK. If your previous educational experience is taught in Chinese, you may be able to provide relevant certificates instead of HSK certificates.

# English Proficiency Certificate

As a non-native English speaker, if you want to apply for courses taught in English, most Chinese universities will require you to provide proof of English ability. As a native English speaker, whether you need to provide English proof depends on the university you want to apply for. 

For example, when applying for a postgraduate program at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, whether you were born in an English-speaking country or not, you need to provide one of the following two English-related certificates.

1). English Language Test

2). An English certificate that can prove that you have completed a high school or higher degree course taught in English in an English-speaking country.

So which countries are recognized as English-speaking countries by Shanghai Jiao Tong University?

For example, the English speaking countries recognized by the international graduate program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University are American Samoa, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Berlitz, Botswana, Canada, Fiji, Gibraltar, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Gambia, Tonga, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Some universities requires no more English Certificate if you are a native English speaker. Most universities have their own requirements for English certificates. So which English certificates are common and more acceptable? If you want to know how to prepare your English certificate, keep reading!

1. IELTS or TOEFL is Preferred

The valid IELTS and TOEFL certificates are recognized by most Chinese universities, so if you plan to obtain an English certificate, IELTS or TOEFL will be your best choice. These are also the only English certificates recognized by some top Chinese universities.

2. English Proficiency Certificate proving you have been taught in English in your Senior High/Bachelor/Master

If your previous formal education experience was in English medium, you can ask your school to issue a language certificate for you, which is also a commonly accepted language certificate, but its authority is not as authoritative as IELTS or TOEFL. If you have no intention of obtaining IELTS or TOEFL, you can try to apply for a Chinese University with this certificate.

3. Duolingo English Test Result (result comes out in 48 hours, recommended if you need English Certificate immediately!)

If you don't have IELTS, TOEFL, or English Proficiency Certificate issued by the school, and need to submit an authoritative English Certificate in a short time, you can consider Duolingo. 

4. Other English Certificate

Some Chinese universities do not have strict requirements for English certificates. At this time, you can try to prove your English ability with some other English certificates.

A good English certificate can improve our success rate of admission to Chinese universities, so we should try our best to submit an English certificate that meets the requirements of Chinese universities. Different universities may have different requirements for English certificates and scores. At this time, we should take the relevant requirements mentioned in the University's enrollment brochure as a reference. If your admission agency is very reliable, you should also listen to the advice and guidance of the agency, because some universities may not admit new students in strict accordance with the requirements of the Enrollment Plan. For example, a university wrote in its enrollment plan that the requirement for an English certificate is IELTS 6.5, but in the actual admission process, they may also admit students without this certificate. A good agent has rich admission experience, so consulting a reliable agent can give you more protection for your application.

Do you have any other questions about the language certificate? Welcome to leave a comment!