Studying Chinese in China: four things to settle before you apply
Before you apply to study Chinese in mainland China, settle four things: how long you will study, which category the programme falls in, which visa follows from that length, and who sets the admission conditions. The first two points rest on the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), and the visa point rests on the Regulations on the Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637).
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The Chinese text of Order No. 42 is quoted here in this site's own English translation. The Regulations are quoted from the English text published by the National Immigration Administration.
How long you will study
Article 45 of Order No. 42 sets the line at 180 days. Short-term study means studying at a Chinese school for no more than 180 days, including 180 days. Long-term study means studying there for more than 180 days.
The Regulations use the same figure for the stay in China. Article 36(4) defines short-term as staying in China for a period not exceeding 180 days (including 180 days). Article 36(5) defines long-term or resident as residing in China for a period exceeding 180 days.
Which category the programme falls in
Article 9 of Order No. 42 sets the categories of international students. The degree categories are 专科生 (junior college students), 本科生 (undergraduate students), 硕士研究生 (master's students) and 博士研究生 (doctoral students). The non-degree categories are 预科生 (preparatory students), 进修生 (advanced-study students) and 研究学者 (research scholars).
Article 9 does not list a separate language-student category, and it sets no Chinese level.
Article 10 says a university sets its own international enrolment plan and programmes according to its conditions and training capacity, unless national provisions say otherwise. So the category of a given programme is set by the university within these categories.
Which visa follows from the length
Article 6(11) of the Regulations says the X1 visa is issued to persons who apply for long-term study in China, and the X2 visa is for persons who apply for short-term study in China. Read with Article 45 of Order No. 42, the length of study decides which visa applies.
| Length of study at a Chinese school | Category under Article 45 of Order No. 42 | Visa under Article 6(11) of the Regulations |
|---|---|---|
| 180 days or less (including 180 days) | Short-term | X2 |
| More than 180 days | Long-term | X1 |
Article 35 of Order No. 42 says a foreigner who applies to study at such a school shall apply for the X1 or X2 visa before entering China. The application is made at a Chinese embassy or consulate in the applicant's country of nationality or country of residence, or at another mission entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The applicant submits the certificate filed for the record with the education authority, the admission letter issued by the school, and other related materials as required.
Who sets the conditions
Article 11 of Order No. 42 says a university formulates and publishes its international student admission brochure under the national admission rules. A university recruits international students under the conditions and procedures of its own published brochure (Article 11).
Article 12 says the university shall review each applicant's admission qualification and proof of financial guarantee, and shall examine or assess the applicant. The school decides admission, and a school shall not admit a person who does not meet the admission conditions.
Article 18 says the national common spoken and written language is the basic teaching language for international students. A school may provide necessary remedial conditions for a student whose command of that language falls below the study requirement.
Article 12 refers to an examination or assessment and names no particular test. Article 18 names no test and gives no score.
HSK test content is not covered on this site. The tests are described on the official test site.
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
- Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637) — National Immigration Administration
Checked 11 October 2026.
This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, and is not published by the bodies named; if the official text or the instructions of the body handling your case differ from this page, the official text and those instructions prevail.