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Changing major or university as an international student in China: what the rules allow

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

An international student may apply to change major after enrolment, with the university's consent, and the university sets the conditions and procedure. A transfer to another university needs the consent of the student's current university and of the university the student wants to enter. This page sets out each rule with the document it comes from, and this directory's section page explains how to check a university.

The English on this page is this site's own translation of Chinese texts. If the English and the Chinese differ, the Chinese text prevails.

The documents

  • Order No. 42: Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (学校招收和培养国际学生管理办法), Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security. The Order is in force from 1 July 2017, according to its promulgation text.
  • Quality standards: Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) (来华留学生高等教育质量规范（试行）), issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号, dated 3 September 2018.
  • Order No. 41: Provisions on the Administration of Students in Regular Higher Education Institutions (普通高等学校学生管理规定), Ministry of Education Order No. 41. Article 66 of Order No. 41 says that schools manage international students (留学生) by reference (参照) to these provisions.

Changing major

Article 17 of Order No. 42 says that after enrolment, an international student may change major on application and with the university's consent. The same article says that the conditions and procedure for changing major are set by the university.

Article 21 of Order No. 41 is the general rule on changing major for students in regular degree education. It says that a student who has interest and aptitude in another major while studying may apply to change major. It also says that a student admitted through a special admission channel may not change major where national rules provide so, or where the school and the student have a clear agreement before admission. Under Article 21, the school must set its own detailed measures for changing major. Article 66 of Order No. 41 applies this article to international students by reference.

Transferring to another university

Article 13 of Order No. 42 says that a university may, with the consent of the original admitting university, receive international students who were admitted by another university or who are transferring in.

Section 10.5 of the 2018 quality standards (trial), issued by Ministry of Education notice 教外〔2018〕50号 on 3 September 2018, sets out the transfer steps for international students:

  • The student applies for the transfer personally.
  • The transfer goes ahead after consent from the student's current university and from the receiving university.
  • A current university whose student meets the conditions for transferring out shall give the receiving university the student's academic results and conduct record, truthfully and fully.
  • The receiving university reviews the transfer on the principle that its admission standard for international students is not lower than its own standard, that the student fits its training requirements, and that the university has the capacity to train the student.
  • The two universities handle the student's status, immigration and entry-exit formalities in line with national rules and their own duties, and they hand over copies of the documents and archives.

Articles 22 and 23 of Order No. 41 apply to international students by reference under Article 66.

Article 22 says that a student should in general finish studies at the university that admitted them. A student who cannot continue because of illness, a special difficulty, or a special need, or who cannot meet the study requirements, may apply to transfer. Article 22 then says that a transfer is not permitted in six cases:

  1. the student has been enrolled for less than one semester, or is in the year before graduation;
  2. the student's college entrance examination score is below the admission score for the same major, from the same source province, in the same year, at the university the student would enter;
  3. the student is moving from a lower academic level to a higher one;
  4. the student was admitted under a targeted-employment enrolment;
  5. for a postgraduate, the admission control standard of the target university or major is higher than that of the current one;
  6. the student has no legitimate reason for the transfer.

Article 23 of Order No. 41 says that the student applies personally and states the reason. The transfer needs consent from the current university and the receiving university. The receiving university reviews the transfer conditions and the supporting certificates. If the receiving university finds that the student meets its training requirements and that it has the capacity to train the student, its school president's office meeting or a special meeting decides, and the student may transfer in. A postgraduate transfer also needs the consent of the supervisor of the target major.

Steps to take

  1. Find the university's own published rules on changing major.
  2. Find the university's own published rules on transfers in.
  3. Ask the current university for its procedure for consent to a transfer.

Questions people ask

Can an international student change major in China?

Article 17 of Order No. 42 says that after enrolment, an international student may change major on application and with the university's consent. The same article says that the university sets the conditions and procedure.

Does a transfer need the consent of the receiving university?

Yes. Article 13 of Order No. 42 says that a university may receive such a student with the consent of the original admitting university. Section 10.5 of the 2018 quality standards (trial) says that a transfer goes ahead after consent from both the current university and the receiving university.

Which transfers does Order No. 41 rule out?

Article 22 of Order No. 41 lists six cases in which a transfer is not permitted. They include a student who has been enrolled for less than one semester or is in the year before graduation, a student moving from a lower academic level to a higher one, and a student with no legitimate reason for the transfer. Article 66 of Order No. 41 applies this article to international students by reference.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by the Ministry of Education or by any university, and it promises no admission outcome. If the official Chinese text and this summary differ, the official Chinese text prevails.

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