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CHSI and CSCSE: which body deals with which certificate

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

According to their own pages, CHSI (run by the Center for Student Services and Development, CSSD) handles verification of higher education qualification certificates in mainland China. The Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE, 中国（教育部）留学服务中心) handles certification of certificates awarded abroad, in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and by Chinese-foreign cooperative programmes. This guide sets out what each body's page says it is and does, and what Article 70 of the Education Law says about foreign certificates.

It does not describe a procedure for either body. For how this directory is organised, see this directory's section page.

The English texts of the CHSI pages are the originals. The Chinese text of the CSCSE page and of the Education Law is rendered into English here. The English is this site's translation, not an official English text.

CHSI: what its pages say

CHSI's English pages say that CSSD, formerly known as the China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC), is an institution directly under the Ministry of Education. The About page says CSSD was founded in 1991 and works on information services and career guidance for students of higher education institutions. It describes the body's main work as higher education enrolment, student record and qualification management, and graduate employment.

The About page also states that CSSD is the only MOE-authorized institution for the verification of higher education qualification certificates. This is the body's own description, and the page attributes it to CSSD.

The verification services named on the CHSI pages are these:

Service What the page says
Online Authentication Student records and qualifications can be authenticated online, using diplomas and ID information, through a web page or web service.
Online Verification Report Reports on student records, qualification certificates and admission information, for use in employment, overseas study, further studies, promotion, professional titles evaluation and credit assessment.
Verification Report Chinese and English versions for higher education qualification certificates, student records, academic transcripts, high school qualifications and Gaokao scores.

The service designation lines on the CHSI pages cite two Ministry notices. One is Jiaoxue [2004] No.25, for the only designated website for qualification enquiry. The other is Jiaoxue [2007] No.5, for CSSD as the only MOE-designated qualification verification institution.

CSCSE: what its page says

The CSCSE "About the centre" page says the centre was established on 31 March 1989. It is a public institution directly under the Ministry of Education, registered as a public institution legal person. Its work covers study abroad, the return of students, study in China and international educational exchange and cooperation.

The page lists seven service areas. In summary:

  • Item 1: study-abroad services, including visas and air tickets for government-sponsored students, and pre-departure training.
  • Item 2: certification of academic qualifications and degrees awarded outside mainland China, in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and by Chinese-foreign cooperative programmes, with related policy consultation.
  • Item 3: services for the return of overseas students and for overseas talent recruited by employers.
  • Item 4: international cooperation in study abroad and related fields.
  • Item 5: services for international students in China and for students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan studying on the mainland.
  • Item 6: management of student personnel files.
  • Item 7: building a digital study-abroad and study-in-China service platform.

Item 2 names certificates awarded abroad, in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and through cooperative programmes. It does not name universities in mainland China or degrees they award.

The page also lists two internal divisions for verification of academic qualifications and degrees from outside the country and its territories, numbered Division 1 and Division 2.

Article 70 of the Education Law

Article 70 of the Education Law of the People's Republic of China, as carried on the Ministry of Education's website, provides that China's recognition of degree certificates, academic certificates and other academic certificates issued by foreign educational institutions is handled under international treaties that China has concluded or acceded to, or in accordance with relevant national regulations.

Article 70 does not name CHSI, CSSD or CSCSE.

Questions people ask

Which body verifies higher education qualification certificates from mainland China?

CHSI's English pages describe CSSD as the only MOE-authorized institution for verifying higher education qualification certificates, and the About page states this as the body's own description. The CHSI Verification Report service covers Chinese and English versions of higher education qualification certificates.

What does CSCSE's service item 2 cover?

Item 2 of the CSCSE service areas covers certification of academic qualifications and degrees awarded outside mainland China, in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and by Chinese-foreign cooperative programmes, together with related policy consultation.

Does CSCSE's page say that it verifies degrees from mainland universities?

Item 2 of the CSCSE service areas does not name universities in mainland China. The item names certificates awarded abroad, in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and by cooperative programmes.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

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

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