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Graduation certificate and degree certificate: the two documents a Chinese university issues

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

A Chinese university issues two different documents. The graduation certificate is an academic qualification certificate (学历证书) issued by the school, according to the student's length of study and academic performance. The degree certificate (学位证书) is issued by a degree-granting unit to a person who reaches the national degree standard for a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree.

This page is a reference guide for international students and families who look up universities in mainland China. For the other guides and section pages on this site, see this directory's section page. The English wording is this site's own translation of the Chinese texts. The Chinese texts are the official texts.

Where the two documents appear in the law

The Education Law sets out two systems. Article 22 of the Education Law provides for an academic certificate system, under which schools and other educational institutions approved or recognized by the state issue academic qualification certificates or other academic certificates under national rules. Article 23 of the Education Law provides for a degree system, under which a degree-granting unit awards degrees to people who reach a certain academic or professional standard and issues the degree certificate.

The table below is this site's summary of the provisions. Each row gives the wording of one provision.

Provision Certificate named Issued by
Article 20, Higher Education Law (adopted 29 August 1998; amended 27 December 2015 and 29 December 2018) Academic qualification certificate (学历证书) or other academic certificate The school the student attends, or a research institution approved to undertake graduate education
Article 20, Higher Education Law, paragraph 2 Completion certificate (结业证书) for non-degree higher education, stating the length of study and the content of study The school or other higher education institution
Article 22, Education Law Academic qualification certificate or other academic certificate Schools and other educational institutions approved or recognized by the state, under national rules
Article 23, Education Law Degree certificate (学位证书) The degree-granting unit
Article 32, Provisions on the Administration of Students in Regular Higher Education Institutions (Ministry of Education Order No. 41) Graduation certificate (毕业证书) and degree certificate (学位证书) The school for the graduation certificate; the degree-granting unit for the degree certificate

The graduation certificate

Order No. 41 uses the term 毕业证书, which this site renders as "graduation certificate". Article 32 of Order No. 41 says that a student who completes the teaching plan within the study period set by the school, passes, and meets the school's graduation requirements shall be granted graduation. The school shall issue the graduation certificate before the student leaves the school.

Article 32 of Order No. 41 also says that a student who completes the plan early and earns the credits needed for graduation may apply for early graduation. The school sets the conditions for early graduation.

Article 35 of Order No. 41 requires schools to apply the electronic registration system for student status and academic qualifications. Article 21 of the 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) applies this to international students. Its text says that, for international students in higher academic education, the school must promptly carry out electronic registration of student status and of the graduation certificate. Order No. 42 takes effect from 1 July 2017, as stated in its promulgation text.

Article 66 of Order No. 41 says that schools manage international students by reference to these provisions.

Completion without graduation

Article 33 of Order No. 41 says that a student who completes the teaching plan within the study period but does not meet the graduation requirements may be granted completion, and the school may issue a completion certificate (结业证书).

Under the same article, whether the student may retake examinations or courses, or submit a thesis or defend it after completion, is set by the school. The same article says that whether a graduation certificate and a degree certificate are issued is also set by the school. The graduation date and the date of obtaining the degree are filled in according to the issue date of the certificate.

For a student who withdraws, Article 33 of Order No. 41 says the school shall issue a certificate of incomplete study (肄业证书) or a factual study record certificate (写实性学习证明).

The degree certificate

Article 22 of the Higher Education Law says that the state implements a degree system and that degrees are bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. A citizen who reaches the degree standard set by the state, through higher education or self-study, may apply to a degree-granting unit for the corresponding degree.

Article 2 of the Degree Law says that the state implements a degree system. Degrees are divided into bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, including academic and professional degree types. Degrees are conferred according to discipline categories, professional degree categories and other classifications.

Article 32 of Order No. 41 says that a degree-granting unit shall issue a degree certificate to a student who meets the conditions for a degree.

Article 21 of Order No. 42 covers international students. It says that the school issues the degree certificate to an international student who meets the conditions for conferring a degree. For this group, the text names the school as the issuing body, not the degree-granting unit.

Other routes named in the law

Article 21 of the Higher Education Law says that the state implements a self-study examination system. A person who passes the examinations is issued the corresponding academic qualification certificate or other academic certificate.

Lost or damaged certificates

Article 38 of Order No. 41 covers lost or damaged academic qualification certificates and degree certificates. After the holder applies and the school verifies the case, the school shall issue a certificate of proof. The text says that this proof has the same effect as the original certificate.

What these provisions do not set

Article 20 of the Higher Education Law gives no layout or wording for the certificates it names. Article 21 of Order No. 42 names no form for the certificates it covers. Article 38 of Order No. 41 sets no time limit for the application for a certificate of proof.

Questions people ask

Is the graduation certificate the same document as the degree certificate?

The provisions name them as two separate documents. Article 32 of Order No. 41 says that the school shall issue the graduation certificate to a student who meets the graduation requirements, and that the degree-granting unit shall issue the degree certificate to a student who meets the conditions for a degree.

Who issues the graduation certificate?

Article 20 of the Higher Education Law says that the school the student attends, or a research institution approved to undertake graduate education, issues the academic qualification certificate. The school issues it according to the length of study, academic performance and other factors, under national rules.

What does a student receive if they finish without meeting the graduation requirements?

Article 33 of Order No. 41 says that the school may grant completion and issue a completion certificate (结业证书). Whether the student may retake examinations or courses, and whether a graduation certificate and a degree certificate are issued afterwards, is set by the school.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary, is not published by the Ministry of Education or any university, promises no admission outcome, and the official Chinese text and the current official list prevail if they differ.

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