If you have spoken to an agent about studying in China, be cautious when they recommend Chinese universities to you.

• Choose Approved Universities

China has 3000 higher education institutions, among which only about 600 have been approved by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to admit international students. Among those 600, only about 200 are institutions of quality. You can find them on CUCAS.

• Choose Approved Subjects

Certain majors/subjects must have secured the approval of MOE before they can admit international students, even if the university itself has already been approved to admit international students. For example, less than 40 universities offer MOE-approved English-taught MBBS programs. MOE publishes a list of the approved English-taught MBBS programs annually. You can find the list here.

• Be Aware of Transfer

Thirdly, Chinese universities generally do not approve applications from international students to transfer. Unless your present university has signed a Matriculation Agreement with a Chinese university, Chinese universities do not accept transfer students. Furthermore, if you study in China for a period of time and want to transfer, the chances of success are slim.