China attracts students from all over the world for graduate study. International students choose to take their Master's degree in China for several reasons, including the high quality of education that is recognized internationally. It is also more affordable to study and live in China than most developed countries and graduates from Master's degree programs in China have excellent opportunities for employment in the region. In addition, students can enjoy the culture and sights to see in China, and have opportunities to travel throughout Asia.

China’s higher education system follows a pattern similar to the U.S. in that a bachelor’s degree is needed before a student can pursue a master’s, or postgraduate, degree. Earning a master’s degree in China requires two to three years of rigorous study, completion of written and oral examinations, a thesis, and possibly a research project depending on the degree program. However, the Chinese academic calendar differs from Western academic calendars because the two semesters–spring and fall–run from February to July and September to January, respectively. A few universities that have a student body largely made up of international students may postpone the beginning of the fall semester to October to accommodate Western academic schedules, especially universities specializing in engineering and business master’s courses that are taught predominantly in English.

Master’s degree subjects are diverse and plentiful in China and include but are not limited to: Clinical Medicine; Science of Chinese Pharmacology; Metallurgical Engineering; Applied Economics; Civil Engineering and Atmospheric Science. Some Chinese master’s degrees are highly specialized, such as Marxist Theory, Armament Science and Technology, and Systems Science. The cost of earning a master’s degree in China is quite affordable and represents one of the primary reasons why international students attend a Chinese university. Tuition for master’s degrees varies between 15,000 Yuan and 50,000 Yuan, with a fine art degree being the least expensive and technology, science, and medicine degrees being the most expensive. Currently, fifteen thousand Yuan equals about $24,000 in U.S. dollars and 1900 euros.

Notes on Earning a Master’s Degree in China
• To apply to a master’s program at a Chinese university, international students will need copies of their high school diploma or equivalent; transcripts of courses previously taken; GMAT or GRE scorecards if the application is intended to accommodate an MBA program; two letters of recommendation from instructors who taught the student at another university; personal state or resume; proof of financial solvency; valid passport and three copies of a recent passport photograph
• Anyone entering the Mainland of China and planning to remain for more than two days is expected to obtain a valid visa. Students will need to get an “X-visa” from the Chinese embassy if they are staying longer than six months.
• Visa applications must be made in person to the Chinese Consulate-General’s office in the country where the student resides. Chinese authorities will not accept mailed-in applications or applications sent online.
• Foreign students will have to provide a “Physical Examination Certificate for Foreign Citizen” before a visa application can be processed.

In addition to having the opportunity to choose from a fascinating variety of master’s programs, students thinking about studying in China will also enjoy the fact that China is currently investing heavily in its education system, with its MBA degree rapidly becoming one of the world’s most distinguished degrees. In addition, the Chinese government has established an agreement of mutual recognition for academic degrees and qualifications with countries such as Japan, the U.S., France, Great Britain, and over 60 other regions and countries.