Why the characters matter
Asking for something in English at a Chinese office often fails not because nobody speaks English but because the English name you were given does not map onto the term the office actually uses. Being able to point at the characters solves this more reliably than any amount of explaining.
If you are asking for something by email or at a counter, include the Chinese term as well as the English one. It costs nothing and removes the most common point of failure.
Certification and authentication
- Apostille 附加证明书
- The certificate attached to a document under the Hague Convention, accepted by mainland China since 7 November 2023. Colloquially also called 海牙认证. This is the official term used by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Consular legalisation 领事认证
- The older chain of certification ending at a Chinese embassy or consulate. Still required for documents from countries where the Apostille Convention does not apply between that country and China, including India.
- Authentication 认证
- The general word for certifying a document. On its own it is ambiguous, so check whether a specific office means an apostille or consular legalisation.
- Notarisation 公证
- Certification by a notary. Where a university asks for a notarised translation or a notarised copy, this is the word behind it.
- Notarial certificate for use abroad 涉外公证书
- The document a Chinese notary office issues when a Chinese document is intended for use outside China. It is the prerequisite step before an apostille is issued on a Chinese document.
- Public document 公文书
- The category of document the Apostille Convention covers. Whether a particular document qualifies is decided by the authority that would issue the apostille — ask them.
- Foreign Affairs Office 外事办公室 / 外办
- Provincial and municipal offices authorised, alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to issue apostilles on documents notarised within their area. Some only receive applications and forward them.
- Academic credential authentication 学历认证
- Assessment of a qualification itself, as opposed to certification of a seal. Some universities require overseas degrees to be authenticated by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, 教育部留学服务中心, which is a separate step from an apostille.
Application documents
- Admission notice 录取通知书
- The letter confirming you have been admitted. Required for the visa application, though some universities now issue it electronically for you to print.
- Transcript 成绩单
- Your record of marks. Remember that grading scales and notes on the reverse are part of the document.
- Graduation certificate 毕业证书
- Confirmation that you completed a programme. In the Chinese system this is separate from the degree certificate, which is why you may be asked for both.
- Degree certificate 学位证书
- Confirmation that a degree was conferred. Distinct from the graduation certificate above.
- Personal statement 个人陈述
- Your written case for admission. For postgraduate study this is often accompanied by a research plan with a specified word count.
- Recommendation letter 推荐信
- A reference, typically required in pairs for postgraduate applications and typically from professors or associate professors.
- Chinese proficiency test 汉语水平考试 / HSK
- The standard Chinese language examination. The level required is set per programme, not nationally.
- Non-criminal record certificate 无犯罪记录证明
- A police certificate. Required by some universities and some consulates, often with a validity window of six months, but not required everywhere.
- Financial proof 资金证明
- Evidence you can support yourself. Required by some universities and at some consulates; the amount, where specified, is set by the institution asking.
Visa and stay
- Visa 签证
- Permission to enter. The student categories are X1 for study of more than 180 days and X2 for 180 days or less.
- Residence permit 居留许可
- What actually allows an X1 student to remain in China. It must be applied for within 30 days of entry.
- Exit-entry administration 出入境管理局
- The public security body that issues residence permits. Applications are made locally.
- Foreigner physical examination record 外国人体格检查记录
- The health check record, generally required for stays of a year or more, valid six months from issue.
- Confirmation Form for Study in China
- The form issued through the Ministry of Education and applied for by your university, still referred to as the JW201 or JW202 and previously titled Visa Application for Study in China. Now issued electronically — paper versions issued after 20 November 2023 are not accepted — and valid for six months from its date of issue.
- International student office 留学生办公室
- The department at your university that handles registration, residence permits and the paperwork around them. In practice your most useful contact in China.
Frequently asked questions
What is 附加证明书?
It is the official Chinese term for an apostille — the certificate attached to a public document under the Hague Convention. Mainland China has accepted apostilles since 7 November 2023. You may also see it called 海牙认证 informally.
What is the difference between 公证 and 认证?
公证 is notarisation, performed by a notary. 认证 is authentication or legalisation more broadly, and on its own it is ambiguous — it can refer to consular legalisation, 领事认证, or be used loosely. If an office uses 认证, ask which specific procedure they mean.
Why am I asked for both a graduation certificate and a degree certificate?
In the Chinese system 毕业证书 and 学位证书 are two separate documents: one confirms you completed the programme, the other that a degree was conferred. Universities used to dealing with that structure may ask international applicants for both equivalents.
Is a visa the same as a residence permit?
No. A visa lets you enter China. For students on an X1 visa it is the residence permit, 居留许可, that permits the stay, and it must be applied for within 30 days of entry.