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Finishing the course: the graduation examination, the certificate and the degree

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

At the end of an English-taught clinical medicine course in mainland China, an international student takes the school's graduation examination after the graduation internship, and graduation depends on completing the teaching plan with passing results and a review. The school issues the graduation certificate, while the bachelor's degree depends on separate conditions in the Degree Law and in the Ministry of Education's rules for these courses. These are rules of China's Ministry of Education and of Chinese national law; they are not the conditions of any home-country regulator, and this page does not describe those conditions. Other sections of this register, including admission, are linked from this register's section page.

The order of the end of the course

The table below lists each stage in the order it occurs and the provision that governs it.

Stage Provision Document and publisher
Graduation internship Article 13(3) Interim Provisions on Quality Control Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education in English for International Students, Ministry of Education of the PRC
Graduation examination after the internship Article 13(3) Same as above
Summative assessment, including the comprehensive graduation examination Article 16 Same as above
Graduation on review Article 5 Same as above
Graduation or completion certificate Articles 32 and 33 Provisions on the Administration of Students in Regular Higher Education Institutions (Order No. 41), Ministry of Education of the PRC
Graduation and degree certificates for international students Articles 16 and 21 Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Public Security
Bachelor's degree Article 19 Degree Law of the People's Republic of China, Ministry of Education of the PRC

The English on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese texts. The Chinese wording is in the official documents.

The length of study and graduation (Article 5)

The Interim Provisions are annex 1 to 教外来〔2007〕39号, a Ministry of Education document. Article 5 sets the length of study at six years. It says that international students who complete the requirements of the teaching plan and have passing academic results are granted graduation after review. It says the medical school issues them a graduation certificate.

Article 5 also says that a student who meets 《中华人民共和国学位条例》 is awarded the bachelor's degree in medicine (医学学士学位). It says the English copy may read MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery). Article 5 gives no pass mark.

The graduation internship and the graduation examination (Article 13(3))

Article 13(3) of the same Interim Provisions sets the internship at one academic year, not less than 48 weeks. The internship is arranged at the school's teaching hospital or at a teaching hospital recognized by a foreign health department.

The school sets the internship content and requirements according to the teaching plan. The school must keep track of the internship.

After the graduation internship ends, international students must take the graduation examination of the school they attend.

Article 13(3) does not describe the format, the subjects or the pass mark of that graduation examination.

Assessment at the end of the course (Article 16)

Article 16 of the Interim Provisions requires the school to establish a whole-process assessment system for international students' academic results.

The system has two parts. The formative part includes tests, observation records, internship handbooks and others. The summative part includes end-of-course examinations and the comprehensive graduation examination.

Article 16 does not give the weighting of the formative and summative parts.

Graduation and certificates for international students (Order 42 and Order 41)

Order 42 is the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students. Its promulgation text says it takes effect on 1 July 2017.

Article 16 of Order 42 says international students shall take the corresponding graduation examination or assessment as prescribed. It says the school shall truthfully record their academic results and daily performance.

Article 21 of Order 42 says the school issues academic certificates or other academic certificates to international students according to national rules. For international students in formal academic education, the school shall promptly register their student status and graduation certificate electronically. Article 21 also says the school issues degree certificates to international students who meet the conditions for conferring a degree.

Order 41 is the Provisions on the Administration of Students in Regular Higher Education Institutions. Article 32 of Order 41 says that a student who completes the teaching plan within the years of study set by the school, with passing results, and who 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 41 says that a student who meets the conditions for conferring a degree is issued a degree certificate by the degree-conferring unit. It says a student may apply to graduate early, and that the school sets the conditions for early graduation. Article 32 refers to the years of study set by the school and gives no number of years.

Article 66 of Order 41 says that schools manage international students by reference to these provisions (参照本规定执行).

When the plan is completed without meeting graduation requirements (Order 41, Article 33)

Article 33 of Order 41 says that a student who completes the teaching plan within the years of study set by the school, but does not meet the school's graduation requirements, may be granted completion by the school. The school may issue a completion certificate (结业证书).

Article 33 says that whether the student may take a make-up examination, retake courses, or redo the graduation design, thesis or defence is decided by the school. It also says that whether a graduation certificate and a degree certificate are issued is decided by the school.

Article 33 says that for a graduation certificate or degree certificate issued after passing, the graduation date and the date the degree was obtained are filled in as the certificate issue date.

For a student who withdraws, Article 33 says the school shall issue a certificate of incomplete study (肄业证书) or a factual study record.

The bachelor's degree (Degree Law, Article 19)

Article 19 of the Degree Law of the People's Republic of China says a bachelor's degree is conferred on a degree applicant who passes the prescribed course assessments or completes the required credits. The applicant must also pass the review of graduation stages, such as a graduation thesis or graduation project.

Article 19 says the applicant must show the following levels. First, a relatively good grasp of basic theory, specialized knowledge and basic skills in the discipline or specialty. Second, an initial ability to do academic research or to take on professional practice.

Questions people ask

Does the course end with a graduation examination?

Article 13(3) of the Interim Provisions says that after the graduation internship ends, international students must take the graduation examination of the school they attend. Article 16 of the same provisions includes the comprehensive graduation examination in the summative part of the assessment system. Article 13(3) does not describe the format or the pass mark of that examination.

Who issues the graduation certificate and the degree certificate?

Article 5 of the Interim Provisions says the medical school issues the graduation certificate to students granted graduation after review. Article 21 of Order 42 says the school issues degree certificates to international students who meet the conditions for conferring a degree. Article 19 of the Degree Law sets out the level a degree applicant must show.

What does the school do if a student completes the plan without meeting the graduation requirements?

Article 33 of Order 41 says the school may grant completion and issue a completion certificate. It says the school decides whether a student may take a make-up examination, retake courses or redo the graduation project, thesis or defence. It also says the school decides whether graduation and degree certificates are issued afterwards.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal, medical or professional-licensing advice, is not published by the bodies named, and promises no admission, examination or registration outcome; if the official text and the regulator's own instructions differ, the official text and the regulator's own instructions prevail.

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