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The degree certificate after an English-taught MBBS in China: what listed and unlisted schools may issue

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

Under the Ministry of Education's notice for the 2023–2024 academic year, a school that is not on the list may not issue an English-version degree certificate for MBBS, and may not issue one that contains the word "MBBS". This register's section page covers the Ministry of Education list and the schools on it. This page takes the certificate rules one document at a time, so that each sentence can be traced to its provision.

The rules below are China's. They are not a home-country regulator's rules. The English wording of the Chinese texts is this site's own translation of the Chinese; the Chinese text is the official text.

Which provision says what

The table lists each provision and what it says about certificates. The sections after it set out each provision in full.

Provision What it says about certificates
2007 Interim Provisions, Article 5 The medical school issues the graduation certificate. A bachelor's degree in medicine is awarded to graduates who meet the conditions of the Regulations on Academic Degrees. The English copy may read MBBS.
2023–2024 list notice, paragraph 2 A school not on the list may not issue an English-version degree certificate for MBBS, or an English-version degree certificate containing "MBBS".
Higher Education Law, Article 20 Students in higher education receive an educational certificate or other academic certificate. Students in non-degree higher education receive a certificate of completion.
Higher Education Law, Article 22 The state implements a degree system with bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees.
Order No. 42, Article 21 Institutions issue educational or other academic certificates to international students under national rules, and issue degree certificates to those who meet the conditions for degree award.
Degree Law, Article 2 Degrees are bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees, including academic and professional types.
Degree Law, Article 19 A bachelor's degree is awarded where the applicant meets the conditions set out in that article.

The 2007 standard: Article 5

The Interim Provisions on Quality Control Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education in English for International Students (Ministry of Education, 2007; document 教外来〔2007〕39号) govern English-taught undergraduate medical education for international students.

Article 5 sets the study length at six years (学制六年). It says that a student who completes the requirements of the teaching plan, with satisfactory results, is cleared for graduation after review. The medical school then issues the graduation certificate.

The same article says that a graduate who meets the conditions of the Regulations on Academic Degrees is awarded a bachelor's degree in medicine. It adds that the English copy may read MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery).

Article 5 refers to the Regulations on Academic Degrees (学位条例). The Ministry's site also carries the Degree Law of the People's Republic of China, and its Articles 2 and 19 are set out in a later section.

The 2023–2024 list notice: paragraph 2

The notice is the Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Education on the 2023–2024 list of higher education institutions enrolling international students in English-taught undergraduate clinical medicine and their enrolment plan (教外厅函〔2023〕10号). It is dated 15 May 2023 and was published on the Ministry's site on 30 May 2023. In the Ministry's policy index, the date beside the title is the date it was put on the site, which is 30 May 2023.

Paragraph 1 of the notice says that the Ministry entrusted 44 universities with enrolling international students in this programme for the 2023–2024 academic year. The list is for that academic year.

Paragraph 2 says that schools on the 2023–2024 list must continue to enrol students strictly in line with the spirit of the 2007 provisions. For schools that are not on the list, paragraph 2 says:

  • they may not enrol international students in English-taught undergraduate clinical medicine;
  • they may not issue an English-version degree certificate for MBBS, or an English-version degree certificate containing the word "MBBS";
  • they may enrol international students only in Chinese-taught undergraduate clinical medicine, and the training standard may not be lower than the standard for Chinese undergraduate clinical medicine students;
  • enrolling international students through a "bilingual teaching" model in disguise is strictly prohibited.

When this site read the Ministry's policy index on 11 October 2026, the index listed no later edition of the annual list than the 2023–2024 notice. Readers should confirm the current year's status with the university and the Ministry.

Higher Education Law: Articles 20 and 22

The Higher Education Law of the People's Republic of China was adopted on 29 August 1998 and amended on 27 December 2015 and 29 December 2018, as carried on the Ministry's site.

Article 20 says that students in higher education leading to an educational qualification receive an educational certificate or other academic certificate from their institution, according to their length of study, academic results and national rules. Students in non-degree higher education receive a certificate of completion from their institution or other higher education institution. The certificate of completion states the length of study and the content of study.

Article 22 says that the state implements a degree system, and that degrees are bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees. It adds that a citizen who reaches the degree standards set by the state, through higher education or self-study, may apply to a degree-granting unit for the corresponding degree.

Order No. 42: Article 21

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) take effect from 1 July 2017, according to the promulgation text.

Article 21 says that higher education institutions issue educational certificates or other academic certificates to international students under national rules. For international students taking higher education that leads to a qualification, the institution registers their student status and graduation certificate electronically, promptly. The second paragraph of Article 21 says that higher education institutions issue degree certificates to international students who meet the conditions for degree award.

Degree Law: Articles 2 and 19

Article 2 of the Degree Law of the People's Republic of China, as carried on the Ministry's site, says that degrees are bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees. It adds that these include academic and professional degree types, awarded by discipline category, professional degree category and so on.

Article 19 says that, for undergraduate education, a bachelor's degree is awarded where the applicant passes the prescribed course assessments or completes the required credits, passes the graduation review (including a graduation thesis or graduation design), and shows the following levels:

  1. a relatively good grasp of basic theory, specialised knowledge and basic skills in the discipline or professional field;
  2. a preliminary ability to engage in academic research or take on professional practice work.

Questions people ask

Can a school that is not on the 2023–2024 list issue an English-version MBBS degree certificate?

Paragraph 2 of the 2023–2024 list notice says that a school not on the list may not issue an English-version degree certificate for MBBS, or an English-version degree certificate containing the word "MBBS".

Which article of the 2007 provisions mentions the English copy reading MBBS?

Article 5 of the Interim Provisions on Quality Control Standards (2007) says that the English copy may read MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery). That sentence follows the sentence on the bachelor's degree in medicine.

What does Article 19 of the Degree Law require for a bachelor's degree?

Article 19 says that a bachelor's degree is awarded where the applicant passes the prescribed course assessments or completes the required credits, passes the graduation review, and shows a relatively good grasp of basic theory, specialised knowledge and basic skills, together with a preliminary ability to engage in academic research or professional practice.

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; the official text and the regulator's own instructions prevail if they differ.

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