Secondary education in China begins after six years of primary school and is divided into two stages.
China provides 9 years of compulsory education covering primary and junior secondary school.
Admission to senior secondary school isn't just moving up a grade — entrance exams decide everything. And from there, students choose one of two paths:
As of 2025, there are 16,100 general senior secondary schools and 6,741 secondary vocational schools in China.
In 2025, 10.75 million students were enrolled in general senior secondary schools. The total number of students in academic senior secondary schools reached 30.4 million — not counting vocational institutions.
The gross enrolment rate for senior secondary education reached 92% in 2025 — 7 percentage points higher than in 2012.
Nine years of compulsory education cover 15,687,630 students, according to Ministry of Education data.
The Chinese education system is known for its rigour, with a strong emphasis on standardised examinations — especially the national university entrance exam, the Gaokao.
In 2025, 13.35 million students took the Gaokao — the first decline since 2018. In 2024, there were 13.42 million, 70,000 more than in 2025. A clear trend has emerged.
China has rapidly become one of the largest and most dynamic higher education systems in the world. There are 3,167 higher education institutions — research universities, teaching‑oriented universities, and vocational colleges.
Leading institutions include Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. In 2025, Tsinghua and Peking University retained the top positions in the national ranking of China's best universities, compiled by the independent Shanghai Ranking Consultancy.
In 2025, 48.73 million students were enrolled in China's higher education system — the largest in the world.
In the 2024–2025 academic year, there were 380,000 international students from 191 countries — 15% more than the previous year. Of these, 205,000 were pursuing academic degrees, with 35% at master's level. Students from Asia made up 61.1% of the total.
China is among the world leaders in research output and STEM fields. Engineering was the most popular field of study, chosen by 27.8% of international degree‑seeking students.
Chinese universities are particularly strong in engineering, artificial intelligence, computer science, business, medicine, and manufacturing technologies.
China offers a wide range of short‑term academic programmes and Mandarin Chinese language courses for international students.
There are hundreds of accredited language institutes and university‑affiliated Chinese language centres across the country. Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken native language in the world, and its global significance is only growing.
Summer programmes in China combine intensive language study with immersion in one of the world's fastest‑growing economies. They often serve as a stepping stone to full‑time education in the country — a chance to try things out without risk and see if the system suits you.
If you're considering China for your child — we'll help you navigate every stage, from choosing a school and qualification type to document preparation and visa application. Get in touch — we'll tell you where to start.