The gaokao is over, and just when you can finally breathe, a new decision looms.
As gaokao scores are released one after another, everyone has begun the work of selecting universities and majors. More and more families are turning their attention to diverse post-gaokao pathways, including studying abroad.
Unlike in the past, when everything had to be prepared far in advance, many overseas universities now officially accept gaokao scores for direct entry into undergraduate, foundation, or international year-one programs. It’s not too late to apply after the gaokao, and you might even have a chance to enter a world-class university!
Whether you scored high, just made the cutoff, or are thinking about "enrolling first and transferring later," you can always find a suitable backup plan for studying abroad.
Hong Kong and Macau
Unified Gaokao Early-Batch Admission
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Chu Hai College participate in the unified gaokao early-batch admission process.
Students planning to apply to these three universities only need to fill in their gaokao volunteer preferences during the unified admission process; there is no need to submit a separate application on the university's website.
Candidates must have a gaokao score that reaches the first-tier / first-batch / special admission control cutoff, with additional requirements for their English subject score. Even if they are not admitted in the early batch, they can still participate in subsequent admission rounds for other mainland universities.
Source: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Independent Application
Apart from the three universities mentioned above, the remaining 12 Hong Kong institutions, including the University of Hong Kong, and 6 Macau universities, such as the University of Macau, use an independent application system.
Students can apply directly through the university's website. This does not take up any slots in the unified gaokao admission system! You can apply to both mainland and Hong Kong/Macau institutions simultaneously without affecting each other.
Singapore
Applying to Public Universities
You can use your gaokao score along with IELTS/TOEFL results to apply directly to undergraduate programs at Singapore public universities. For gaokao students, the application generally requires a score that is over 60–100 points above the first-tier line.
However, when applying to Singapore public universities with gaokao results, the start of your studies is usually deferred by one year. If you wish to enroll immediately after high school graduation, you need to plan earlier: obtain your standardized test scores in your second year of high school and begin applying in the first semester of your final year.
Applying to Private Universities
If your gaokao score is less than ideal and your English score is also not strong, Singapore has many private universities that can serve as a backup.
These institutions place more emphasis on your regular high school performance, typically requiring an average high school grade of 70%–85% or above. For language, an overall IELTS score of at least 5.5 is usually required, or you may choose to take the university's internal English test and enroll in bridging language courses before starting your degree.
Australia
Among the Group of Eight universities in Australia, except for the University of Melbourne, Australian National University, the University of Sydney, the University of Queensland, the University of New South Wales, Monash University, the University of Adelaide, and the University of Western Australia all accept gaokao scores for direct admission from Chinese students.
Different universities and programs have varying score requirements for students from different provinces. For most applications, you need to achieve between 70% and 90% of the total gaokao score.
Additionally, an IELTS score of at least 6.5 is required to be exempted from language courses. (Some majors, such as medicine and law, do not accept direct entry via gaokao.)
United Kingdom
To attract more high-quality students from China, many UK universities now accept gaokao scores for direct entry into undergraduate programs. This includes many world-renowned institutions, such as the University of Cambridge, the London School of Economics and Political Science, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, the University of Birmingham, and Durham University, all within the QS top 100.
However, requirements vary between universities and programs. Most schools have specific gaokao score thresholds for admission.
Direct Entry via Gaokao Score
Graduating high school students who have taken the gaokao need to obtain their language test scores in advance. Once the gaokao results are out, they should submit their application immediately, and most schools recommend submitting AST scores as well.
The University of Cambridge is particularly stringent about gaokao scores. Candidates must rank in the top 0.1% of their province. Individual subject scores and high school academic proficiency test results are also assessed. Cambridge encourages students to participate in subject Olympiads or to have scores from tests like SAT or AP.
Foundation Year to Undergraduate
A foundation year typically lasts one academic year. After completing the program and meeting the university's entry requirements, students can apply to enter the corresponding undergraduate degree.
Applications generally require your high school grades and language scores. Foundation programs range from half a year to a full year and mainly cover language enhancement, subject-specific tutoring, and academic skills.
International Year One to Second and Third Year
Completing the International Year One program and passing the school's assessments allows you to seamlessly enter the second and third years of the undergraduate degree, completing the entire course in 3 years and earning your bachelor's certificate.
United States
Compared to other countries, relatively few US universities explicitly state they accept Chinese gaokao scores. However, two Ivy League schools, Brown University and New York University, have announced that they now accept gaokao results.
Community College to UC: Entering a US Bachelor’s
In addition to directly using gaokao scores to apply to US universities, transferring from a community college to a dream school is also a viable study-abroad pathway.
As the best public university system in the world, the University of California is loved by many Chinese international students and local US students. Most people think of going directly from high school to a four-year university, but that is not the only route to the UC system.
Often overlooked, community colleges are also a great way to transfer into a top UC school. Especially after the UC system officially announced that it would no longer consider SAT and ACT scores for undergraduate admissions, an increasing number of students are adding UC to their college lists.
Applying directly to UC from high school is expected to become even more competitive, with stricter requirements for applicants’ backgrounds. Statistics show that freshman admission rates are declining year by year.
UC Berkeley Freshman vs. Transfer Admission Rates
UCSD Freshman vs. Transfer Admission Rates
In contrast, UC’s transfer admission rates are considerably more favorable than freshman admission rates. Twenty percent of UC students are admitted through transfer applications from community colleges, and more than 10,000 students are accepted each year from California community colleges alone.
So for students aiming for UC but whose academic background is not as strong right after the gaokao, taking the community college route is now a better choice to reach the same goal.
Undergraduate Transfer: Enter a Top University
For the vast majority of students, within the domestic “one exam decides your fate” gaokao system, transferring between universities seems like a fantasy. Even if you realize your major is not a good fit after entering university, you often have to stick with it.
In other higher education systems around the world, however, transferring is a regular and fairly common undergraduate admission pathway. Many international students transfer to countries like the US, UK, Australia, and Canada to receive a relatively better higher education experience.
Taking the US as an example, American undergraduate universities also accept transfer applications from domestic Chinese undergraduate students. However, the requirements for Chinese university students are somewhat higher than for other types of applicants.
Therefore, you not only need to maintain a high GPA during your first year, but Chinese university students are also generally required to provide TOEFL scores, SAT scores, and a WES credential evaluation, and they may lose more credits during the transfer. Other aspects are basically the same as transferring between US four-year universities.
Undergraduate Transfer Timeline
Furthermore, it’s not that students from non-985/211 universities in China have no chance of transferring to a very good school. There are some US universities that are very welcoming to transfer students, and schools outside the top 30 generally have lower admission requirements for transfer applicants than for freshmen, which is why transferring is easier than freshman admission at many US universities.
The gaokao is not the only path; your dreams and hard work are what truly matter. If you are satisfied with your gaokao results, that’s wonderful, but if you didn’t meet your ideal expectations, don’t be discouraged.
All roads lead to Rome. No matter whether you study in China or abroad in the future, the most important thing is to find your direction and move step by step toward your goals.
CheersYou（清柚教育） wishes everyone the best in receiving offer letters from your dream schools and successfully embarking on your university life.
