The 2025 national postgraduate exam cutoff scores are out!!!
Image from the Ministry of Education's official social media
Compared to last year, this year's national cutoff scores have dropped across the board for the first time, but experts predict that the actual admission scores will rise. We have compiled chart data for the national postgraduate exam cutoff scores in several popular categories over the past five years to give a more intuitive sense of the score increase trends!
Although the number of applicants for this year's postgraduate exam has declined compared to last year, 3.88 million is still a huge number. If we estimate this year's exam outcome based on the average acceptance rate of previous years, more than two million candidates still face the dilemma of failing.
For students who do not pass the exam, there are basically only three options:
1. Prepare to retake the exam
2. Prepare for the autumn recruitment to find a job
3. Consider studying abroad for a master's degree
Again, it's a tough three-way choice. If you can prepare for two options simultaneously, having a Plan B if Plan A fails will relieve a lot of pressure. In fact, you can start preparing for the GRE exam.
With the increasing recognition of the GRE, many domestic Sino-foreign joint programs and some top universities have listed GRE scores as an application requirement. In other words, GRE scores can be used not only for applying to renowned overseas institutions but also to apply for domestic graduate programs, earn comprehensive English credits, apply for exchange programs, and win high-value scholarships!
Let's take a look at how the GRE can support your studies at home and abroad!
GRE Boosts Domestic Graduate School Applications
01 Large Scholarships at Top Universities
With the growing global recognition of the GRE, some Chinese universities have also started to recognize GRE scores and list them as a bonus for graduate applications. Examples include Peking University's Guanghua School of Management, Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management (SEM), Fudan University's Fanhai International School of Finance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Antai College of Economics and Management, and many others.
Fudan University's Fanhai International School of Finance
Fudan University's International Finance School FMBA program offers a special scholarship for applicants with high GRE scores. Those with a GMAT score of 750+ or a GRE score of 330+ can receive a 100,000 RMB scholarship.
Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF)
Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF) also states in its admission brochure: a GRE score of 320+ (converted to a GMAT score for evaluation) can earn scholarships ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 RMB.
02 Secure Guaranteed Admission Spots in Advance
In addition to taking the exam, another way to apply for graduate school is to participate in the summer camp of your target university. Upon successfully passing the assessment, you can obtain the 'recommended admission for master's degree' qualification. Among the universities that offer guaranteed admission slots through summer camps, some directly require applicants to submit GRE scores.
Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management
Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management, for its Tsinghua-Columbia Dual Master's in Business Analytics, states in the recommended admission requirements that GRE scores can be submitted to demonstrate English proficiency:
Peking University's School of Computer Science
03 Apply to Sino-Foreign Joint Institutions
Duke Kunshan University, NYU Shanghai and other renowned Sino-foreign joint institutions also offer many programs that students are interested in, and all accept GRE scores for applications.
Duke Kunshan University
NYU Shanghai
Additionally, the GRE can also help you earn comprehensive English credits at domestic universities, apply for exchange programs, and more. Preparing for the GRE will not delay your domestic graduate school applications, and it will also strengthen your application if you later decide to study abroad.
GRE Is Indispensable for Overseas Graduate Applications
An increasing number of schools across countries/regions are beginning to require GRE scores to better assess candidates' abilities and add more dimensions to the review process.
Cornell University
The Master of Engineering program clearly states that GRE scores are required, while for the Materials Science and Engineering program, GRE scores are optional.
Source: Cornell official website
Columbia University
Columbia Business School explicitly requires GRE scores.
Source: Columbia official website
New York University
Many programs at NYU Stern School of Business also require GRE scores, including Accounting, MBA, Quantitative Economics, etc.
Source: NYU official website
Imperial College London
Programs requiring GRE scores:
· MRes Business
· Full-Time MBA (verbal at least 156, quant at least 158)
Source: IC official website
University of Toronto
Programs requiring GRE scores:
· MA/PhD in Economics
· Master of Business Administration (Full-Time MBA)
· Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)
· Master of Finance
Source: UT official website
University of Hong Kong
Most programs in HKU Business School's taught postgraduate programmes require or recommend GRE scores, while the research postgraduate programmes in the Business School and the School of Economics require GRE or GMAT scores.
Source: University of Hong Kong official website
For students who did not pass the exam, do not excessively blame yourself or doubt yourself. Passing the postgraduate entrance exam is itself a low-probability event, and with the surge in competition in recent years, not passing is perfectly normal and does not mean you lack ability or have flawed study methods. This is the first thing you should recognize!
Students who did not pass must quickly assess their reality. Whether you plan to retake the exam, find a job, or apply to study abroad, you must make a decision early and start preparing as soon as possible.
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