Can You Study in China Without Speaking Chinese?
The simple answer is that you can study certain undergraduate degrees in mainland China without arriving as a fluent Chinese speaker. However, the choices are narrower, and an English-taught degree may sometimes still require you to learn Chinese as a prerequisite for graduation. A programme can admit you without HSK, teach the academic subject in English and still require an HSK level before graduation.
Meridian's English-taught degrees in China directory helps you identify programmes.
Contents
- English-taught routes worth investigating
- Do you still need IELTS or TOEFL?
- Does an English-taught course require CSCA?
- How much Chinese should you learn before arriving?
- Be particularly careful with Medicine
- When is language preparation the better choice?
- Choosing a route you can complete
- Frequently Asked Questions
English-taught routes worth investigating
English-taught undergraduate provision in China is best understood through specific programmes. Tsinghua Zijing College's 2027 guide describes a four-year, fully English-taught engineering route combining information science and technology, mechanical engineering, civil engineering and design. It may suit someone who wants an interdisciplinary engineering education. It does not establish that every Tsinghua bachelor's degree is available in English, or that the route provides the same training as a narrowly focused degree in another subject.
SJTU Global College offers an English-medium engineering route, while requiring international students to attain HSK Level 4 before graduation. Fudan's international undergraduate directory includes English-taught Economics, Fintech, Data Science and Big Data Technology, International Organizations and Global Governance, and MBBS in its 2026 materials. These are useful examples of the range available, but the Fudan list needs a new-intake check before being treated as confirmed for 2027.
For life sciences, the Zhejiang–Edinburgh Integrative Biomedical Sciences degree is a four-year English-taught joint programme based in Haining. Biomedical science and Medicine are different routes: one should not be substituted for the other on the assumption that both involve biology. Read the compulsory curriculum and award for every option. An English-taught course solves the teaching-language question only if it also offers the academic subject and qualification you want.
Do you still need IELTS or TOEFL?
English teaching does not automatically remove the need to demonstrate English proficiency. Programmes may accept different tests, set different scores and use different exemption rules, even when they accept the same school qualification. A student educated in English should therefore check whether that background satisfies the exact programme's requirements, rather than assuming a school letter will be enough. This is particularly important when applying to several universities, because the evidence accepted by one may not cover the others.
SJTU Global College's current requirements explicitly say that a school-issued medium-of-instruction certificate is not accepted for its English requirement; its exemptions have specified conditions. In contrast, Fudan's 2026 Fintech guide permits qualifying English-medium education to support an exemption under its rules. Put the accepted tests, scores, validity period and exemption evidence beside each programme on your shortlist. If a test is necessary for even one important choice, plan it early enough to obtain and submit results before that programme's deadline.
Does an English-taught course require CSCA?
An English-language requirement and an academic admissions test assess different preparation. The first concerns your ability to study in the teaching language; CSCA concerns the academic subjects required by the admissions route. Completing an English-taught school qualification does not, by itself, remove either requirement. SJTU Global College's 2027 instructions require CSCA Mathematics, while Fudan's 2026 English-programme list distinguishes subject combinations by degree.
Under that Fudan list, Economics and Fintech require Mathematics, whereas Data Science and Big Data Technology requires Mathematics and Physics. A student considering both fields needs a preparation plan that covers the more demanding combination if the new intake retains those rules. Begin with Meridian's CSCA university requirements guide, then verify the current programme notice. Once the subjects and examination language are known, use the syllabus and past-paper resources to identify gaps between your school course and the assessment. Keep academic testing, English evidence and any Chinese graduation target as separate tasks.
| Intended Major | Typical Required CSCA Subjects |
|---|---|
| Computer Science / AI / Data Science | Math is mandatory. Physics is highly recommended and often required. Chemistry is usually not required. |
| Medicine (MBBS) / Clinical Medicine | Math and Chemistry are mandatory. Physics is often required or strongly recommended by top medical schools (e.g., ZJU, Fudan). |
| Mechanical / Civil / Electrical Engineering | Math and Physics are mandatory. Chemistry is generally not required unless applying for Materials Science or Chemical Engineering. |
| Business / Economics / Finance | Math is mandatory. Physics and Chemistry are not required. |
| Architecture / Design | Math is mandatory. Physics is sometimes required depending on whether the university classifies Architecture under Engineering or Arts. Always verify with the specific school. |
| Chinese Language / Literature / Arts | Math is mandatory. For Chinese‑taught programs, Humanities Chinese is also required. |
How much Chinese should you learn before arriving?
Even where Chinese is not an entry requirement, some preparation will make arrival more manageable. Begin with everyday situations you are likely to encounter: numbers and prices, food preferences, directions, transport and asking for help. Practise listening as well as vocabulary, and learn how to explain a simple problem rather than relying entirely on a translation tool. The aim at this stage is practical independence, not fluency before the first lecture. For broader programme research, the course-selection guide can help you weigh language preparation alongside academic fit.
If the course requires an HSK level before graduation, find out how language classes fit into the degree and when students are expected to reach the target. For a beginner, sustained study from the first year is more realistic than leaving the requirement until the final semester alongside major projects and examinations. Ask whether language learning is timetabled, what support is available and how progress is assessed. Entry without HSK should be understood as an opportunity to develop Chinese during the degree, rather than evidence that language can be ignored.
Placements create another question. English-medium lectures do not establish the working language of an employer or laboratory. Ask the programme about the language used in the opportunities you hope to pursue, which roles are open to international students and what permission is required. This helps you decide whether Chinese is primarily a day-to-day skill or an important part of the career preparation you want from studying in China.
Be particularly careful with Medicine
Medicine needs a more careful language and qualification comparison than many other subjects. An MBBS is a medical degree, whereas biomedical science studies the scientific basis of health and disease without being the same professional qualification. If your aim is to become a doctor, begin with the exact award and the country where you intend to practise. Ask that country's regulator about recognition and the further steps needed for registration; a university's international reputation alone cannot establish eligibility.
Clinical training also changes the language question. You may be able to follow academic lectures in English while still needing Chinese to communicate with patients and staff during hospital work. Ask the programme what language level is required before clinical placements, how students acquire it and how the training is assessed. Compare these demands with the time available alongside the medical curriculum. The decision should reflect the complete route into practice, including language and clinical requirements, rather than the attraction of an English-taught course title.
When is language preparation the better choice?
Language preparation may be worth considering when the degree you genuinely want is available only in Chinese. It can widen the academic choices beyond the smaller English-taught selection, but the additional course needs its own cost and progression assessment. Establish the proficiency required for undergraduate admission, the time you are likely to need to reach it and whether the preparation covers academic vocabulary as well as general language. Budget for accommodation and living costs during that period, not only tuition.
Ask whether the language course has a formal progression agreement with the intended degree. If it does, read the conditions; if it does not, expect to make a separate undergraduate application and satisfy that course's academic requirements. Completing a language programme is not itself an offer for the degree. You can also compare suitable English-medium options in Hong Kong or Singapore. The better choice depends on your subject, budget and willingness to invest in Chinese, rather than an assumption that any preparatory year leads automatically to a preferred university. Our foundation and preparatory pathway guide explains how to investigate progression conditions across different routes.
Choosing a route you can complete
Before keeping a programme on your shortlist, record the degree content, teaching language, entry evidence and graduation language target. If all four fit your plans, an English-taught route can be a practical way to study in China while developing Chinese during university.
Meridian Education helps students compare English-taught degrees with Chinese-language preparation routes and coordinate CSCA requirements. To discuss which route fits your subjects and language background, contact Meridian for a consultation.
If you are interested in learning Chinese, you can refer to our HSK Chinese Language Tutoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, many top Chinese universities now offer English-taught programmes, particularly in Engineering, Science, Technology, Economics, Business, Engineering and Medicine.
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No, but it is compulsory for the majority of Chinese universities. You can find here a comprehensive list of which Chinese universities require the CSCA.
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Yes, the Maths, Physics and Chemistry sections are available in both English and Chinese.
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Yes, the CSCA runs multiple times a year, and students can retake papers to improve scores.