How to guides · · 2 min read
Recommendation letters and document preparation for Chinese university applications
Which documents are needed, how they must be authenticated, and the ones that delay applications most often.
Quick answer
The core document set
Passport with at least two years of validity and blank pages. Notarised copies of your highest diploma and full transcripts with certified translations. Two recommendation letters on institutional letterhead, signed and dated. A study plan or research proposal. A CV. Passport-sized photographs to Chinese specifications. A Foreigner Physical Examination Form completed at a designated clinic, including blood tests and a chest X-ray. A police clearance certificate. Scholarship-specific documents such as a CSCA score report or pre-admission letter.
Authentication
China now accepts apostille certification for documents from signatory countries of the Hague Apostille Convention, which has simplified the process considerably. Non-signatory countries usually require authentication by their foreign ministry and then legalisation by the Chinese embassy or consulate.
Either way, start eight to ten weeks before your deadline. Document authentication, not academic review, is the usual bottleneck.
Recommendation letters that help
Chinese committees read for specificity. A letter that names your project, your contribution, your rank in the cohort and your capacity for independent work is worth far more than one that praises your diligence in general terms. Give your referees a one-page summary of what you are applying for and what you want them to emphasise, and give them at least two weeks.