Birkbeck, University of London publishes entry requirements for applicants from China on its China country page. For direct entry to a 3-year bachelor's degree, the page lists a National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) average minimum score of 75% for direct entry to Year 1. For master's degrees, the requirements depend on whether the course asks for a UK 2:2 or a UK 2:1 undergraduate classification.
Undergraduate direct entry requirements
To be considered for direct entry onto a 3-year bachelor's degree at Birkbeck, applicants from China must have one of the following:
- National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) with an average minimum score of 75% for direct entry to Year 1
- a 2- or 3-year Diploma (Zhuanke or Da Zhuan) with a minimum final grade of at least 80% or equivalent
- at the discretion of the department, a Vocational Diploma (Gaozhi) with a minimum final grade of at least 80% or equivalent
- completion of the first year of a bachelor's degree (Xueshi) with an average grade of at least 80% or equivalent
Students from higher-tiered universities may be accepted with an average grade of 75%.
Applicants with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A-levels will be considered for direct admission to undergraduate degree programmes. IB requirements range from 28 to 33, depending on the course.
Applicants who are unable to meet the above entry requirements for direct entry onto a 3-year bachelor's degree will need to complete a foundation year first.
Foundation year options
Chinese students applying directly from high school will need to complete a foundation course before enrolling on a 3-year bachelor's degree. Applicants from China who have only completed the Senior Secondary School Certificate will normally need to apply as foundation year students.
The page lists two options:
- Applicants who have already achieved 6.5 in the IELTS test can apply for four-year integrated Bachelor's Degree plus Foundation programmes. These offer a joint confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) for all four years of study.
- Applicants who do not meet the English requirement should apply for a Foundation year or international Year 1 degree at the partner provider OnCampus London. The page states that these offer guaranteed progression onto Birkbeck's Bachelor programmes.
Postgraduate taught degree requirements
Check your postgraduate course online to see if your programme of study has an entry requirement of a UK undergraduate degree with a 2:1 or a 2:2 classification. The page gives the following overall average grades for each case.
| Chinese qualification | Course requires UK 2:2 degree | Course requires UK 2:1 degree |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree (Xueshi) from a 211, 985 or top national university | 70% overall average grade | 75% overall average grade |
| Bachelor's degree from a national university | 75% overall average grade | 80% overall average grade |
| Bachelor's degree from a high-ranking private university | 75% overall average grade | 80% overall average grade |
| Master's degree | 60% overall average grade | 70% overall average grade |
If you do not meet these criteria, you can apply for OnCampus' Master's Foundation Programme. The page states that this is available for two- or three-term progression onto a wide range of master's degrees at Birkbeck.
Research degree requirements
The page states that Birkbeck generally expects applicants to have a master's degree (Shuoshi) from a recognised university in China with a final grade of 75-85%. Minimum requirements will vary depending on the university at which you studied. Students who have studied at one of the 211 universities will be accepted with a minimum of 75%. The page adds that the quality of your research proposal will be a key consideration.
GPA conversion
If your transcript is provided in GPA format and not a percentage value, contact the International Office to check your equivalency. For most institutions, the page gives these equivalents:
- 80% is equivalent to 4/5 or 3.3/4
- 75% is equivalent to 3.5/5 or 2.7/4
English language requirements
The English language requirements for courses are provided on individual course pages as minimum IELTS scores. The page states that Birkbeck accepts many other tests and qualifications.