Ministry of Education Approves 86 New Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education Institutions and 133 Programs: How Do They Compare to Applying to Universities Overseas?

2026-10-04 · Guides

On May 25, 2026, the Ministry of Education announced the latest batch of Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education approvals: 174 universities have established 86 new institutions and 133 programs, including 100 undergraduate programs. This article explains what Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education is, the differences between it and applying to universities overseas in terms of enrollment status, credentials, accreditation, and the timing of going overseas, and how to check if a program is approved on the Ministry of Education's platform.

On May 25, 2026, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the latest batch of approvals for Sino-foreign cooperative education: 86 new Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions and 133 Sino-foreign cooperative education programs established by 174 universities were approved (including institutions and programs cooperating with those in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan). Among the 133 programs, 100 are undergraduate, 28 are master's, and 5 are doctoral. The approval list on the MOE's "Regulatory Information Platform for Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education" is also marked as "Updated on May 25, 2026."

For families considering whether to study in China or apply to universities overseas, this is an option worth exploring. Below, we will first explain what it is, compare it with applying directly to universities abroad, and finally discuss how to verify if a program has been officially approved.

What Was Approved This Time

According to a report by the People's Daily app, this batch of approvals has several key features:

Total volume: 86 institutions and 133 programs, involving 174 universities.
Academic levels: Programs are primarily undergraduate (100), along with 28 master's and 5 doctoral programs.
Regions: Shandong has the most new institutions (10), followed by Hubei, Jiangsu, and Sichuan (7 each), and Guangdong and Henan (6 each). Shandong also leads in new programs (17), followed by Hubei (14) and Beijing (13).
Disciplines: Many are concentrated in new engineering and cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, computer science, smart medicine, brain-computer interfaces, and smart grids.
University tier: The report mentions that 6 new institutions were established with the participation of "Project 985" universities, such as the Harbin Institute of Technology Lyon Data Science Institute, Sichuan University Auckland Institute, and Northwest A&F University Massey Institute.

For specific details on which university, which major, and when enrollment begins, please refer to the approval information on the MOE platform and the university's official admissions brochure. Approval does not guarantee enrollment in the current year.

What Is Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education

According to the "Regulations on Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education" and its implementation measures, Sino-foreign cooperative education refers to educational activities jointly organized by Chinese and foreign educational institutions within China in accordance with the law, primarily enrolling Chinese citizens. Cooperation between educational institutions in the mainland and those in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan follows the same regulations.

The MOE platform categorizes it into three types:

Cooperative education institutions with legal person status: At the undergraduate level and above, these are usually called "cooperative universities" and are independent institutions.
Cooperative education institutions without legal person status: These are similar to a secondary college within a university.
Cooperative education programs: These are similar to a specific major offered by a university.

Approval authority is also divided into two levels. Undergraduate and postgraduate degree education is approved by the MOE; higher vocational (junior college) and non-degree higher education are approved by the respective provincial governments or educational administrative departments and then filed with the MOE.

Another point that is often confused: student exchanges based solely on mutual credit recognition without substantially introducing foreign educational resources do not count as Sino-foreign cooperative education. Therefore, "international classes" or "overseas classes" promoted by schools are not necessarily approved cooperative education programs.

How It Compares to Applying Directly to Universities Abroad

The table below is compiled based on the regulations published on the MOE platform. Costs vary significantly by university, so specific figures are not provided.

Comparison Item	Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education (Undergraduate)	Applying Directly to Universities Abroad for Undergraduate Studies
Admission	Primarily through the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao)	Apply according to the requirements of the target country and university, typically considering high school grades, language proficiency, and standardized test scores
Student Status	Registered at a domestic university (or cooperative university); if eligible for an overseas certificate, foreign student status is also registered as per the agreement	Student status at the overseas university
Study Location	Based on the approved model: "4+0" entirely in China; "3+1" first 3 years in China, last 1 year at the foreign university; also "2+1+1", etc.	Entirely overseas
Graduation Certificate	Chinese degree certificate or foreign degree certificate issued according to the approval; see the approval information table for details	Degree certificate from the foreign university
Certificate Authentication	Foreign certificates can be authenticated by the China Service Center for Scholastic Exchange (CSCSE), provided the student is registered on the "Information Management Platform for Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education" and the university operates according to the approval	After returning to China, apply to the CSCSE for authentication of the foreign degree
Language of Instruction	Introduced foreign courses are usually taught in English or the language of the foreign country	The language of instruction in the foreign country
Costs	Tuition is subject to the university's admissions brochure; overseas tuition and living expenses are calculated separately for the overseas stage	Overseas tuition, living expenses, and round-trip travel costs for the entire duration

A few points to clarify:

"4+0" programs can also award foreign degrees. The MOE platform clarifies that issuing overseas certificates under the "4+0" model does not require students to go abroad. However, for models like "3+1", students must go abroad to complete the final stage according to the training plan, barring objective factors.
The "value" of foreign certificates. Regulations require that the foreign degree certificates issued by cooperative education programs must have curricula and teaching content no lower than the foreign institution's standards in its home country. The certificates must be identical to those issued in the home country and recognized there.
Authentication has prerequisites. If the university does not operate according to the MOE's approval, or if the student fails to complete the prescribed training plan, it may affect the authentication of the foreign certificate. Therefore, students should also pay attention to their registration information after enrollment.
Procedures for the overseas stage. For programs like "3+1" or "2+1+1", students going abroad in the final year must also apply for visas and prepare language proficiency and financial proof, subject to the official regulations of the target country.

In short: Sino-foreign cooperative education is suitable for students who want to build a foundation in China first, control the time and total cost of studying overseas, or have balanced Gaokao scores and foreign language proficiency. Applying directly to universities abroad is more suitable for students with clear goals, early preparation, and a desire to experience overseas learning throughout their entire program. Neither path is absolutely better; the key is to clearly understand the specific approval details of each program.

How to Check if a Program Has Been Approved by the MOE

The MOE's stance is clear: all legally approved and currently operating cooperative education programs can be found on the "Regulatory Information Platform for Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education" (crs.jsj.edu.cn) of the MOE's website for overseeing foreign-related education. They will have an approval information table and hold an institution license or program approval certificate with a unified MOE number and format. If it cannot be found, it is not a legally approved and currently operating Sino-foreign cooperative education program established by the MOE.

Specific steps:

Open crs.jsj.edu.cn and go to "Approval Information." For undergraduate and above, check the "List of Institutions and Programs Approved and Reviewed by the MOE"; for higher vocational (junior college), check the "List of Institutions and Programs Approved by Local Authorities and Filed with the MOE."
Click by region, or use the search box to search by Chinese university, foreign university, foreign country or region, or major name.
Open the approval information table and verify the following: educational level and category, duration of study, enrollment numbers, enrollment start and end years, majors offered, and certificates issued.
Compare the approval information with the university's admissions brochure. If the enrollment year has expired, the major does not match, or the certificate wording is inconsistent, clarify with the university.
Note the difference between "preparatory" and "officially established": institutions that only have a preparatory approval certificate cannot enroll students.

The MOE platform also lists several reminders for students: pay attention to whether the institution or program is legally approved, the actual teaching quality, whether the admissions brochure matches the actual operation, the admissions standards and plans, and the evaluation and accreditation status.

Students who have already enrolled, have been studying since 2008, and will be awarded overseas certificates can also use their name and ID number on the platform to query the registration and authentication information of their overseas degree certificates.

Advice for Parents

Check the approval before looking at promotions. Programs with "international" or "Sino-foreign" in their names are not necessarily approved cooperative education programs.
Clarify the training model. The requirements for time abroad, costs, and language preparation differ completely for "4+0," "3+1," and "2+1+1" models.
Clarify the certificates. Find out which certificates can be obtained upon graduation and whether additional conditions must be met (e.g., grades during the overseas stage, language requirements).
Include the costs of the overseas stage. For programs requiring time abroad, the tuition and living expenses for that year or two overseas are often the largest part of the total cost.
Prepare language skills early. Foreign courses are mostly taught in a foreign language, and there are usually language requirements for the overseas stage.

This article only summarizes policy information. For specific programs, please refer to the MOE platform's approvals and the university's official admissions information.

Need Help?

If you are hesitating between Sino-foreign cooperative education and applying directly to universities abroad, or want to know which path is more suitable for your child, you can check out our University Application Planning service, or Book a 1-on-1 consultation. We will analyze it together based on your child's grades, language foundation, and budget.