Complete Guide to Overseas Degree Certification: How to Apply via the CSCSE, Processing Time, and What Is Not Recognized

2026-10-04 · Guides

Returning to China for further education or employment often requires the degree and diploma certification issued by the China Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) under the Ministry of Education. Based on the official CSCSE website, this article outlines the scope of services, required documents, online application steps, the 10–20 working days processing time, the fee of ¥360 per certificate, and situations not covered by the certification, such as cross-border remote learning. It also explains why you should consider certification when selecting a university.

Foreign Academic Degree and Diploma Certification is a service provided by the China Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) to verify the legality and authenticity of higher education degrees and diplomas obtained outside mainland China, as well as their equivalence to domestic degrees. According to the CSCSE, certification is voluntary and not mandatory. The "Measures for Certification" state that certification is intended to meet applicants' needs for further education, employment, and examinations. When returning to China to pursue graduate studies or seek employment, applicants are often required to present the certification.

Let's start with the most crucial point: certification is not something you only need to consider after graduation. Whether a school is recognized by its host country's government, whether the program has quality assurance, and whether you are truly studying abroad are all basically determined during the school selection process, which dictates whether you can get certified. Diplomas obtained through cross-border distance learning have always been explicitly excluded from the CSCSE's certification scope.

Which Certificates Are Eligible for Certification

According to the CSCSE's "Guide to Certification of Foreign Academic Degrees and Diplomas," legitimate and legal higher education degrees and diplomas obtained from the following institutions are accepted for certification:

Foreign universities or higher education institutions
Universities or higher education institutions in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan
Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions or programs legally established in mainland China

Additionally, the following three conditions must be met:

The degree-granting institution is a legitimate, regular higher education institution recognized by the competent government department in the host country or region;
The program has quality assurance or is accredited, and the study experience meets the local statutory duration requirements;
The certificate is recognized by the government department of the host country.

Which Certificates Are Not Accepted

The CSCSE explicitly lists the following certificates as not accepted for certification:

High school diplomas and other non-higher education level diplomas;
Graduation or completion certificates for foreign language training or other non-degree education programs;
Certificates of research experience for visiting scholars and advanced scholars, as well as postdoctoral research certificates;
Foundation program certificates issued by foreign universities;
Honorary titles, as well as honorary degrees without corresponding study or research experience;
Various professional qualification certificates.

Another category that needs special emphasis: diplomas obtained through cross-border distance learning. On May 18, 2026, the CSCSE issued a reminder stating that such certificates have "always been excluded" from the certification scope. The special certification rules during the pandemic only applied to cases where in-person classes were forced to move online due to the pandemic, and cross-border distance learning was never included in the certification scope. The reminder also mentioned that some agencies and overseas institutions falsely claim that certification can be obtained without studying abroad, which may even constitute fraud.

Types of Certification Results

Result	Condition	Fee
Certification Approved	Meets the requirements of the "Measures for the Certification of Foreign Academic Degrees and Diplomas"; a certification certificate is issued	Standard fee applies
Temporarily Not Certified	Temporarily fails to meet the requirements; a notice of temporary non-certification is issued	Certification fee is refundable
Certification Denied	The applicant provides false materials or information; a notice of certification denial is issued	Non-refundable, and the case will be publicly disclosed

Article 38 of the "Measures for Certification" lists various circumstances under which a certification certificate cannot be issued. The main ones relevant to school selection for families are:

The certificate, degree-granting institution, or operating institution does not meet the certification standards;
The quality assurance of the program does not meet the certification standards;
A significant proportion of transferred or waived credits (study hours) comes from domestic study experience;
The study experience involves an institution without educational qualifications;
Failed the enhanced review;
The applicant refuses or fails to submit supplementary materials on time, or the supporting materials are insufficient.

If you disagree with the certification result, you can apply for a review within 12 months from the date the result is issued. Only one review application is allowed, and it is free of charge.

The consequences of providing false materials are severe: according to the "Measures for Certification," the applicant will be placed on a public disclosure list. The disclosure period is generally 1 year, and 3 years for serious cases (such as forging certificates, passports, or entry/exit records). During this period, their certification applications will not be accepted.

Required Materials

All materials must be uploaded electronically online; there is no need to mail original documents. For mainland Chinese residents, the requirements are as follows:

Academic Degree and Diploma Certificates: Color scans in PDF format. If both the front and back of the certificate contain information, both sides must be uploaded. If there are two language versions, the original language version must be uploaded.
Passport, Visa, and Entry/Exit Records Used During Study: The first page of the passport and visa pages during the study period (including e-visas and residence permits). When applying, you must authorize the CSCSE to obtain your entry and exit records during your study period through the "National Immigration Administration 12367" platform; if the records are incomplete, you will need to submit additional relevant materials.
Recent Standard ID Photo: Any background color is acceptable.
Authorization Declaration: Fill out according to the CSCSE template, in English or the language of the host country, and sign it personally.
Other Materials: The CSCSE recommends submitting a complete official transcript. Transcripts are mandatory for applicants whose study duration does not meet the program requirements or who have studied at multiple institutions in multiple countries. Some countries, such as the UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia, have additional material requirements, which should be prepared according to the country-specific instructions on the official website.

Can you apply before receiving the certificate? The CSCSE states that certification applications submitted with a proof letter are no longer accepted starting January 1, 2023 (except for degree award certificates with the same effect as degree certificates in Spain and Italy, which should be processed according to the document checklist). If the certificate is lost, you must, in principle, first apply to the school for a replacement.

For students enrolled in Sino-foreign cooperative education programs or institutions, if the study period outside mainland China is less than 6 months (180 days), only a scanned copy of the national ID card is required; if it exceeds 180 days, a passport and other materials must be prepared as required for studying abroad.

Online Application Steps

Certification applications can only be submitted by the applicants themselves through the CSCSE Online Service Hall and cannot be processed by proxies. Minors may authorize their legal guardians in writing to handle the application.

Log in to the "Academic Degree and Diploma Certification" section of the CSCSE Online Service Hall and register an account;
Real-name authentication: Register in the unified identity authentication system using your ID card number;
Real-person authentication: Complete this using the "National Immigration Administration 12367" app to obtain an 8-digit authorization code, authorizing the CSCSE to query your entry and exit records;
Fill out the application form according to your degree and study experience;
Upload materials;
Pay the certification fee online.

Each certificate requires a separate application. If a single certificate includes multiple degrees, it is counted as one application.

Processing Time and Cost

Cost: The certification fee is ¥360 per certificate, payable online.

Processing Time: The CSCSE manages processing times by category based on countries and regions:

Processing Time	Applicable Scope
Within 10 working days	Most institutions in the US and Canada; most Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions
Within 15 working days	Most institutions in the UK, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore
Within 20 working days	Other countries and regions

Processing times may be extended if the school fails to respond to verification requests promptly, during domestic or international public holidays, or if the applicant does not submit supplementary materials on time. The CSCSE does not offer expedited services and has specifically warned that agencies and individuals claiming to provide "proxy processing" or "expedited services" pose risks. High-level talents, such as PhD holders, have a separate green channel.

The certification result is an electronic credential that can be verified on the CSCSE website. If a physical copy is needed for your records, you can print the certification certificate bearing the electronic seal yourself.

How to Check if a School is Within the Certification Scope

Certified Institution Query: The CSCSE updates the certified institution query data once a year. The 2025 update was completed on September 24, 2025, and is accessible at yxcx.cscse.edu.cn/rzyxmd. This update added 606 new institutions and removed 270 institutions that had not issued any certification certificates in the past 5 years. Some institutions are not publicly displayed due to name changes, reorganizations, or changes in qualifications.
Enhanced Review and Suspension Announcements: The "Enhanced Review" section of the CSCSE Online Service Hall lists announcements of institutions subject to enhanced certification review or suspended certification acceptance, involving some institutions in countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and France.
Private Institutions in Singapore: The CSCSE has separately published the certification scope for private education institutions in Singapore, with the latest version released on September 14, 2026. The list specifies the start date from which each institution's certifications can be accepted. Those planning to attend private institutions in Singapore must check this list carefully.
Ministry of Education's Foreign Education Regulatory Information Network (jsj.moe.gov.cn): Publishes admissions warnings and information related to Sino-foreign cooperative education.

Please note: The CSCSE states that before an application is submitted, it cannot determine whether it will pass certification based solely on the information provided by the individual. Each application is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The query list should only be used as a reference for school selection and does not guarantee certification approval.

What to Make of the Rumored "2026 Certification New Rules" Online

There are many articles online regarding the "2026 CSCSE Certification New Rules," mentioning claims such as one-year master's programs requiring a specific number of months of overseas study. As of October 4, 2026, the current "Certification Guide" on the CSCSE official website was released on April 2, 2025, and the "Measures for Certification" was released on January 28, 2023. We have not found any regulations regarding fixed study months in the so-called "new rules" on the official website.

Regarding study duration, the CSCSE's FAQ states that educational systems vary significantly across countries. The center evaluates each application on a case-by-case basis by referencing local degree systems, qualification frameworks, quality assurance mechanisms, and the regulations of the degree-granting institutions. Additionally, if the overseas study duration is significantly shorter than the program requirement but does not involve distance learning, the certification certificate may state "did not study abroad for the full duration."

Therefore, rather than relying on various "interpretations" or "guides," it is best to refer directly to the notices and announcements in the CSCSE Online Service Hall.

Key Actions to Take During the School Selection Stage

Confirm the Legal Status of the School: Whether it is a higher education institution recognized by the host country's government, and whether the program is accredited by the local quality assurance agency.
Check the Certified Institution List and Enhanced Review Announcements: Focus on the CSCSE's query system and announcement sections.
Confirm It Is an In-Person Program: Do not choose cross-border distance learning or programs that claim "get a degree without going abroad."
Complete the Program According to the Standard Duration: Try to complete the course overseas within the normal program duration, and keep your passport, visa, and entry/exit records safe.
Pay Attention to Credit Waivers: Programs that heavily rely on domestic study experience to waive credits may require additional explanations during the certification process.
For Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education: Verify through the Ministry of Education's channels whether the program is legally established.
Apply as Soon as Possible After Graduation: The CSCSE recommends submitting the application as soon as you receive your degree certificate, and keep your transcripts and other materials safe.

This article is intended solely for organizing policy information. For specific details, please refer to the official website of the China Service Center for Scholarly Exchange.

Need Help?

If you are unsure whether a specific school or program will be eligible for certification upon returning to China during the school selection process, you can first explore our University Application Planning Service, or Book a consultation with an admissions counselor. We will help you verify the details against official lists and announcements.