Basic Education
In China, elementary school education is compulsory and lasts for 6 years. Children start school at the age of six (seven in some areas). Mandarin Chinese is the language of instruction outside of primary schools that accommodate minority students. The typical school year consists of two semesters and runs from September to July. Students attend classes five days a week and elementary school education currently covers nine compulsory subjects, including Chinese, Mathematics, Social Studies, Environment, Physical Education, Opinion and Behavior, Music, Fine Arts, and Staff Studies. Foreign Language is often taught as a subject of choice. In order to graduate, all students need to pass the graduation exams in Chinese and Mathematics. Tests are usually designed and administered by schools with the guidance of local education authorities. Students move to 3 (low) high school (chuzhong 初中) after graduating from elementary school.
Middle Education
Primary (primary) education lasts for three years after graduating from elementary school. In order for students to obtain a graduation certificate, students need to pass graduation tests and meet low levels of physical education. Graduation tests are designed and administered by each school according to guidelines set by the provincial education offices or local education authorities. Students are usually tested in the following subjects to obtain degrees: Chinese, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Foreign Language, and Politics. Graduating from primary (primary) education also marks the end of the 9-year compulsory education program (6 + 3).
Second Education
After graduating from elementary school, students can choose either to attend high school or to attend high school. Ordinary high school (education) lasts 3 years and vocational high school lasts 3 or 4 years. The high school is known as (gaozhong 高中) and the vocational high school is known as (zhongzhuan 中专) in China. Students who wish to continue their studies through regular (academic) track must pass the entrance exams for mainstream high schools, also known as (zhongkao 中 考) in China. Designed and overseen by provincial education authorities, the entrance exam includes the same subjects as the junior graduation exam. By the end of their final year of schooling, high school graduates seeking admission to post-secondary education are required to take the National Higher Education Entrance Examination, also known as the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE).
Vocational Education
Vocational education programs are offered at both tertiary and secondary levels. Tertiary institutions provide academic and vocational training and training. Tertiary education is more focused on employment and graduates often enter the workforce. However, it does give you some access to further education, especially in technical / vocational skills. Since 2000, the Department of Education (MOE) has allowed high school graduates to take the NCEE and be accepted into higher education programs.
Higher technical / vocational education is available at zhuanke (专科) level, which requires two or three years of full-time post-secondary education. Graduates in vocational education programs at Zhuanke level may have obtained a "bank 本科" (Bachelor's degree) certificate with a development program, but with a limited number of fields. Vocational institutions are currently operated at the provincial level.
Higher education
Tertiary education is provided by a variety of institutions including general and technical universities, specialized institutions, specialist universities, military centers, medical and college schools, private colleges, and adult higher education institutions of various kinds. Entering a university depends largely on how well the students pass the entrance exams. Successful students in their high schools can also be admitted to the entrance examination and commended directly to the university of their choice using the method (baosong 保送). In addition, some private institutions are exempt from NCEE (gaokao) and accept all students who cannot afford tuition fees. Reputable universities (important institutions) maintain high levels of admission, and therefore require higher NCEE (gaokao) scores than other institutions. Getting into higher education in China is highly competitive.