There have been a lot of posts about children’s education in the forum lately, so I thought I’d join the conversation. We have a ‘handful’ at home, raised in Spain and about to start his Bachillerato. The whole family has been worried about him going back to China for university. I’m sure many families face a similar dilemma. After all, for kids who grew up here, their Chinese language skills can be inconsistent, and having them face China’s notoriously difficult Gaokao (National College Entrance Exam) is simply out of the question. After a ton of research and consultations, I’ve finally sorted out the different pathways. I’m sharing them here, hoping to help other families in need.
Main Pathways to University in China
Currently, for kids like ours who grew up in Spain and want to attend a prestigious university in China, the most mainstream and reliable route is the Joint Entrance Exam for Overseas Chinese Students. Alternatively, if your child holds a Spanish passport, some top universities offer international student admissions, but the requirements and tuition fees are a whole different story. So today, let’s focus on this ‘Joint Exam’. Simply put, it’s a special pathway the government has created for the children of overseas Chinese. The exam is much less difficult than the regular Gaokao, and the admission scores are significantly lower!
Eligibility for the Joint Entrance Exam for Overseas Chinese Students
At this point, the biggest question on everyone’s mind is surely: Is my child eligible? This is crucial, as the eligibility check is very strict. According to the latest policies, the basic requirements are:
- The student and at least one parent must have obtained long-term or permanent residency in Spain.
- The student must have actually lived in Spain for more than 2 years within the last 4 years prior to registration. This is a key requirement, similar to what students returning to China with a Spanish Master’s degree also need to consider.
- For the parental residency requirement, if a parent cannot live abroad due to work—a frequent issue for those planning for returning to China from Spain for university—they must provide relevant supporting documents.
Important Note: The residency time is a strict requirement. The immigration authorities will check entry and exit records, so don’t even think about trying to get around it! Every year, some students are disqualified for not meeting the residency requirement, which is a real shame.
To give you a more direct sense of the advantages of the Joint Entrance Exam, I’ve made a simple comparison table:
| Comparison | Regular Gaokao | Overseas Chinese Joint Exam |
|---|
| Difficulty | Nightmare level | Focuses on fundamentals; 70% is said to be middle school level content |
| Admission Score | Extremely high | Tier 1 universities: 400, Tier 2: 300 |
| Competition | Extremely competitive | A few thousand applicants annually; high acceptance rate |
| Subjects | Complex arts/science streams | Science stream excludes Biology; Arts stream excludes Politics |
Seeing those scores, don’t you feel like China’s top-tier universities (the ‘985’ and ‘211’ projects) are suddenly within reach? Of course, you can’t get complacent with preparations. Your child’s Chinese listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills are fundamental, especially writing. Subjects like math, physics, and chemistry, while not as difficult, follow a completely different curriculum than in Spain, requiring specialized textbooks and tutoring. There are prep classes in Madrid and Barcelona specifically for this exam, and you can also find online courses from China. While this path is easier than the Gaokao, it still requires several years of advance planning and effort from both students and parents.
I hope this information is helpful! These are all hard-earned lessons. Does anyone know of any other pitfalls or have other experiences to share? Feel free to leave a comment below to discuss and strategize for our children’s futures together!
