The University of Southampton has an active Chinese student community numbering several thousand.
Learn more about the requirements you'll need to study with us, plus access other resources for Chinese students.
Find out the Chinese equivalents to the grades and academic qualifications required to study with us in the UK. These will depend on what level of study you're applying for.
You will also need to meet English language requirements and have your student visa in place.
If you want to take a science or engineering undergraduate course but do not yet have the qualifications needed to apply, these one-year intensive introductions are a way to qualify and secure a place.
The Chinese equivalents for their entry requirements will depend on which of these one-year intensive introductions you apply for.
The Foundation year for engineering, maths or physics prepares you to take up one of 19 undergraduate degrees in engineering, maths or physics.
To apply for it, you need:
The Science Foundation Year prepares you to take many of our science undergraduate degrees.
To apply for it you need a National Senior High School certificate that shows you’ve completed 2 or 3 years of study.
If you've completed 2 years, you’ll need grades of:
If you've completed 3 years, you'll need grades of:
The OnCampus undergraduate foundation programmes prepare international students for degrees in:
They include English language study and will secure you a place on your chosen degree if you complete the foundation programme successfully.
To apply for one of these foundation programmes you’ll need:
Most of our undergraduate degrees take 3 years to complete full time and award a bachelor’s degree in the field you study.
To study with us at undergraduate level, you'll need one of the following, with a minimum grade or score dependent on the course you're applying for:
For some studio-based courses, you'll need to provide a portfolio of artwork.
You can find entry requirements on the course pages.
We accept the Gaokao for entry to many of our undergraduate degrees.
However, there are some degrees that do not accept the Gaokao, for example:
If your chosen course requires A level mathematics, you must have studied Gaokao mathematics (数学) and achieved the required grade.
Our overall A level equivalency grades are:
Our individual A level subject equivalency grades are:
To calculate your UK percentage grade, first check the maximum score for the province where you studied. Divide your score by that maximum, then multiply by 100.
For example, if you scored 600 and the province maximum is 750, your percentage grade would be 80%.
If you have any questions about the Gaokao, please submit a question to the International Office team.
The OnCampus pre-master's programmes prepare international students for studying at the master’s degree level. They take place over 2 semesters and focus on improving English language, study and research skills.
If you have a UK 2:2 degree equivalent but need a 2:1, successfully completing a programme will secure you a place on your chosen degree.
To apply for a pre-master's programme you’ll need:
Our postgraduate taught degrees involve more advanced study and usually take 1 year, depending on the course. The types of degrees we award include master’s degrees, postgraduate diplomas and certificates.
We accept bachelor’s degrees (学士学位) from China. To apply, you'll usually need the equivalent of a 2:1 or a 2:2 undergraduate degree:
See your course page for exact requirements.
The minimum grades you need for an equivalent to a first, 2:1 or 2:2 also depend on the institution that awarded your final certificate. Each institution falls into one of 4 groups called 'tiers' - each tier equates to a specific set of grades.
To check which tier yours belongs to, explore our list of Chinese universities, colleges, institutes, joint and offshore campuses:
Search Chinese institution tiers
If your institution isn't listed, use the grades for tier D.
The Chinese grades for each tier are shown as grade point averages, and percentages (%).
Tier A:
| UK degree classification | GPA out of 4.0 | GPA out of 5.0 | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| first class | 3.25 | 4.06 | 75% |
| high 2:1 | 3.1 | 3.84 | 73% |
| 2:1 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 70% |
| 2:2 | 2.3 | 2.88 | 65% |
Tier B:
| UK degree classification | GPA out of 4.0 | GPA out of 5.0 | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| first class | 3.5 | 4.38 | 80% |
| high 2:1 | 3.3 | 4.18 | 78% |
| 2:1 | 3.1 | 3.88 | 75% |
| 2:2 | 2.6 | 3.25 | 70% |
Tier C:
| UK degree classification | GPA out of 4.0 | GPA out of 5.0 | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| first class | 3.6 | 4.5 | 85% |
| high 2:1 | 3.4 | 4.32 | 83% |
| 2:1 | 3.25 | 4.06 | 80% |
| 2:2 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 75% |
Tier D:
| UK degree classification | GPA out of 4.0 | GPA out of 5.0 | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| first class | 3.9 | 4.88 | 93% |
| high 2:1 | 3.8 | 4.78 | 91% |
| 2:1 | 3.7 | 4.63 | 88% |
| 2:2 | 3.5 | 4.38 | 83% |
If you have any questions about equivalencies for your institution, submit a question to the International Office team.
To study for a PhD or research degree with us, you'll usually need all of the following:
Qualifying degrees must have been awarded by a recognised university.
