Documents, Medical Exam & Police Clearance for China Applications

The Foreigner Physical Examination Form (also called "Physical Examination Record for Foreigner") is the standard medical form used in long-term Chinese study applications. Current 2026 CGS supporting-document guidance says applicants planning to study in China for more than six months should upload a photocopy of the completed English form and keep the original.

Use the form and instructions linked by your current embassy, dispatching authority, or university. Before submitting, check that:

• the form is complete in English or Chinese;
• the physician has signed it and the hospital has applied its official seal;
• the photograph is sealed as the form requires;
• the requested X-ray, ECG, and laboratory reports are attached;
• it remains within the stated six-month validity period.

Hospital-acceptance and local verification rules vary. Confirm the accepted facility before booking rather than assuming every public or private clinic will be accepted. The dedicated physical examination guide links the official form and explains the current verification rules.

The official form itself is the controlling checklist. It includes:

• General physical exam: height, weight, blood pressure, vision, hearing, skin, cardiovascular and abdominal check.
• Blood tests listed on the form, including HIV and syphilis serology.
• Chest X-ray, with the report attached.
• ECG (electrocardiogram), with the tracing or report attached.
• Physician conclusion, signature, date, and hospital seal.

Do not use a blog to predict a medical, visa, or residence decision. If you have a health condition or an unclear result, ask the relevant Chinese embassy, university, or designated entry-exit health centre what documentation or retesting is required. After arrival, the local authority may verify the overseas form or require specific tests again.

There is no single worldwide validity rule. Many current Chinese university and scholarship notices ask for a recent non-criminal record certificate, often issued within six months, but the controlling notice may use a different period or reference date.

For every target route, record:

• the issuing authority it accepts;
• the issue-date or validity window;
• which countries or periods of residence must be covered;
• whether translation, notarization, apostille, or legalization is required;
• whether an electronic certificate is accepted.

Processing time varies by country and authority. Check the official issuing authority early and build its stated processing time into your application schedule rather than relying on generic country estimates.

The correct authentication path depends on the issuing country, document type, and receiving university or authority.

• Notarization may be required for a copy or translation, depending on the notice.
• Apostille is used when the Hague Apostille Convention applies between the issuing country and China. Use the official competent authority named for that country.
• Consular legalization may apply when the Apostille Convention does not govern the document.

Do not assume every degree, transcript, police certificate, or translation follows the same chain. Read the target university's current document rules and confirm the process with the official competent authority or Chinese embassy for the issuing country.

There is no reliable worldwide price or processing-time range. Use the official fee and turnaround published by each authority. The CSC Overview explains the application sequence, but the receiving institution's notice remains controlling.

Current CGS guidance commonly requires graduate and senior-scholar applicants to provide two recommendation letters in Chinese or English from professors or associate professors; see the 2026 Bilateral Program guide. Check the current route and university notice for any different rank, format, or submission rule.

Choose eligible referees who can honestly describe your academic or research work. Senior title alone does not make a generic letter better than a specific letter from an eligible referee who actually supervised or taught you.

The letter should follow the current notice and truthfully state how the referee knows you, the work they observed, and their assessment. Use official letterhead, signature, date, title, institution, and contact details when the receiving instructions request them.

Ready-to-adapt recommendation letter templates for eligible referees to review and approve are on our Templates page.

Many current CGS notices allow a student who has not yet graduated to submit an official certificate of expected graduation or certificate of enrollment. The 2026 Bilateral Program guide is one current example, but your route and target university control the exact document.

The university may make final admission conditional on receiving the completed degree and authenticated documents by its own deadline. Do not assume a universal mid-August date or automatic deferral.

Follow the target notice. A typical expected-graduation certificate includes:

• official university letterhead or another accepted verification method;
• your enrolled program and current status;
• your expected completion or graduation date;
• the issuing officer and institution;
• any translation or authentication requested by the receiving authority.

If your university uses a different document name, ask the receiving admissions office whether it satisfies the current checklist before submission.