An advanced degree in China? Think again, students say, as exam numbers plunge
China’s graduate entrance examination is not seen as the golden ticket to employment that it once was
Enrolment for China’s postgraduate entrance exam has declined for the second consecutive year after a years-long rise, signalling waning interest in advanced degrees that appear to be losing value at a time when job opportunities for young Chinese adults are scarce.
Data revealed by the Ministry of Education on Thursday showed that 3.88 million people have signed up for the 2025 postgraduate entrance exam. This marks an 11.4 per cent drop from this year’s total of 4.38 million, and an 18.1 per cent drop from the 2023 total of 4.74 million.
“Now, with a gloomy job market, a master’s degree no longer guarantees job opportunities, so some college graduates choose to start working immediately if they can find a job after graduation,” said Xiong Bingqi, director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, a Beijing-based think tank.
China’s annual national graduate entrance examination, known as the kaoyan, used to be considered a life-changing opportunity, with millions of students relying on it to earn a prestigious diploma and, ideally, to secure better job prospects after graduation.
