When foreigners apply for China work permits ( You can check our previous post: Work Permit for Foreigners for more information) engage in other activities related to China, they may be required to authenticate their degrees if they were issued by overseas universities. There are several methods for foreigners to authenticate their degrees, including:
- Chinese consulate/embassy
- Foreign consulates in China
- Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) of MOE
The third method, utilizing the CSCSE, is often the most cost-effective option for authenticating overseas degrees, but it is not widely known. Let’s explore how this process works.
The CSCSE is an institution directly under China’s Ministry of Education. One of its services is the authentication of degrees issued by international universities, which can be completed online. To begin the process, applicants must create a CSCSE account using their cellphone number. They can then submit their application by uploading color scanned copies of all the required documents and make the online payment of 360 RMB.
The following documents are typically required:
- Degree certificate
- Passport
- Recent photo
- Signed power of attorney
- Other documents (Additional documents may be required for degrees issued in specific countries such as Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Philippines, Pakistan, Malaysia, Italy, Spain, France, Hungary, Ireland, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, etc.)
The authentication certificate issued by CSCSE is in digital format, and it usually takes approximately 10 to 15 days for CSCSE to process the application and issue the certificate. No paper certificate will be provided.
It is important to note that not all overseas degrees can be authenticated by CSCSE for two reasons:
(1) the degree is obtained through an online program without physical attendance, and
(2) CSCSE fails to receive a response from the university that issued the degree via email. If an application is rejected, CSCSE will issue a notification stating the reasons, and the governmental fee of 360 RMB will be refunded.
One challenge with this method is that the CSCSE website is in Chinese. If you require assistance with filing your application for degree authentication, please feel free to contact us.
