CSCSE certification of a Hong Kong master’s degree: eligibility, documents and steps

CSCSE certification (留服认证) is the certificate of overseas (and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) academic credentials issued by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE, 教育部留学服务中心) under the Ministry of Education. Every rule below is taken from CSCSE’s and the Ministry of Education’s own pages; CSCSE’s latest notices take precedence.

Certification is CSCSE’s professional assessment of an overseas higher-education certificate’s legitimacy and authenticity and of its correspondence to Chinese qualifications (Measures for the Certification of Overseas Academic Credentials, Article 2). Universities and higher-education institutions in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are within scope (certification guide); for which Hong Kong institutions qualify, CSCSE refers to the Ministry of Education’s list of Hong Kong higher-education institutions (updated 18 June 2024).

Certification is voluntary, not compulsory; you can apply whenever your documents are complete, and CSCSE suggests applying soon after receiving the degree certificate (CSCSE FAQ).

You need the degree certificate first. Since 1 January 2023, CSCSE no longer accepts applications based on a letter confirming the award (FAQ), and a transcript cannot replace the certificate (FAQ). An electronic certificate with the same legal effect as the paper one can be used, assessed case by case (FAQ).

If you do not yet meet the requirements but need to start work or further study in the Mainland, CSCSE can issue an explanatory letter to the employer (notice).

From CSCSE’s document list for Mainland residents. Everything is uploaded electronically; do not post originals.

1. Degree certificate: PDF, up to 5 MB.
2. The Exit-entry Permit used during your studies: scans of the personal-details page and the endorsements covering your study period. When applying you authorise CSCSE to retrieve all entry-exit records for the period through the National Immigration Administration’s 12367 app or mini-program. If the records are incomplete, download the full record as a PDF, or submit the stamped permit pages or a certificate from the exit-entry authorities.
3. ID photo: one recent standard photo, any background, JPG up to 1 MB.
4. Authorisation form: completed as CSCSE requires and signed by hand; applicants from Hong Kong institutions fill in their student number and Hong Kong Identity Card number, or “none”.
5. Transcript: not required, except that it is mandatory if your time at the awarding institution was shorter than the standard length; CSCSE also recommends it so it can identify your field of study accurately.

No Chinese translations are needed (FAQ). If any of the first four items is missing, CSCSE issues a notice of non-acceptance and returns the fee within 15 working days (FAQ).

Following the certification guide, the process has five steps:

1. Register under “学历学位认证” on CSCSE’s online service hall;
2. Verify your real name by registering a unified identity account with your ID card number;
3. Verify your identity in person through the 12367 app and obtain an 8-digit authorisation code that lets CSCSE retrieve your entry-exit records;
4. Fill in the application and upload the documents;
5. Pay the fee online and wait for the electronic result.

The application must be submitted by the graduate in the online service hall and may not be delegated or made on someone else’s behalf (certification guide). Each certificate is a separate application, and once submitted it cannot be changed or withdrawn (Measures, Article 15).

• Fee: RMB 360 per certificate, paid online (certification guide).
• Timing: CSCSE issues the result within 10 to 20 working days of accepting the application; overseas public holidays and time spent supplying extra documents do not count (Measures, Article 23). The Ministry of Education service platform lists a pledged completion time of 20 working days (MOE service platform).
• No express service; when CSCSE asks for more information, you have 7 working days to respond (Measures, Article 15).

The certificate does not simply copy the programme name on your degree. Based on the documents you provide, CSCSE may give a factual description of your field of study in line with the local higher-education subject classification (Measures, Article 35). If your documents do not show a field, the certificate does not state one (FAQ).

Also: CSCSE does not certify how a field corresponds to Mainland subject categories or the programme catalogue (FAQ); the certificate does not state whether study was full-time (FAQ); and CSCSE decides the Chinese and English names of the institution and the degree (Measures, Article 34).

Results are issued only as electronic certificates that you can print (FAQ); they can be checked by scanning with the 留学e网通 mini-program or by entering the name, certificate number and a code (verification page), and they cannot be looked up on CHSI (FAQ).

• Non-local courses in Hong Kong: degrees earned through non-local courses are not covered by the 2004 Mainland–Hong Kong mutual-recognition memorandum and are outside the scope (FAQ).
• Part-time study: bachelor’s degrees earned part-time in Hong Kong are not accepted; postgraduate degrees are (FAQ).
• Cross-border distance learning: certificates earned this way have never been within scope (notice).
• Length of study: there is no common minimum; each application is assessed case by case under the rules of the place that awarded it (FAQ), and CSCSE cannot judge in advance of an application (FAQ).

How do I get my Hong Kong master’s certified?

After receiving your degree certificate: register on CSCSE’s online service hall, complete the real-name and in-person identity checks, upload the degree certificate, permit endorsements, photo and authorisation form, pay RMB 360 and wait for the electronic certificate. See steps.

Can a one-year Hong Kong master’s be certified?

CSCSE has no common minimum length of study and assesses each application case by case under the rules of the place that awarded the degree (FAQ). The Ministry of Education states that Mainland education authorities recognise the qualifications and degrees Mainland students obtain from higher-education institutions in Hong Kong on completing their studies (MOE).

Can someone apply for me?

No. The graduate must apply personally and may not delegate it, including to parents, spouses or other close relatives (certification guide, service agreement). Family or friends may pay the fee (FAQ).

Must I certify my bachelor’s degree before my master’s?

No. CSCSE states that a bachelor’s degree does not need to be certified before a master’s degree (FAQ).

• Application process · Conditional offers · English language requirements · Deposits and application fees
• Programme library: each programme page gives the official name and link
• Sources and verification