Birkbeck University of London China Entry: Gaokao Direct Entry and Postgraduate 2:1 / 2:2 Averages: Official Threshold Breakdown
Birkbeck, University of London publishes separate entry thresholds for applicants from China. For direct entry to a 3-year bachelor's degree, the university lists a Gaokao average of at least 75% for Year 1. For master's degrees, the required average depends on whether the programme asks for a UK 2:2 or a UK 2:1 undergraduate degree, and on the type of institution where the applicant studied.
Undergraduate direct entry from China
To be considered for direct entry onto a 3-year bachelor's degree at Birkbeck, applicants from China must have one of the following:
- National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) with an average minimum score of 75% for direct entry to Year 1
- A 2- or 3-year Diploma (Zhuanke or Da Zhuan) with a minimum final grade of at least 80% or equivalent
- At the discretion of the department, a Vocational Diploma (Gaozhi) with a minimum final grade of at least 80% or equivalent
- Completion of the first year of a bachelor's degree (Xueshi) with an average grade of at least 80% or equivalent
Students from higher-tiered universities may be accepted with an average grade of 75%.
Applicants from China who have only completed the Senior Secondary School Certificate will normally need to apply as foundation year students.
Applicants with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A-levels will be considered for direct admission to undergraduate degree programmes. IB requirements range from 28 to 33, depending on the course.
Foundation year entry
Chinese students applying directly from high school will need to complete a foundation course before enrolling on a 3-year bachelor's degree. Birkbeck has two options:
- Applicants who have already achieved 6.5 in the IELTS test can apply for four-year integrated Bachelor's Degree plus Foundation programmes, which offer a joint confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) for all four years of study.
- Applicants who do not meet the English requirement should apply for a Foundation year or international Year 1 degree at the partner provider OnCampus London, which offers guaranteed progression onto Birkbeck's Bachelor programmes.
Postgraduate entry thresholds
Birkbeck states that applicants should check the online entry requirement for their postgraduate course, to see whether it asks for a UK undergraduate degree with a 2:1 or a 2:2 classification. The university's published averages for applicants from China are set out below.
| Qualification held | Master's requiring UK 2:2 | Master's requiring UK 2:1 |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree (Xueshi) from a 211, 985 or top national university | 70% | 75% |
| Bachelor's degree from a national university | 75% | 80% |
| Bachelor's degree from a high-ranking private university | 75% | 80% |
| Master's degree | 60% | 70% |
For a master's degree that requires a UK 2:2 classification, the university says applicants will typically need one of the four qualifications in the table's first column with the averages shown.
For a master's degree that requires a UK 2:1 classification, the university says applicants will typically need one of the same four qualifications with the averages shown in the last column.
If applicants do not meet these criteria, the university states they can apply for OnCampus' Master's Foundation Programme, which is available for two- or three-term progression onto a wide range of master's degrees at Birkbeck.
Research degree entry
Birkbeck generally expects applicants to have a master's degree (Shuoshi) from a recognised university in China with a final grade of 75-85%. Minimum requirements vary by the university where the applicant studied. Students who have studied at one of the 211 universities will be accepted with a minimum of 75%. The university states that a key consideration will be the quality of the research proposal.
Transcripts in GPA format
If a transcript is provided in GPA format and not a percentage value, the university asks applicants to contact its International Office to check equivalency. For most institutions, the university lists these equivalents:
- 80% is equivalent to 4/5 or 3.3/4
- 75% is equivalent to 3.5/5 or 2.7/4
English language requirements
The English language requirements for Birkbeck courses are provided on individual course pages as minimum IELTS scores. The university states that it accepts many other tests and qualifications.