Summary:
The number of candidates taking China’s postgraduate entrance examination for 2016 entry, which started on 26 December, saw an increase of 7 per cent compared to a year ago, reaching 1.77 million. This reverses two years of decline in 2014 and 2015, and slightly exceeds the previous peak of 1.76 million seen in 2013. Liaoning and Jiangsu saw particularly fast growth in candidates, while Beijing had the highest number of applicants and a similar rate of growth as the national average.

The proportion of these candidates applying for professional degree courses such as MBA programmes has continued to increase, reaching 48 per cent compared to 44 per cent last year. Applicants for these courses have roughly doubled in the last four years to 850,000, while the number of candidates wishing to study traditional academic master’s degrees has fallen from 1.22 million in 2012 to 920,000 in 2016.

According to a report by China Education Online (EOL), the most common reason for students to apply to postgraduate courses is to improve their competitiveness in the job market, with around 43 per cent of survey respondents giving this as their main reason. The report attributed the rise in postgraduate applicants to the country’s tough job market, which is caused by both weakening economic growth and the increasing number of university graduates.

EOL’s survey also showed that subjects related to business and economics are particularly popular among candidates for domestic postgraduate study. Subjects in these areas made up seven of the top 10 subjects chosen by applicants at the master’s degree level, with the top three subjects being accounting, finance and business administration.

The proportion of students admitted to postgraduate courses at top universities without needing to take the postgraduate entrance examination will also increase for the 2016 intake. For instance, Peking University planned to recruit 2,167 recommended students based on recommendations or previous performance, accounting for half of its total recruitment plans.

Analysis by Kevin Prest, Senior Analyst Analysis and Liu Xiaoxiao, Education Services Manager:
The increase in applicants for domestic postgraduate study is a positive sign for UK universities. China’s tough job market and the need for differentiation against an increasing number of undergraduate degree holders are also important drivers for postgraduate study abroad, while the increase in Chinese undergraduates expands the base for postgraduate recruitment in the UK as well as domestically. The increasing proportion of candidates applying for professional degrees is also a strong indicator of demand for these subject areas, as well as showing that employability is increasingly important to Chinese postgraduates.

It should also be noted that not all of these candidates will be successful in their applications. Last year the number of available places was only around 35 per cent of the number of candidates, and this year’s increase in candidates is likely to be faster than the expansion of domestic master’s degree places, meaning that the pass rate will decrease. This may also have a positive effect on demand for UK master’s degrees in 2016-17.

Sources:
1. http://kaoyan.jyb.cn/kysx/201512/t20151225_647759.html
2. http://www.eol.cn/html/ky/report2016/index.shtml