A 38-year-old Tsinghua University alumnus, Li Long, achieved a top score in China's national gaokao exam, securing admission to an eight-year medical program at Peking University.
Seventeen-year-old Xu Haotian and 15-year-old Xu Haolin from eastern China achieved exceptional scores in the gaokao, securing admissions to the University of Science and Technology and Peking University, respectively, sparking discussions on their talents and family education.
An 18-year-old Shanghai student, Wu Yulun, secretly traveled with a friend to Guangxi, a flood-stricken region in southwestern China, to join volunteer relief efforts after completing his gaokao, telling his parents he was on holiday.
Global fertility rates have fallen significantly since 1994, with over half of countries now below replacement level. This demographic shift is intensifying global talent competition, making international students crucial for countries seeking to attract skilled professionals and shape future economies.
Han Yaping, an 18-year-old from a disadvantaged rural family in Henan, China, achieved a top score of 699/750 on the gaokao. Despite offers from leading universities and attention from live-streamers offering financial aid, she declined their support.
A single mother in Sichuan, China, who left school after Primary One, works as a steel tube carrier to support her daughter, Liu Fang. Liu Fang achieved a top score in the national college entrance exam (gaokao), indicated by a score block, which grants her direct offers from top universities.
Chinese university admissions function as a Gaokao result bidding process, where students choose programs based on historical marks and future employment market predictions. Over half of graduates hold STEM degrees, significantly more than in industrialized nations.
China's Gaokao graduates face a mix of anxiety and uncertainty as the myth of higher education guaranteeing success crumbles. Many feel trapped between intense 'involution' and the unattainable 'lying flat' ideal, questioning societal pressures and seeking avenues for change.
Female candidates taking China's gaokao exam are facing increasing attention online regarding the challenge of having their periods overlap with the test dates. An estimated 30% of female candidates may experience this, leading some to seek contraceptives or folk remedies to postpone their periods.
The SCMP series explores China's gaokao, the national college entrance exam, examining its deep roots in ancient imperial exams and their lasting influence on modern education systems globally, as well as the contemporary "gaokao effect."
Chinese museums are using cultural relics with auspicious meanings, like crabs symbolizing success and ancient exam papers, to offer good luck wishes to students taking the Gaokao (national college entrance examination. This trend, amplified on social media, taps into a universal need for ritual and comfort during stressful times, resonating with younger generations by making historical artifacts relatable and providing a sense of shared experience across time.
Beijing's transportation department has launched a series of measures to support students during the Gaokao (National College Entrance Examination) from June 7-10. Services include special bus routes, priority access on the subway, dedicated taxi and ride-hailing services, and noise control around exam sites.
Chinese mobile games restricted social features on June 4th, the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident. Developers cited the upcoming Gaokao (college entrance exam) as the reason, sparking online discussion and accusations of censorship.
China's Gaokao exam security is enhanced with new rules. Spectacles will be checked, and carrying smart devices like phones, watches, or glasses into the exam hall is considered cheating. Metal item detection is also intensified.
China's Ministry of Education announced 12.9 million students registered for the 2026 Gaokao. The ministry detailed measures to ensure exam security, combat cheating, and improve candidate services, including specialized Braille exams and accommodations for disabled students.
China's Gaokao exam is implementing stricter security measures, including enhanced checks for smart glasses and other prohibited devices. The Ministry of Education issued warnings against cheating, impersonation, and scams, emphasizing severe legal penalties for violations.
China's Ministry of Education issued a warning ahead of the 2026 Gaokao, cautioning students against scams involving "exam prediction" and AI-generated questions. The ministry highlighted five typical cases and rumors, including cheating, impersonation, and fraudulent "prediction papers," urging vigilance and adherence to legal boundaries.
A Blue Book released in late March 2026 by Peking University's Sustainability Research Institute and two education companies reveals mainland Chinese students increasingly choosing Hong Kong for education, driven by geographic proximity, cultural familiarity, and career prospects. The report notes the trend has evolved from an elite pathway for top students into a complex ecosystem spanning schooling, undergraduate admissions, and taught master's programmes, with links to long-term residency planning. Hong Kong is predicted to become an educational magnet, supported by policies doubling non-local student quotas to 40% from 2024-25.
