The yearly Chinese national college entrance exam, also known as the gaokao, continued across China on Sunday.
With the foreign language exam wrapping up on Sunday afternoon, the three core subjects - Chinese, mathematics, and foreign languages are now complete.
Students in provinces that conducted reform of college entrance exam will continue with their selective subject exams.
This year, the new college entrance examination has been implemented in 29 provinces across the country. Based on the schedule for selective subjects, all exams will conclude on Monday or Tuesday.
For instance, provinces such as Hebei, Shanxi, Jilin, and Jiangsu will finish their exams on Monday, while Beijing, Tianjin, Zhejiang, and Shandong will wrap up on Tuesday.
As per previous years, college entrance examination results are usually available for inquiry between June 23 and 25. Some provinces have already announced their result dates. For instance, Hunan, Hubei, Jilin, and Jiangxi are expected to release their exam results around June 25.
A total of 13.35 million students are expected to sit this year's exam, according to the Ministry of Education.
Since its reinstatement in 1977, the gaokao has become one of China's most powerful tools for the promotion of educational equity and social mobility. Rooted in a merit-based selection ethos, the exam allows students from families of all backgrounds to compete fairly. This standardized system ensures transparency and accountability in university admissions for a population of over 1.4 billion.
For many, the gaokao is a life-changing moment, a single chance to transform their future through determination and hard work. It has come to symbolize fairness, opportunity, and the belief that personal effort can change one's future.
College entrance exam for 2025 continues across China
