Students can withdraw their previous choice

Chinese universities are revising their major change policies; A change that allows students to re-examine their academic choices and move away from the path they chose under the influence of entrance exam scores, parents' wishes or worries about the future career. The post Students can withdraw their past choices appeared first on Safir Arjan.

According to Ambassador Arjan, changing majors in Chinese universities was a difficult process for many years, and many universities limited the transfer of students to strict GPA and class rank conditions. In 2005, the Ministry of Education of China, for the first time at the national level, recognized the possibility of changing majors with the consent of the university. This policy was also expanded in 2017, and students who had a special interest or talent in another field could apply for transfer.

This trend has accelerated in recent years. At Wuhan University, more than 600 undergraduate students changed majors in 2025, and more than 70% of transfer requests between faculties were accepted; An unprecedented figure. Some universities have also reduced transfer restrictions and academic requirements. Southwest University of Economics and Finance has also allowed 2026 entrants to receive their degree in the same field by passing the required units of other fields.

The students' experience shows that sometimes the gap between the family's expectations and the student's real interests is revealed only after entering the university. Chen, a 22-year-old student at Jiaying University in Guangdong Province, had chosen to study English on the advice of his parents; But at the end of the first semester, he realized that he was neither interested in teaching nor in psychology and educational sciences.

After learning about tourism management through one of his friends, he decided to change his educational path. Chen, who considers himself a sociable person and interested in challenges, believed that this field is more compatible with the spirit and dream of traveling around the world.

Meanwhile, academics support increased freedom of choice, but caution that changing majors should not just be a way to get a higher-paying job or a seemingly more secure future. According to them, students get a more accurate understanding of their interests and abilities after actually experiencing university courses. Some professors even believe that transfer students are more motivated and eager to learn because of the experience of choosing again and take their new opportunity more seriously.

The experience of Chinese universities shows that choosing a major at the age of 18 is not necessarily a final and infallible decision. Providing the possibility of revision can help students find a path that is compatible with their interests and abilities in addition to the right career prospects; A chance to correct a choice before it becomes a long-term regret.