The end of being forced to continue a field you don't like; The new decision of Chinese universities

Chinese universities are paving the way to change majors; An opportunity for students who have chosen under the pressure of entrance exam scores, family demands or career concerns to re-evaluate their educational path.

Ambassador Arjan - International Group: 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.

Changing majors in Chinese universities has been a difficult process for years, with many universities restricting transfer students to strict GPA and class rank requirements. 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.

Challenges related to changing majors in postgraduate education are rooted in basic education and the level of society's awareness. This issue will remain unsolved when the educational guidance is not done properly and the society, including the family, media and school, push students to a specific job and field from an early age, and on the other hand, the basis of admission to master's degrees is based solely on testing criteria.

The selection of the 1405 national entrance exam is accompanied by points and criteria that neglecting them can affect the final result of the candidates. The possibility of choosing a maximum of 150 local fields, the importance of prioritizing choices, the conditions of scholarship fields and the criteria related to academic records are among the things that candidates should pay attention to before completing the field selection form.

The National Education Assessment Organization has extended the deadline for choosing the national entrance exam, student teacher exam and admission based solely on the academic records of 1405 until the end of Monday, Mehr 20, and announced the publication of new courses and corrections of the booklets.