The Chinese national curriculum for compulsory education covers Grades 1 to 9 and is set by the Ministry of Education. Its core subjects are Chinese, mathematics, a foreign language (usually English), morality and rule of law, history, geography, science, physics, chemistry, biology, information technology, physical education and health, the arts, and labour education, plus comprehensive practical activities. The current version, the 2022 curriculum plan and standards, took effect in autumn 2022. Compared with an American curriculum, the Chinese curriculum is more centrally standardised, teaches in Chinese and builds towards the zhongkao and gaokao exams.
This guide from Qingdao No. 1 International School of Shandong Province (QISS) explains the core subjects of the Chinese national curriculum, how the 2022 changes affect students, and how the Chinese curriculum compares with an international one.
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What Is the Chinese National Curriculum?
The national curriculum sets what students learn in China’s nine years of compulsory education, from primary school to the end of junior high school. In April 2022 the Ministry of Education issued the compulsory education curriculum plan and curriculum standards (2022 edition), with standards for 16 subjects, to be implemented from the autumn 2022 semester.
Senior high school, Grades 10 to 12, follows its own curriculum. Our guide to the Chinese school system explains how grades and ages fit together.
What Are the Core Subjects?
The Ministry of Education’s 2022 list of curriculum standards covers these subjects:
- Morality and rule of law (道德与法治)
- Chinese (语文)
- Mathematics (数学)
- Foreign language, with standards for English, Japanese and Russian
- History (历史) and geography (地理)
- Science (科学)
- Physics (物理), chemistry (化学) and biology (生物学)
- Information technology (信息科技)
- Physical education and health (体育与健康)
- Arts (艺术)
- Labour education (劳动)
Chinese and mathematics are taught throughout all nine years of compulsory education.
What Changed in the 2022 Curriculum?
According to China News Service’s report on the 2022 plan, the main changes were:
- Morality and rule of law became one subject designed across all nine years, replacing separate primary and junior high subjects.
- Arts were reorganised, with music and fine art as the main strands in Grades 1 to 7, including dance, drama and film, and separate options in Grades 8 and 9.
- Science and comprehensive practical activities now start in Grade 1.
- Labour education and information technology became separate subjects, with their own class time.
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How Is Learning Assessed?
The national curriculum builds towards two major exams:
- The zhongkao at the end of Grade 9 decides senior high school places.
- The gaokao at the end of Grade 12 is used for admission to universities in mainland China.
Our guide to gaokao vs SAT compares the gaokao with the US route.
How Does the Chinese Curriculum Compare with an American Curriculum?
| Chinese national curriculum | American curriculum | |
|---|---|---|
| Standards | Set nationally by the Ministry of Education | Set by each state or school |
| Language of teaching | Chinese | English |
| Main exams | Zhongkao and gaokao | Course grades, AP exams, SAT or ACT |
| Moral and civic education | Morality and rule of law as a core subject | Usually part of social studies and school culture |
| University route | Mainly universities in mainland China | Universities in the US and many other countries |
Neither approach is simply better. The right choice depends on where a child is likely to study next. Our guide to the American curriculum grade by grade explains the US structure, and our comparison of international and local schools in China covers the wider decision.
Moving from the Chinese Curriculum to an International School
Students who move from a Chinese school to an international school often bring strong mathematics and study habits, and the main adjustment is usually learning in English. Families should:
- Plan the timing, ideally at the start of a stage such as Grade 7 or Grade 10.
- Ask about English support and how the school assesses English on entry.
- Keep Chinese strong, so children do not lose their first language.
Our guide to the types of schools in China explains which schools families can choose between.
Chinese Language Learning at QISS
QISS follows a US curriculum from Early Childhood to Grade 12 and is accredited by WASC and CIS. Students keep up their Chinese through our Chinese Language and Culture program, which includes Chinese language and literature and traditional culture and art, with courses for both native and non-native speakers.
If your family is weighing a move from the Chinese curriculum to an international school, you are welcome to visit our campus and talk it through with our team.
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Start your application →Frequently Asked Questions
What are the core subjects of the Chinese national curriculum?
For Grades 1 to 9 they are Chinese, mathematics, a foreign language, morality and rule of law, history, geography, science, physics, chemistry, biology, information technology, physical education and health, the arts and labour education.
What changed in the 2022 Chinese curriculum?
Morality and rule of law became one nine-year subject, the arts were reorganised, science and comprehensive practical activities start in Grade 1, and labour education and information technology became separate subjects.
How is learning assessed in the Chinese curriculum?
Students build towards the zhongkao at the end of Grade 9, which decides senior high school places, and the gaokao at the end of Grade 12, which is used for university admission in mainland China.
How does the Chinese curriculum compare with an American curriculum?
The Chinese curriculum is set nationally, taught in Chinese and builds towards the zhongkao and gaokao. An American curriculum is set by states or schools, taught in English and leads to a diploma, AP exams and tests such as the SAT.
Can students move from the Chinese curriculum to an international school?
Yes. Students usually join the grade that matches their age, and the main adjustment is learning in English, so schools assess English on entry and offer support where needed.
