China's education ministry offers online college application guidance after gaokao

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Education has launched a website offering free guidance for high school graduates in applying for universities and colleges after the recently concluded annual national college entrance exam, also known as the gaokao, the ministry said in a news release on Wednesday.

Results of this year's gaokao, which started on June 7 nationwide and lasted two to four days depending on the different regions, are scheduled to be released around June 25 in most parts of the country.

After receiving their results, students will need to complete a list detailing their intended institutions of study in order of preference, and submit it online. College admissions will be based on both test scores and application lists.

The ministry website provides information about over 2,800 institutions across the country and details of more than 130 popular majors, including their core courses and possible career options.

Students can also input test scores on the website and receive recommendations concerning the choice of institutions and majors, based on big data analysis of college admissions in past years.

The ministry said it would later provide an online platform for universities and colleges to respond to inquiries from students via text chats and live-streaming.

College admission will start in early July and conclude before the end of August in most parts of the country.

A record number of 13.42 million individuals participated in this year's gaokao, an increase of 510,000 people compared to last year.