Gaokao Score Calculator (China)

The maximum total Gaokao score is 750 points. This is made up of Chinese Language (150), Mathematics (150), Foreign Language (150), and a Comprehensive subject paper covering either Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) or Humanities (Politics, History, Geography), worth 300 points combined.

Gaokao cutoff lines are minimum scores set each year by each province to qualify for different tiers of university admission: Tier 1 (一本线) for top universities, Tier 2 (二本线) for standard four-year universities, and the Vocational line (专科线) for vocational/junior colleges. These lines vary by province and by Science or Humanities track, and change every year based on exam difficulty and the number of available places.

Each province administers its own version of the Gaokao and has a separate quota of university places, meaning cutoffs are set independently. Provinces with larger student populations (like Henan and Shandong) tend to have higher effective competition. Municipality regions like Beijing and Shanghai historically have lower cutoff lines due to more local university places per student.

All students sit Chinese Language, Mathematics, and a Foreign Language (typically English). Students also choose either the Science comprehensive paper (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) or the Humanities comprehensive paper (Politics, History, Geography). Some provinces, such as Zhejiang and Shanghai, have adopted a 'New Gaokao' reform model where students select three elective subjects from a wider menu.

Scores are totalled from the raw marks of each subject. Chinese, Mathematics, and Foreign Language are each marked out of 150. The comprehensive paper (Science or Humanities) is marked out of 300. This gives a maximum total of 750 points. There is no negative marking; partial credit is awarded for structured questions.

A score above the local Tier 1 cutoff (typically around 550–620 depending on province and track) is considered competitive for well-known universities. Scores above 650 are generally needed for elite institutions like Peking University or Tsinghua University. Nationally, only the top few percent of students exceed 650.

The Gaokao is open to Chinese nationals who have completed secondary schooling in mainland China. Overseas Chinese (华侨) students may be eligible to sit a separate 'Overseas Chinese Gaokao' (华侨联考). International students from outside China typically apply to Chinese universities via separate international student admission pathways, not the Gaokao.

Under the New Gaokao reform, piloted in Zhejiang and Shanghai from 2017 and expanding to more provinces, students choose three elective subjects from a list of six or seven (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Politics, and sometimes Technology). Each elective is scored out of 100, replacing the single 300-point comprehensive paper. The core three subjects (Chinese, Math, Foreign Language) remain the same.