Macao education system

Macao is an international tourist city where Chinese and Western cultures meet. The fusion of multiple cultures provides students with a broad international perspective and a free academic atmosphere. At the same time, Macao's unique and profound cultural heritage has also created good conditions for higher education. Macao's higher education institutions have reached international standards in terms of curriculum, teaching staff and teaching quality. Most courses are taught in English or Chinese, and some courses are taught in Portuguese. In such a multicultural environment, students can quickly improve their language skills, which can be said to be easier to adapt to than going abroad. The general language used in Macao is Cantonese, and there is basically no language barrier for domestic students.

According to the Outline Law of the Non-Higher Education System, Macao's education categories are divided into "formal education" and "continuing education". "Formal education" is a three-year system of kindergarten education (formerly primary school preparatory classes), a six-year system of primary education, a three-year system of junior high school education, and a three-year system of high school education (high school education was originally a two-year or three-year system), a total of 15 years of formal education. The above school system is the "local school system". "Continuing education" can be further divided into family education, return education, community education and vocational training. Schools that do not implement the local school system are "non-local school systems" and cannot receive government subsidies for free education.

The Macau government implements 15 years of free education from kindergarten to high school for schools included in the public education network (including non-profit private schools that implement the local school system). "Free education" includes students being exempt from tuition fees, supplementary service fees and other fees related to registration, attendance and certificates.

Most schools in Macau divide high schools into arts and sciences, and some schools also offer business and vocational subjects. The grades for each subject are not fixed and are arranged by the school itself.

Currently, there are 12 higher education institutions or institutions in Macau. The Higher Education Assistance Office is responsible for coordinating higher education matters in Macau.

 Public higher education institutions include:
   • University of Macau
   • Macao Polytechnic Institute
   • Institute for Tourism Studies
   • Macau Security Forces Training College

Private higher education institutions include:
   • City University of Macau
   • Macau University of Science and Technology
   • University of Saint Joseph
   • Macau Millennium College
   • Macau Institute of Management
   class="content-right_1THTn">• Macau Millennium College

Research Institutions:
   • Institute of European Studies of Macau
   • United Nations University International Institute for Software Technology

Schools in Macau adopt different education systems according to their needs and goals, usually Chinese, British and Portuguese education systems. The academic diplomas of Macau universities are recognized by the Ministry of Education of China and are recognized by more than 100 countries around the world. Macau has signed cooperation agreements or score recognition agreements with some famous universities in the United States, Britain, Europe, New Zealand and other countries. Students or graduates can directly transfer to those universities to continue their undergraduate or master's courses, adopting the 2+2 or 3+1 model, and can obtain a dual degree from Macau and overseas cooperative institutions after graduation.

For domestic college entrance examination students, after applying for Macau universities, if they are admitted by both mainland universities and Macau universities, they can freely choose which university to go to, and there will be no impact on the college entrance examination admission. In order to apply to study in Macau, generally speaking, candidates need to obtain a score above the second undergraduate admission line in the college entrance examination.

Choosing to study in Macau will not affect the college entrance examination of mainland candidates, and it can also become a "transit station" for studying abroad in the future. In addition, there is no language barrier and it is easy to adapt to living habits, which is also one of the highlights of Macau universities to attract mainland students. Usually, Macau universities will issue scholarships of different degrees according to the candidates' college entrance examination scores, and enjoy full or half tuition exemption, or even accommodation and living subsidies. In the future, you only need to maintain a certain score every year to continue to receive scholarships.

Applicants for courses taught in English must undergo an English interview. However, applicants who meet the following conditions may be considered for exemption from the English interview: the language of instruction of the applicant's bachelor's degree is English, or the applicant's bachelor's degree is in English, or the applicant has achieved the National College English Test (CET) Level 6, TOEFL (TOEFL) written test 550 points or computer test 213 points, IELTS 6.0 or above, or equivalent qualifications.

Compared with Hong Kong, the tuition fees of universities in Macau are lower, about RMB 50,000-70,000 per year, and the living expenses are not much different from those in the mainland. It is worth noting that according to relevant regulations, mainland students hold study visas and do not have resident ID cards, so they cannot work in Macau or study part-time. Since there is no opportunity to work and study, most universities have different scholarship programs.

Studying in Macau is much easier than going abroad. Not only does it avoid the trouble of visas, it simplifies application procedures and saves a lot of expenses. It is also very convenient to visit relatives in the mainland, and you don't have to experience the loneliness of being a stranger in a foreign land away from your parents.

In addition, there are only a few vocational schools in Macau that teach technical subjects such as car repair and electronic engineering.

Currently, due to household registration restrictions, mainland students must return to the mainland to work after graduation. There are also corresponding household registration restrictions for administrative positions such as civil servants, but working in a company only requires the employer to issue a labor certificate and enjoy the same pay for equal work as local Macau residents. In addition, as the Macau labor market will be further opened up, graduates will have more and more employment opportunities in Macau.