Documents Required to Study in China from Sri Lanka: Full Checklist

Documents required to study in China from Sri Lanka: certificates, notarisation, MFA attestation, police report and medical form. Get the checklist.

In short: the documents required to study in China from Sri Lanka are a valid passport, your A/L (and O/L) certificates, notarised copies or English translations, a police clearance certificate, the Foreigner Physical Examination Form, proof of funds, a study plan, recommendation letters and photos. For the visa you add the university admission letter and the JW201/JW202 form. Start collecting them at least three to four months before your application deadline, because attestation and the police report take the longest.

This guide lists every document by stage (university admission, CSC scholarship and visa), who issues each one in Sri Lanka, what it costs where a fee is published, and the order to get them in. For the full picture of studying in China, start with our complete guide to studying in China from Sri Lanka.

What documents are required to study in China from Sri Lanka?

The documents required to study in China from Sri Lanka fall into three stages. A Chinese university needs your academic records and identity documents to admit you; a CSC scholarship application adds a medical form, a police report and stronger supporting letters; and the visa needs the admission letter and JW form. Most documents are reused across all three stages.

Document	Who issues it (Sri Lanka)	Needed for	Approx. cost	Processing time
Passport	Department of Immigration and Emigration	Admission, CSC, visa	Check current fee	Check
A/L and O/L certificates	Department of Examinations (certificate.doenets.lk or One-Day Service)	Admission, CSC	Check on doenets.lk	Check
Degree certificate and transcript (postgraduates)	Your university's examinations or registrar's office	Admission, CSC	Set by the university	Set by the university
Notarised copies and translations	Sri Lankan notary public (attorney-at-law); sworn translator for Sinhala or Tamil documents	Admission, CSC	Check with the notary	Check
Foreign Ministry attestation	Consular Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (e-DAS)	Only if the university or a Chinese authority asks	Rs. 800 per exam certificate, Rs. 1,200 for other documents (2023 gazette rates; check)	Check
Police clearance certificate	Sri Lanka Police (police.lk E-Services)	CSC, many universities	Rs. 5,100 listed for applicants abroad (check the in-country rate on the portal)	About 14 days after payment
Foreigner Physical Examination Form	A public hospital in Sri Lanka	CSC, some universities, residence permit in China	Check with the hospital	Check
Bank statement or sponsor letter	Your or your sponsor's bank	Admission, visa (self-funded)	Bank charge	Check with your bank
Study plan and recommendation letters	You; your teachers or lecturers	Admission, CSC	Free	Allow 2 to 4 weeks for referees
Admission letter and JW201/JW202	The Chinese university	Visa	Free	Sent after admission
X1 student visa	Chinese Embassy, Colombo	Travel	LKR 5,850 single entry (valid to 31 Dec 2026)	About 4 working days

"Check" means no current official figure could be confirmed for this guide in October 2026; confirm with the issuing office before you pay.

How do I get my A/L and O/L certificates for a Chinese university?

Sri Lankan A/L and O/L certificates are issued by the Department of Examinations. You can apply online on the Department's certificate portal (certificate.doenets.lk), which produces a digital certificate, or use the Department's One-Day Service if a university wants a printed original. Chinese universities usually ask for a scan at application and the original or a notarised copy on arrival.

When applying online, the certificate type matters. If you also need Foreign Ministry attestation, choose "Foreign Ministry Certificate (Direct to Foreign Ministry)": the certificate goes straight to the Consular Affairs Division and you receive an SMS with a certificate number to start authentication. The Ministry says this online route covers certificates issued from 2001 onwards, and fees are paid separately to the Department of Examinations and to the Ministry.

Degree holders applying for a Master's or PhD also need their degree certificate and full transcript in English from their university.

Do I need notarisation and translation of documents in Sri Lanka?

Notarisation of documents in Sri Lanka is the most common requirement. The CSC and most Chinese universities ask for notarised copies of your highest qualification and transcripts, which means a Sri Lankan notary public (a practising attorney-at-law) certifies that each copy matches the original. Documents in Sinhala or Tamil, such as a birth certificate, need an English translation by a sworn translator first.

Exam certificates from the Department of Examinations are already in English, so they usually need notarisation only. Notary fees are set by each notary; ask for a per-page price, and notarise a few spare sets because universities often keep copies.

Is Foreign Ministry attestation needed, and how does MOFA attestation online work?

Foreign Ministry attestation in Sri Lanka is done by the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its Electronic Documents Attestation System (e-DAS). Not every Chinese university asks for it, so check your university's instructions first. Where it is required, documents issued by Sri Lankan institutions must be attested through e-DAS.

O/L and A/L certificates: MOFA attestation online is fully available. Apply on the Department of Examinations portal with the Foreign Ministry certificate type, then follow the SMS link to the Ministry's consular portal and pay the attestation fee online.
Birth certificates: online authentication has been available since September 2024, with the authenticated certificate sent by email.
Degree certificates and other documents: degree certificate attestation in Sri Lanka goes through e-DAS after the issuing institution has entered the document, and may need a visit to the Consular Affairs Division (16th Floor, Suhurupaya, Battaramulla). Confirm the current appointment system and visiting hours on mfa.gov.lk before going.

The fees gazetted from 1 January 2023 were Rs. 800 per examination certificate and Rs. 1,200 for other documents. These were the latest published rates found in October 2026; confirm them on mfa.gov.lk before paying.

Does Sri Lanka use the Apostille, or do I need Chinese Embassy legalisation?

China has applied the Hague Apostille Convention since 7 November 2023, but Sri Lanka is not a party: it does not appear on the Hague Conference status table as of October 2026. A Sri Lankan document therefore cannot be apostilled for use in China. If a Chinese authority wants a fully legalised document, the route is Foreign Ministry attestation in Sri Lanka followed by consular legalisation at the Chinese Embassy in Colombo.

In practice, most Chinese universities and the CSC accept notarised copies for admission, and full Embassy legalisation is needed only when a specific university, province or later process asks for it. We could not find a published Chinese Embassy legalisation fee schedule, so contact its consular section (+94 11 2688610, chinaemb_lk@mfa.gov.cn) for current requirements and fees before you go.

How do I apply for a police clearance certificate in Sri Lanka online?

A police clearance certificate in Sri Lanka is applied for online on the Sri Lanka Police website: go to police.lk, open E-Services and choose Clearance Certificates. You fill in the form, upload scans of your passport and NIC, and pay by card. Police notices from 2026 say the certificate is issued in about 14 days after payment is confirmed.

The fee listed for Sri Lankans applying from abroad is Rs. 5,100 (Sri Lanka Police notice, March 2026); check the amount shown on the portal when you apply from Sri Lanka. Give accurate, complete details, because errors delay the police report. For the CSC and most Chinese universities, a police report for visa and admission purposes should be issued within about six months of your application, so do not apply too early.

What is the Foreigner Physical Examination Form for China?

The Foreigner Physical Examination Form is China's standard medical form for international students. A doctor completes it after a physical check, chest X-ray, ECG and blood tests that include at least HIV and syphilis. The form is valid for six months from the examination date, and it must still be valid when you arrive in China, or you may have to repeat the tests there.

Download the form from your university or the CSC portal and have it done at a public hospital in Colombo or your district. Chinese guidance says reports from private hospitals may need to be notarised, so a government hospital is the simpler choice. The doctor must sign and stamp the form, your photo should carry the hospital stamp, and the original X-ray, ECG and lab reports must be attached. Fees vary by hospital; ask before booking.

What else do I need: bank statement, passport, study plan, photos?

Passport: the Chinese Embassy requires more than six months' validity and a blank visa page; the CSC asks for at least 12 months beyond your start date. A passport valid for the whole course avoids a renewal in China.
Bank statement or financial guarantee: self-funded students need bank statements showing at least USD 2,500 for each year of study for the visa. A parent's account works with a sponsorship letter and proof of relationship.
Study plan: at least 200 words for undergraduates and an 800-word research proposal for postgraduates under CSC rules.
Recommendation letters: two signed letters on letterhead. Postgraduates need professors or associate professors; undergraduates usually ask their principal or A/L teachers.
Language proof: HSK for Chinese-taught programmes, IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught ones; see our HSK guide.
Photos: a recent colour photo, 48 x 33 mm, white background, for the visa form; keep digital copies for applications.

The full list of documents required for the China scholarship (CSC), including the CSCA score for undergraduates, is in our Chinese Government Scholarship guide.

In what order should I prepare the documents?

Prepare documents that do not expire first and time-limited documents last. Certificates and notarised copies can be done months ahead; the police report and medical form are accepted for only about six months, so get them close to your scholarship or admission deadline. Check dates in our intakes and deadlines guide.

4 to 6 months before the deadline: check passport validity and renew if needed. Order A/L, O/L and degree certificates and transcripts.
3 to 4 months before: get notarised copies and any translations. Start Foreign Ministry attestation if your university requires it.
2 to 3 months before: write your study plan and ask referees for letters. Book HSK, IELTS or the CSCA if needed.
6 to 8 weeks before: apply for the police clearance certificate (about 14 days) and complete the Foreigner Physical Examination Form.
2 to 4 weeks before: get a fresh bank statement and scan everything as clear PDFs named by document.
After admission: receive the admission letter and JW201/JW202, then apply for the X1 visa online and submit at the Chinese Embassy in Colombo; see our China student visa guide.
Before flying: carry originals, notarised copies, the medical form with original reports, and spare photos.

How Proton Education Services can help

Proton Education Services checks your document set against your chosen university's and the CSC's requirements, so nothing is missing or expired at submission. The team also handles admission applications and X1/X2 visa support from offices in Sri Lanka and Qingdao. See our study-in-China service or contact Proton.

Sources

HCCH – Apostille Convention status table, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Ada Derana – Notice on online process to obtain police clearance certificates, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Embassy of Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi – Police Clearance Certificate online notice, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Online authentication of GCE O/L and A/L certificates, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Certificates issued by the Department of Examinations, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Consular Affairs Division and e-DAS, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Newsfirst – E-authentication for vital certificates, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Ada Derana – Revised consular fees for attestation services from 1 Jan 2023, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Beijing Municipal Government – A Guide to Health Entrance Examination, accessed 23 Oct 2026
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Sri Lanka – visa and consular information, accessed 23 Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions

Does Sri Lanka issue apostilles for documents used in China?

No. China has applied the Apostille Convention since 7 November 2023, but Sri Lanka is not a party, so Sri Lankan documents cannot be apostilled. Where full legalisation is required, documents are attested by the Foreign Ministry's Consular Affairs Division and then legalised by the Chinese Embassy in Colombo. Many universities accept notarised copies instead, so check first.

How long is a Sri Lankan police report valid for a China scholarship?

Chinese universities and the CSC generally expect a non-criminal record certificate issued within about six months of your application. Apply through the police.lk E-Services portal roughly six to eight weeks before your deadline, since police notices say processing takes around 14 days after payment is confirmed.

Can I get my A/L certificate attested online?

Yes, for certificates issued from 2001 onwards. Apply on the Department of Examinations certificate portal, choose the Foreign Ministry certificate type, and complete authentication through the link the Ministry sends by SMS. Fees are paid online separately to the Department of Examinations and to the Consular Affairs Division.

Where can I do the Foreigner Physical Examination Form in Sri Lanka?

Use a government hospital, because Chinese guidance says reports from private hospitals may need extra notarisation. Bring the official form, a photo and your passport. The doctor signs and stamps the form and attaches the X-ray, ECG and blood test reports. The form stays valid for six months, and must still be valid when you arrive in China.

How much money must I show for a China student visa?

The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka asks self-funded students for bank statements showing at least USD 2,500 for each year of study. Scholarship students submit proof of the scholarship instead. A parent's account is acceptable with a sponsorship letter and proof of relationship such as a birth certificate.