(Photo/Xinhua)

The Gaokao, China's college entrance exam, is being increasingly accepted for admission to overseas universities, giving students more choice in the pursuit of higher education.

In March, the University of Cambridge hit headlines when Chinese media published that the university would accept gaokao scores for Chinese students wishing to apply for undergraduate study. The university disclosed that this was not a new practice, but a policy that had been implemented for years.

More and more foreign universities have begun to accept gaokao scores as part of their admissions standards, a gesture which shows recognition of China's strength in education.

Statistics indicated that universities in more than 20 countries and regions now accept gaokao scores, including some top-rated destinations for overseas study.

In the UK, for instance, besides Cambridge University, the University of Birmingham and the University of Leicester also accept gaokao as an admissions standard.

Besides gaokao scores, Chinese high school graduates are required to submit an online English proficiency test and provide high school transcripts when they apply for foreign universities, according to Yang Jianping, a manager of an overseas study consulting firm in Beijing.

Many Chinese high school graduates have successfully applied for foreign universities with their gaokao scores as a major admissions standard, said Yang, adding that as education connectivity and mutual recognition between Chinese high schools and overseas universities are strengthened further, more students are expected to realize their dream of studying abroad.