Vocational undergraduate programs, which combine advanced technical skills with bachelor's degrees, are experiencing a significant surge in admission scores as high achievers in the national college entrance examination, or gaokao, are increasingly leaning toward professional education instead of pursuing purely academic courses.

He Xianyi, from Zhuji Middle School in Zhejiang province, scored 604 points out of a total of 750 in this year's gaokao, which qualified her for many reputable universities. However, she chose to apply for the directed training program for noncommissioned officers at Wuchang Polytechnic College in Wuhan, Hubei province.

While her unconventional decision sparked heated online discussions, with many perceiving a bachelor's degree as superior to a vocational qualification, He begged to differ.

"Scores are just numbers," she told local newspaper Hubei Daily. "I feel there's no inherent superiority or inferiority between undergraduate and vocational college programs. What suits you best and benefits your future development is what matters most."

She emphasized that studying at a prestigious university solely for its reputation, especially if it meant pursuing an undesirable major, was less appealing to her than choosing a path aligned with her passion and goals.

Inspired by her uncle, a 12-year military veteran, He has wanted to join the military since high school. "I've heard voices of doubt before, but I don't pay much attention to them," she added.

If data recorded by Shenzhen Polytechnic University in Guangdong province is anything to go by, this shift has extended beyond individual cases to become a phenomenon.

After the institution upgraded to a vocational university from vocational college in 2023, its top physics stream admission score reached 595, which is competitive with major traditional universities. This year, the physics admission score surged to 617, surpassing that of many prominent institutions.

Vocational undergraduate institutions in Zhejiang also saw record-high admission scores, with Jinhua University of Vocational Technology seeking a top admission score of 621 — a historic high for similar institutions in the province.

The rise of vocational undergraduate education is reflecting a systemic shift, and China now has 87 vocational undergraduate universities. After the State Council, China's Cabinet, issued a guideline in 2019 to initiate pilot programs for vocational education at the undergraduate level, 51 of these institutions — 28 public ones and 23 private — have successfully enrolled students.

Sun Tongyu, vice-president of Shandong Vocational University of Foreign Affairs, noted that since the institution began enrolling students for its vocational undergraduate programs in 2019, it has cultivated more than 10,000 graduates across three graduating classes, most of whom have secured satisfactory employment.

The university's total annual enrollment for both vocational and bachelor's degree programs has surpassed 10,000 over the past three years, demonstrating the strong appeal of vocational education, he said.

This robust interest has driven up the university's admission scores for vocational courses, which now exceed the entry score for undergraduate programs by 20 to 40 points, Sun said.

"Most young people and their parents choose vocational education because it promises stronger employment prospects. We can assure them that all our students are able to secure decent jobs immediately after graduation," he said.

The institution has established over 300 vocational training centers in collaboration with enterprises, with many courses centered around hands-on training.

"Students here are very practical. They don't come seeking university prestige; they choose us to learn practical skills and get a job," Sun added.

Feng Wenjing, who graduated from the Shandong university in June with a major in English, now works at a new-energy company in Beijing.

Compared with traditional universities, vocational institutions place greater emphasis on practical training and knowledge application in real-life working scenarios, she said.

zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn