Note: 2026 Gaokao College Major Application Notes | Memo

Translated by AI model Qwen/Qwen3-8B.

Source Language: Simplified Chinese, Target Language: english, Translation Time: 2026-07-10 13:17

AI translation is for reference only. Accuracy is not guaranteed, please refer to the original text.

Part 1: Overview of the Professional System

1.1 Professional Classification System

In 2026, undergraduate majors in general colleges and universities can be divided into 13 major categories, 93 major classes, and a total of 883 sub-majors.

13 Major Categories (Sorted by Discipline Code):

Philosophy (01)
Economics (02)
Law (03)
Education (04)
Literature (05)
History (06)
Science (07)
Engineering (08)
Agriculture (09)
Medicine (10)
Management (12)
Art (13)
Interdisciplinary (14) — A newly added independent category in 2026

💡 Discipline Code Interpretation: Each specific major has a determined discipline code. For example, computer science and technology is 080901, where 08 represents the engineering major category, 09 represents the computer major class, and 01 represents the specific major number.

1.2 Major Changes in the 2026 Professional Directory

38 new undergraduate majors added: covering fields such as brain-computer science, embodied intelligence, low-altitude economy, urban renewal, and art therapy
Interdisciplinary becomes an independent category: majors such as AI, brain-computer science, and intelligent robotics officially "get recognized"
All new majors start enrollment in 2026: the first batch of universities offering these majors have official approvals, limited spots, less competition, and policy support
Total number of majors: expanded from 845 to 883

Part 2: Detailed Interpretation of the 13 Major Disciplines

2.1 Philosophy (01)

Discipline Positioning: The study of fundamental and universal questions, involving existence, knowledge, value, reason, mind, and language, making it the "sanctuary of thought" and "source of wisdom".

Included Major Classes: Philosophy (only one first-level discipline)

Core Majors:

Philosophy
Logic
Religious Studies
Ethics

Career Directions:

Civil service and public institution exams (civil service, publicity, research positions)
University professors / research institutions
Media editors, content planners
Enterprise management training, strategic consulting

Features and Suggestions:

✅ High level of thinking training, strong logical thinking ability
✅ Advantage in civil service positions
⚠️ Few direct job opportunities, ordinary families should be cautious about pure theoretical majors
⚠️ Entry barriers seem low, but high-end positions are highly competitive
💡 Suggestion: Major in a second major (such as Law or Economics) to enhance employment competitiveness

2.2 Economics (02)

Discipline Positioning: A discipline that studies resource allocation, economic operation laws, and the creation and distribution of wealth.

Included First-level Major Classes:

Economics
Fiscal Studies
Financial Studies
Economic and Trade Studies

Core Majors and Interpretations:

Major Name	Core Direction	Career Prospects	Suitable for
Economics	Macroeconomics / Microeconomics theory, economic analysis	Government economic departments, financial institutions, enterprise strategy departments	Good at mathematics, enjoys theoretical research
Fiscal Studies	Government finance, taxation, public expenditure	Finance bureau, tax bureau, audit departments, state-owned enterprise finance	Pursues stability, meticulous
Financial Studies	Currency, banking, investment, insurance	Banks, securities, funds, insurance, investment banking	Good at mathematics, strong stress resistance, seeks high salary
International Economics and Trade	International trade, cross-border business	Foreign trade companies, cross-border e-commerce, customs	Good at English, good at communication

New Majors in 2026:

Digital Economics
Financial Technology
Digital Trade

Salary Reference:

Undergraduate starting salary: 6,000-10,000 yuan/month
Master's in Finance from top universities: 15,000-30,000 yuan/month
Top investment banks / consulting firms: 300,000-500,000 yuan annual salary

Subject Requirements: Most require physics, some require physics + chemistry

2.3 Law (03)

Discipline Positioning: A systematic study of legal norms, legal systems, and legal theories, cultivating the ability to analyze and resolve legal issues.

Included First-level Major Classes:

Law
Political Science
Social Work
Ethnic Studies
Marxist Theory
Public Security

Core Major Analysis:

Law Major

Core Courses: Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, Chinese Legal History, Civil Law, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure Law, Criminal Procedure Law, Administrative Law and Administrative Procedure Law, Economic Law, Intellectual Property Law
Career Directions:
- Government jobs (police, procuratorate, court, judicial bureau)
- Law firms (must pass the legal profession qualification exam)
- Corporate legal departments, compliance
- Notary offices, arbitration institutions
Key Threshold: Must pass the Legal Profession Qualification Exam (Law Exam), with a pass rate of about 15%
Advantages: Clear career development path, high professional skill barriers
Note: Many law graduates, intense competition in ordinary universities

Intellectual Property Major

Direction: Protection of patents, trademarks, and copyrights
Advantages: Composite background of science and technology + law is more desirable
Employment: Internet companies, technology enterprises, patent agencies

Public Security

Representative Majors: Public Security, Investigation, Border Management
Features: Police school admissions, high rate of entering the police force
Note: Requires political review, physical examination, and physical testing

Marxist Theory

Representative Major: Ideological and Political Education
Employment: Primary and secondary school ideological education teachers, university counselors, government party affairs positions, public institution political work
Advantages: Stable shortage of teaching positions, many civil service positions

Subject Requirements: Most universities have no subject restrictions, some require political science

2.4 Education (04)

Discipline Positioning: A discipline that studies educational phenomena and issues to reveal educational laws.

Included Major Classes: Education, Physical Education

Core Majors:

Major	Direction	Employment	Features
Education	Educational theory, educational management	Educational administration, educational research, publishing houses	Strong theoretical nature, recommend postgraduate studies
Preschool Education	Early childhood education	Kindergarten teachers, child care institutions	Large shortage, high employment rate
Primary Education	Comprehensive teaching for primary school	Primary school teachers	Stable teaching positions
Special Education	Education for children with special needs	Special education schools	Trend towards ecological and environmental protection
Artificial Intelligence Education	Intelligent teaching system design	Education technology companies, online education	Emerging direction, good prospects
Infant Development and Health Management	Infant care	Child care institutions, maternal and infant industries	New major, strong demand

2026 New Majors: Artificial Intelligence Education, Infant Development and Health Management

Employment Characteristics:

✅ Stable teaching positions, high social recognition
✅ Many holidays, relatively balanced work-life
⚠️ Intense competition in first-tier cities, high admission-to-enrollment ratio
⚠️ Limited employment scope for non-education majors
💡 Suggestion: Choose applied art majors (design, digital media) for more secure employment

2.5 Literature (05)

Discipline Positioning: A humanities discipline that uses language and text as tools to study literary works, language patterns, and cultural transmission.

Included Major Classes: Chinese Language and Literature, Foreign Language and Literature, Journalism and Communication

Core Majors and Directions:

Chinese Language and Literature

Chinese Language and Literature, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Calligraphy
Employment: Artists, art teachers, galleries, art museums

Foreign Language and Literature

English: Most widely used, broad employment scope but high competition
Minor languages:
- Popular: Japanese, Korean, French, German, Spanish
- Rare: Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Southeast Asian languages
- Employment: Foreign trade, translation, diplomacy, cross-border e-commerce, foreign enterprises
Business English: English + business composite direction

Journalism and Communication

Journalism: Traditional media, new media content
Broadcasting and Television: TV stations, video platforms
Advertising: Advertising planning, brand marketing
Communication: Communication theory, new media research
Network and New Media: Emerging hot area, short video, self-media operations

Subject Requirements: Most majors don't have subject restrictions, some require history

2.6 History (06)

Discipline Positioning: A discipline that studies past human society events and activities, revealing historical development laws through historical materials.

Included Major Classes: History

Core Majors:

History
World History
Archaeology
Cultural Relics and Museum Studies
Cultural Relics Protection Technology

Career Directions:

Primary and secondary school history teachers
Museums, archives, cultural relics bureaus
Archaeological research institutes
Cultural tourism departments, cultural heritage protection
Civil service and public institution exams (civil service positions)

Features:

✅ Deep humanities background, suitable for students who genuinely love it
✅ Some civil service positions
⚠️ Few direct job opportunities, low market demand
⚠️ Low salaries
💡 Suggestion: Choose it only if you are truly passionate, otherwise be cautious

2.7 Science (07)

Discipline Positioning: A foundational discipline studying the basic laws of natural substance motion, serving as the theoretical basis for engineering disciplines.

Included Major Classes: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Psychology, Statistics, etc.

Core Major Analysis:

Mathematics

Mathematics and Applied Mathematics:
- Pure mathematics: Research, teaching
- Applied direction: Finance, algorithms, data analysis
Information and Computational Science: Mathematics + computer interdisciplinary
Statistics: Data statistics analysis, market research
Advantages: "Universal" basic discipline, easy to switch directions
- Switch to computer algorithms: Annual salary 200,000-500,000 yuan
- Switch to financial quant: High salary track
- Switch to data science: High demand
Suggestion: Undergraduate mathematics + postgraduate interdisciplinary is a golden combination

Physics

Physics: Basic theory
Applied Physics: Engineering application
Nuclear Physics: Nuclear energy, nuclear technology
Features: Direct employment is generally not good, but salary increases significantly after postgraduate studies in microelectronics, optoelectronics, semiconductor, etc.

Chemistry

Chemistry: Basic chemistry
Applied Chemistry: Chemical engineering application
Biochemistry: Interdisciplinary frontier
Note: Traditional chemical industry salaries are generally low, suggest switching to new energy, semiconductor, biomedicine, etc.

Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences: Basic biological sciences
Biotechnology: Biotechnology engineering
Bioinformatics: Biology + computer interdisciplinary, hot direction
Note: One of the "four major pits" of "biochemical environmental materials", difficult to find jobs at undergraduate level, low salary, general working environment
Suggestion: Graduate for further studies, or switch to high-end directions such as biomedicine industry

Psychology

Psychology: Basic psychology
Applied Psychology: Psychological counseling, human resources, user research
Note: Psychological counselor has high entry barriers, requires long-term investment; HR direction has relatively easy employment

Overall Features of Science:

✅ Solid foundation, strong advantages for postgraduate studies
✅ Wide range of major switching and cross-exam options
⚠️ Low salaries for direct undergraduate employment
⚠️ Some majors (biology, chemistry) have room for improvement in employment environment and salary
Subject Requirements: Most require physics + chemistry

2.8 Engineering (08)

Discipline Positioning: A discipline applying scientific principles and technical methods to solve practical problems, a "top choice" in the job market.

Includes the most major classes: 31 major classes, nearly 400 majors, the largest discipline category

In-depth Analysis of Popular Engineering Majors:

Computer Science (A Must-have Track in the Digital Economy Era)

Computer Science and Technology:
- Employment: Software development, cybersecurity, backend operations, intelligent development
- Salary: Starting salary of 8,000+ yuan/month at top universities, 15,000+ yuan/month for top schools
- Advantages: Flexible career choices, long career lifespan, ample promotion opportunities
Software Engineering:
- Focus on software development engineering practices
- Salary consistently ranks among the top for bachelor's degree holders, averaging over 7,000 yuan/month
Information Security / Cybersecurity:
- Cybersecurity, data security
- Policy-driven, large talent gap
Data Science and Big Data Technology:
- Big data analysis, data mining
- High salary, demand across industries
Artificial Intelligence:
- ⚠️ Don't blindly chase AI for ordinary score candidates
- Suggestion: Prioritize Computer Science and Software Engineering for more stable employment
- High requirements for academic qualifications and universities

Electronic Information

Electronic Information Engineering: Circuits, signal processing
Communication Engineering: 5G/6G communication, operators
Microelectronics Science and Engineering (chip track):
- Has been selected as a top employment major for five consecutive years
- Fresh graduates' salary ranks among the top six engineering majors
- Annual salary in first-tier cities: 140,000-200,000 yuan
- Master's in chip design: Total salary 200,000-300,000 yuan
- National strategy for self-reliance in chip manufacturing
- Talent gap in the entire industry exceeds 300,000

Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering and Automation:
- Core track: State Grid, Southern Power Grid, power generation groups, new energy support, intelligent manufacturing control
- Employment advantage: 96% employment rate in the public sector, almost no unemployment, stable benefits in state-owned enterprises
- Salary: 8,000-15,000 yuan/month for bachelor's, 120,000-200,000 yuan/year for State Grid positions; 200,000+ yuan/year for master's in research positions
- Suitable for students with strong physics and math backgrounds who seek stability
- High demand for photovoltaic, energy storage, and new energy vehicle control

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering: Traditional mechanical design and manufacturing
Mechanical Design and Manufacturing and Automation: Mechanical + automation
Vehicle Engineering: Automotive research and manufacturing
Smart Manufacturing Engineering: Emerging direction, Industry 4.0
Features: Broad employment scope, but traditional mechanical salaries are generally low; new energy and smart manufacturing directions have better salaries

Civil and Architectural Engineering

Civil Engineering:
- Was once a "hot major", but has cooled with the real estate downturn
- However, stable in entering large state-owned enterprises like China Construction, China Railway, and the Bureau of Water Conservancy
Architecture:
- Some schools require art foundation tests upon enrollment
- Prepare in advance if applying
- 5-year program
Water Supply and Drainage Science and Engineering: Municipal engineering direction, stable
Building Environment and Energy Application Engineering: Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning direction

Water Conservancy

Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering:
- Core is "building dams, constructing hydropower stations"
- Employment: Water conservancy design institutes, hydropower engineering bureaus, water conservancy bureaus
- Features: Many state-owned enterprises, possible remote work locations

Energy and Power

Energy and Power Engineering: Traditional energy
New Energy Science and Engineering:
- Aligns with the "Dual Carbon" goal
- Rapid growth in photovoltaics, energy storage, and new energy vehicles
- Annual job growth rate exceeds 40%
- Starting salary for graduates: 8,000-10,000 yuan/month
- Annual salary for state-owned enterprise positions: 150,000 yuan and above
- Requires solid physics and chemistry knowledge to support battery R&D and power station operations

Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace Engineering, Flight Vehicle Design and Engineering
Employment: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Industry Corporation, etc.
Engaged in aircraft R&D, manufacturing, and testing
Strong career stability, broad development prospects
Recommended universities: Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Harbin Institute of Technology

Biomedical Engineering

Interdisciplinary of biology, medicine, and engineering
Focus on medical equipment and medical imaging devices
Good employment prospects, part of high-end manufacturing

2026 New Engineering Majors: Semiconductor Process and Equipment, Bio-manufacturing, Energy Science and Engineering, Urban Renewal, Agricultural Robotics, Transportation and Energy Integration Engineering, Smart Low-altitude and Unmanned Technology, Vacuum Engineering and Technology, Fiber Science and Smart Manufacturing, Rare Earth Science and Engineering, Smart Landscape Creation, Nuclear Medicine Engineering

Features of New Engineering Majors:

✅ Policy support, resource tilt
✅ Large talent gap, relatively small competition
✅ Cutting-edge direction, great future development space
⚠️ Incomplete training system, uneven teaching quality
⚠️ Low social recognition, employment market still in development
⚠️ Some majors may be too cutting-edge, not deep enough at the undergraduate level

💡 Suggestions:

Choose new majors from top universities, with guaranteed resources
Prioritize majors with industrial foundation (such as semiconductors, new energy)
Prepare for postgraduate studies, new majors usually require higher degrees
Pay attention to the list of first batch universities, confirm official approval

Part 5: Practical Strategies for College Admission

5.1 Subject Selection and Major Matching

New College Entrance Exam Subject Combinations and Major Coverage:

Physics + Chemistry + Biology: Coverage over 96% (Medicine and Engineering majors are all applicable)
Physics + Chemistry + Other: Coverage over 90% (Most engineering majors)
Physics + Biology + Geography: Coverage about 75%
Pure Humanities (History, Politics, Geography): Coverage about 50% (Mainly humanities majors)

Analysis of Physics + Geography Combinations (User's Subject Reference):

Can apply to most engineering majors (except those requiring biology, such as medicine and biology-related majors)
Can apply to most business and management majors
Geography has certain advantages in humanities majors
Overall coverage about 80%+
Note: Core medical majors like clinical medicine and stomatology usually require physics, chemistry, and biology

5.2 Professional Selection Strategies by Score Range

High Score Range (600+):

Prioritize top universities, then majors
Can choose basic disciplines (mathematics, physics), then switch direction with postgraduate studies
Any major from top universities has brand value

Medium Score Range (500-600):

Balance between university and major
Prioritize top majors from industry-leading universities
For example: Electrical majors from power universities, communication majors from postal and telecommunications universities

Near the College Entrance Exam Line:

Prioritize majors with strong practicality
Nursing, Preschool Education, Accounting, Computer Application Technology
For vocational schools, prioritize technical majors (mechanical and electrical, nursing, computer)

5.3 Matching with Personality and Career Planning

Technical Talent:

Recommended: Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electronic Information, Electrical Engineering
Characteristics: Relies on technology, relatively simple interpersonal relationships

Stable Career Talent:

Recommended: Education, Medicine, Law (for civil service), Accounting
Characteristics: Stable job, low risk

Entrepreneurial / Business-oriented Talent:

Recommended: Marketing, E-commerce, Financial Studies, Business Administration
Characteristics: Many opportunities, high volatility

Research / Academic-oriented Talent:

Recommended: Basic disciplines such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology
Characteristics: Needs postgraduate studies, academic route

Creative / Artistic Talent:

Recommended: Design, Digital Media, Advertising
Characteristics: Creative-driven, work speaks for itself

5.4 Avoiding Pitfalls

Do not blindly chase popular majors:
- Popular majors may become cold after 4 years
- For example: previous years' civil engineering, some AI majors now
- Pay attention to long-term trends, not short-term popularity
Do not judge majors only by their names:
- A nice name doesn't necessarily mean good employment
- For example: "Business Administration" sounds impressive but actually has a broad employment scope
- Check curriculum and employment directions
Pay attention to major score differences:
- Some universities have major score differences, need to set different levels when applying
- Be cautious about whether to accept major调剂
Regional factors are important:
- First-tier cities have more internship opportunities and broader horizons
- Employment is easier in industry clusters (e.g., internet in Hangzhou and Shenzhen, finance in Shanghai and Beijing)
- Local universities have advantages in local employment
Learn about the real situation of the industry in advance:
- Do not only listen to promotions, talk to professionals in the field
- Understand work intensity, salary, and career paths
- For example: understand the intensity of training and work for medical professionals

Part 6: Summary and Action Suggestions

6.1 Summary of Key Points

Professional System: 13 major categories, 92 major classes, 883 majors
2026 Changes: 38 new majors added, interdisciplinary becomes an independent category
Selection Logic: Interest + ability + employment + family resources, balanced consideration
Technology is King: For ordinary families, prioritize majors with technical barriers
Long-term Thinking: Choose majors based on their development in 10 years, not just short-term trends

6.2 Recommendations by Score Range

High Score Range (600+):

Aim for top universities, prioritize Computer Science, Electronic Information, Clinical Medicine, and Finance
Basic disciplines (Mathematics, Physics) + postgraduate cross-major is a good path

Medium Score Range (500-600):

Top majors from industry-leading universities
Electrical, Computer, Accounting, Education, Clinical Medicine (5-year program)
New engineering directions (New Energy, Integrated Circuit)

Near the College Entrance Exam Line:

Prioritize majors with strong practicality
Nursing, Preschool Education, Accounting, Computer Application Technology
For vocational schools, prioritize technical majors (Mechanical and Electrical, Nursing, Computer)

6.3 Next Steps

Self-assessment:
- What are my interests?
- What are my strong subjects?
- What kind of life do I want in the future?
- What resources can my family provide?
Information Collection:
- List 10-20 majors of interest
- Check the curriculum, career directions, and salary levels for each major
- Talk to alumni or current students in related majors
Simulation Application:
- Filter universities by score range
- Categorize into "reach", "stability", and "safety"
- Check subject requirements and physical condition restrictions
Final Decision:
- Rank your choices
- Confirm whether to accept major调剂
- Communicate thoroughly with your family

📌 Important Reminder: Choosing a major is an important life decision, but it's not a one-time decision that determines your entire future. You can switch majors, take on a second major, or pursue postgraduate studies during university. The key is to maintain your learning ability and adaptability, and find your own direction in the changes.