In light of the impact of the coronavirus (there have been more than 20,000 confirmed cases and 425 deaths at the writing of this article), China canceled the GMAT, GRE, IELTS and TOEFL exams for the month of February. The goal behind the cancelation is to help contain the spread of the coronavirus in public areas.
This means that Chinese students seeking to enter programs in the fall may now be delayed. Moreover, universities and schools across the globe could deal with matriculation planning issues in the coming months.
Full refunds are being offered to students who had planned to take their tests in February. In addition, students will have the opportunity to register and take their examination(s) at a future date. Availability of the exams depends on the progress of the epidemic.
Coronavirus Far-Reaching Consequences
As for Chinese universities and schools, they’re feeling the effects, too. Tsinghua University, one of China’s top institutions, announced a delay in classes for the spring semester. Originally, classes were slated to start on February 17th, but they’ve been postponed to reduce the risk of transmission and ensure staff and student safety.
You can read more about the coronavirus and its impact on China’s education system on Bloomberg.
