China International College Students' Innovation Competition: Choosing a Track and Division
Acadwrite Team · Last updated July 24, 2026
Before applying, confirm two things: Has the project incorporated a company?、Is the project lead an undergraduate or a graduate student?This guide compares the five tracks, the four Higher Education Main Track divisions, and their scoring weights under the 2025 official rules. For competitions in 2026 and beyond, check the current notice and your university's application rules again.
Written Materials to Prepare After Registration
- Business plan presentation:Explain the project's problem, solution, innovations, industry value, and team responsibilities. Some regions require it to be uploaded as a PDF.
- Research, data, and charts:Use literature, industry reports, policy documents, surveys, and project data to support claims in the plan. Every chart should explain its data definition and conclusion.
- Pitch deck:The live review must explain the problem, solution, evidence, and progress within the prescribed time. Check the current notice to see whether a Word plan or video is also required.
Acadwrite can start from an early idea, search and read sources, analyze research data, generate charts, and then produce a business plan and pitch deck for your target track.
Competition Name, Organizers, and Theme
The China International College Students' Innovation Competition was previously known as the Internet Plus College Students' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition and adopted its current name in 2023. Search both names when looking for materials from earlier years. According to the 2025 competition notice (Ministry of Education Letter [2025] No. 7), the 2025 event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Education, eleven other national departments, and the Henan Provincial Government, and hosted by Zhengzhou University. It ran from April to October 2025 under the theme “I Dare to Venture, I Know How to Innovate.”
The Five Tracks
The 2025 competition had five tracks and admitted 4,720 projects to the national final. Quotas differed substantially. Most students at regular universities entered the Higher Education Main Track, which accounted for more than half of all finalist places:
| Track | 2025 national finalist quota |
|---|---|
| Higher Education Main Track | 2,570 projects |
| Youth Red Dream-Building Journey Track | 650 projects |
| Vocational Education Track | 650 projects |
| Industry Track | 650 projects |
| Emerging Talent Track | 200 projects |
For the intended applicants and eligibility requirements of every track, consult the current official notice. The remainder of this guide focuses on the Higher Education Main Track, which has the largest quota and applicant pool.
Four Higher Education Divisions: Undergraduate/Graduate × Idea/Startup
Rule year:This page uses the official 2025 Higher Education Main Track appendix (DOCX). It divides the track into undergraduate and graduate groups, each with an idea division and a startup division. Use the appendix for the year in which you compete.
First choose the undergraduate or graduate group according to the project lead's status, then choose the idea or startup division according to the company's registration status. Their eligibility rules differ:
| Criterion | Idea division | Startup division |
|---|---|---|
| Company registration | Company not yet registered | Company already registered |
| Minimum project maturity | A product prototype or service model | Application through the registered company |
| Mandatory lead requirements | No equity requirement | Lead must be the legal representative and own ≥10%; team members collectively own ≥1/3 |
| Graduate eligibility | — | Graduates from the previous five years may enter |
The startup division has two simultaneous equity requirements: the applicant, who must be the legal representative, must own at least 10%, and student team members must collectively own at least one third. A project that does not meet both conditions will fail the eligibility review.
Teams and Project Categories
Teams must have 3–15 members, and cross-university teams are allowed. If you need industry resources or expertise from a particular discipline, you do not have to recruit only within your own university. Every project must fit one of ten official categories:
Advancing from the University Round to the National Final
The competition proceeds through university preliminaries, provincial rounds, and the national final. Current notices at each level determine nomination quotas and review methods.
- University preliminary
Each university sets its own rules. See Hubei University's university-round planfor one example of award ratios and provincial nomination procedures. Always check your university's nomination quota, file formats, and deadline directly.
- Provincial round
Each province organizes its round and nominates projects nationally (see theHenan Department of Education rules). Some regions limit nominations per university. For example, the Beijing rulesfor 2025 allowed each university to nominate no more than five Higher Education Main Track projects to the national final. Check the current rules in your province.
- National final
The 2025 national final admitted 4,720 projects, including 2,570 in the Higher Education Main Track. Beijing's 2025 education authority document states that an online review preceded the on-site round. Follow the current notice for other years and regions.
Scoring at a Glance: Idea and Startup Divisions Use Different Weights
Your division determines which scoring weights judges apply. The official 2025 judging rulesuse four dimensions totaling 100 points:
| Dimension | Idea division | Startup division |
|---|---|---|
| Personal growth | 30 | 25 |
| Project innovation | 30 | 30 |
| Industry value | 25 | 30 |
| Teamwork | 15 | 15 |
In 2025, personal growth was worth 30 points and industry value 25 in the idea division; the startup division assigned 25 and 30 points respectively. Use the score sheet for your competition year when preparing materials. See the business plan writing guidefor a section-by-section breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this competition the same as the National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program?
No. The training program, commonly called Dachuang, manages projects through approval, midterm review, and completion. The China International College Students' Innovation Competition runs university, provincial, and national rounds. They use separate application and review rules.
Can an incorporated project enter the idea division?
No. Under the 2025 Higher Education Main Track rules, the idea division explicitly requires that no company has been registered. An incorporated project belongs in the startup division, where the applicant must be the company's legal representative and own at least 10%, while student team members collectively own at least one third.
Can graduates still participate?
Under the 2025 Higher Education Main Track rules, graduates from the previous five years may enter the startup division. Current students enter the relevant undergraduate or graduate idea or startup division according to the project lead's status.
Can students from different universities form a team, and how large can it be?
Yes. Cross-university teams are allowed, and a team has 3–15 members under the official 2025 Higher Education Main Track appendix.
Who presents and answers questions?
Presenters must be student team members. No more than three may take the stage, and faculty advisers may not participate in the defense. Presentation length differs by competition level: some provincial or on-site rounds use a five-minute pitch plus three minutes of questions, while some university training sessions use ten plus five. Follow the notice for the relevant year and level.
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