In recent years, more and more students have chosen to improve their academic qualifications through self-study, among which major self-study examinations and minor self-study examinations have become popular choices. However, many students are confused about which one is easier, the major self-study exam or the small self-study exam. What is the difference? Next, we will compare them from different angles to help you better understand these two self-study methods so that you can make a choice that suits you.
1. Comparison of difficulty between major self-study examination and minor self-study examination
In terms of difficulty, the small self-study examination is much easier than the major self-study examination. All the subjects in the self-study examination are unified examinations, which will be very difficult for some students with poor foundation. The primary self-study exam is a school exam, and you only need to spend time reviewing 6 subjects to prepare for the unified exam. The exam difficulty is relatively low. Therefore, if you are eager to get the certificate, it is recommended to take the small self-study exam.
2. Cost comparison
From the perspective of self-study, small self-study exams are more expensive than major self-study exams. Self-study exams cost 30-50 yuan per subject, and you need to take about a dozen subjects. After all the exams, including textbook fees, paper fees, etc., you will need 2,000-3,000 yuan. However, you cannot apply for the self-taught examination by yourself. You must go through a student aid center to register. The general fee is 3,000-8,000 yuan. Judging from the same class registration, there is not much difference between the two.
3. Registration time for primary school self-taught examination in 2026
The registration time for the 2026 primary school self-study exam is around February, May, August and October, and the exam time is January, April, July and October, of which April and October are the unified exams, and January and July are the school exams. Registration will close about one month before the official exam. The specific registration time has a lot to do with the school's regulations. Each school has its own time schedule, but the registration and examination time are unified. There are four registration opportunities for self-study exams every year. The registration time is in February, May, August and October every year.
4. Comparison of registration for major self-study exams and junior self-study exams
Self-study examinations for majors need to be registered on the registration platform designated by the official website of the Provincial Examination Authority. Some provinces also need to go to the self-study office for information review; while self-study examinations for minors can be registered at the teaching points of various universities. Generally speaking, the registration entrance for small self-study examinations is the official website of the continuing education college of the school that offers small self-study examination majors. It must be clear that small self-study examinations cannot be registered at the examination center. Students who take self-study exams for majors can register by themselves, while registration for self-study exams for small ones must be handled by the teaching site or the school headquarters. Individual students cannot register.
5. Instructions for applying for primary school self-study exams
Junior college students who plan to take the postgraduate entrance examination can choose to take a self-study undergraduate degree, so that they will have an undergraduate degree when they graduate to take the postgraduate entrance examination. To avoid falling into a trap, you must choose to find a financial aid center and reject institutions, because the pitfalls of institutions are too big. Currently, there are only a few provinces that offer self-taught examinations for primary schools, including Sichuan, Guangdong, Fujian, and Xiamen. Among them, Guangdong is the most mature, with relatively many majors and schools to choose from. For junior college freshmen, don't worry about the unified admission to junior college or bachelor's degree. You can prepare for self-study undergraduate examination and unified admission at the same time to ensure that you have a bachelor's degree when you graduate. For office workers, it is convenient and quick to take a self-study exam.
In Guangdong Province, the small self-study schools that you can apply for include South China Normal University, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, Shantou University, Shenzhen University, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, etc. The small self-study majors that you can apply for include visual communication design, environmental design, animation design, visual communication design and production, environmental art design, etc.
If you are a student who needs to improve your academic qualifications and hope to achieve your goals through self-examination, then the above comparisons and recommendations may help you better choose a self-examination method that suits you. If you have any questions or need more detailed guidance, please feel free to consult Mr. Daniel online and let us help you achieve academic success together!
