Self-taught examination belongs to adult education. There are four main forms of adult continuing education, namely, adult college entrance examination (full-time, correspondence and evening university), higher education self-study examination (self-study examination), radio and television university (modern distance open education of TV University) and distance education (network education).

These four forms of education have their own characteristics. Except for the adult college entrance examination, the other three don't have to take the national unified entrance examination. There are also great differences in admission, curriculum, graduation years, charging standards, degree awarding, and class methods.