The diploma of adult college entrance examination is a correspondence diploma. Correspondence is a learning form of adult college entrance examination (adult college entrance examination is a type of adult education), and other learning forms of adult college entrance examination include amateur learning (evening college) and full-time learning (note: after 2008, ordinary colleges and universities have cancelled full-time graduation certificates of adult college entrance examination, and now only a few are left). Passed the national adult college entrance examination and was admitted to colleges and universities, and issued admission notices. Belonging to the national education series, the state recognizes academic qualifications, participates in the national unified adult college entrance examination and enrollment examination, and all provinces and regions organize enrollment in a unified manner.

Adult college entrance examination, referred to as adult college entrance examination, is an entrance examination for adult colleges and universities in China to select qualified graduates to enter higher-level academic education. It belongs to the national education series, is included in the national enrollment plan, participates in the national enrollment examination, and is accepted by all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government.

At the beginning, it was established to solve the problem of academic education and continuing education for on-the-job personnel. Most participants are adults, which is an important part of national higher education.

Adult higher education, general higher education and higher education self-study examination are collectively referred to as national education series higher education approved by the Ministry of Education. Adult college entrance examination is divided into three levels: junior college entrance examination (hereinafter referred to as junior college entrance examination), senior college entrance examination (hereinafter referred to as senior high school entrance examination) and senior high school entrance examination (hereinafter referred to as senior high school entrance examination). The forms of study after admission include correspondence, amateur and full-time study. Mainly the first two forms, only a few adult colleges and universities are full-time study.