Britain's University of Birmingham announced Monday it has become the first elite Russell Group university to accept China's National Higher Education Entrance Examination, commonly known as Gaokao, for Chinese students wishing to join its undergraduate courses in 2019.

High school students who complete Gaokao with top grades will for the first time be able to apply for direct entry onto a Birmingham degree program without completing a Foundation year.

University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor David Eastwood said: "We are further opening access to Birmingham's wealth of education opportunities for the brightest and most dedicated Chinese students by accepting this rigorous and important qualification. I look forward to welcoming these high-flying students to the University of Birmingham."

The annual Gaokao examination is usually held across China in early June. Students are tested in Chinese, Mathematics and a Foreign Language, usually English.

A spokesman for the University of Birmingham said: "Gaokao is increasingly accepted by universities in Australia, the USA, Canada and mainland Europe. Birmingham will only be considering high quality students who achieve a minimum 80 percent Gaokao score and meet additional academic and English language requirements."

Professor Jon Frampton, Director of the University of Birmingham's China Institute said: "The University of Birmingham has a long history of educating students from China and one of our most famous graduates is Li Siguang -- the founding father of Chinese geology."

Frampton said he's delighted that the university is now accepting the Gaokao, which gives the brightest and best Chinese students an opportunity to move straight into the first year of the university's undergraduate programs and experience the benefits of studying at a global Top 100 university.