Students aiming to enter Tsinghua University this year had better be able to swim or be prepared to learn swimming and pass a swim test since the prestigious¹ university will not grant bachelor's degrees if they cannot swim.

 

今年打算考取清华大学的学生最好要会游泳，或准备好学习游泳并通过考试，因为这所名校将拒绝向不会游泳的学生授予学士学位。

 

This September, would-be freshmen² at Tsinghua University will have to take swimming courses if they fail a swimming test at the beginning of their university life, and they won't receive their degrees if they cannot swim before their graduation, in accordance with a message at a university staff meeting days ago, the Beijing Daily reported on Monday.

 

Potential freshmen with chronic³ diseases, skin disease or hydrophobia, once examined and affirmed by medical staff, don't need to take the required test or course.

 

Plans are for freshmen to take the test during their military training. In the test, students will pass the test if they can swim 50 meters, no matter whether they choose the breaststroke, butterfly stroke, freestyle or backstroke. Those failing the test have to take a compulsory⁴ swimming course.

 

However, students don't need to worry much, since Liu Bo, head of the Division of Sports Science and Physical Education, said relevant statistics showed that 90 percent of students can swim after taking the compulsory swimming course in their second year of university, and the remaining 10 percent will receive instruction after class provided by teachers, without paying extra tuition.

 

Many alumni of the prestigious university had to meet the swimming challenge. Renowned⁵ writer Liang Shih-chiu, entering Tsinghua University in 1915, failed the swimming test before his graduation, and he had to do his best at the make-up examination. Luckily his second endeavor got a pass from the head of the Division of Sports Science and Physical Education.

 

As to why the university is linking swimming ability with degrees, "as a requisite⁶ survival skill, swimming is beneficial for students in the long run, since swimming is helpful in improving students' endurance and doing less harm to joints⁷ and muscles as a water sport," said Liu.

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