Patent attorney prospects may register for the year's exam from June 4. A principal of the Legal Affairs Department of SIPO answered the  all-important questions for candidates recently.

Degree in foreign language, Chinese language or law including IPR law does not meet requirement as they do not belong to science. Economics or management major  qualifies only when a science or engineering diploma is issued. Otherwise, candidates shall take their school-issued score cards or curriculum  to the exam authority for verification.  Diplomas issued by a school in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan or a foreign country shall be authenticated  in advance by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange under the Ministry of Education. The process usually takes 15 working days.

Registration is only available online. Candidates who registered online after 2009 do not need to register again. Courses passed after 2010 are still effective. Those registered before 2008 need to do it again. Some candidates only passed legal knowledge or attorney practice in 2009. Their scores will not hold. They need to retake the entire exam. In terms of verification of credentials, those having taken the exam since 2009 are only required to produce their ID and a photocopy thereof. Those taking the exam before 2008 will have to show their ID, diploma and proof of working experience. 

(China IP News)