Education in china today has been developing rapidly. In many provinces, it is compulsory and free. Most children start school at the age of six. They attend five years of elementary school and six years of high school. After graduation from high school, a student can start his higher education in a two-year college, a four-year college, a university or specialized professional school. Most colleges admit students on the basis of their entrance examination records. The cost of college education is not very high and the great part of it is met by their families. Those students can get support from their college. Many students receive scholarships from the school, the government or private foundations and organizations. The great progress has been made in China in the field of education. There is still a comparatively large part of population in the country who cannot read and write.