Quick answer
What photo does the NCRE need?
Provincial exam authorities ask for a recent colour photo at least 144 pixels wide and 192 pixels high, saved as a .jpg of 20–200 KB, with the head about 7/10 of the frame. Shandong asks for a white or light background. The photo appears on your admission ticket and certificate.
The NCRE photo (计算机等级考试照片) is a recent, front-facing, bare-headed colour ID photo at least 144 pixels wide and 192 pixels high, saved as a .jpg of 20–200 KB. The head fills about 7/10 of the frame. Shandong asks for a white or light background. The photo appears on your admission ticket and certificate, and is used to check your identity at the exam.
You register online through the national NCRE registration system: ncre-bm.neea.cn on the public internet, or ncre-bm.neea.edu.cn on the education network. The Ministry of Education's exam centre (NEEA) runs it, and each province publishes its own registration notice. The rules below come from the 2026 notices in Beijing, Jiangsu and Shandong, which agree on the photo.
NCRE photo requirements
| Minimum size | 144 px wide × 192 px high (written "192 × 144, height × width") |
|---|---|
| Imaging area | 48 × 33 mm (height × width) |
| Framing | 1/10 space above the head, head 7/10, shoulders 1/5 (Beijing writes 2/10), 1/10 space on each side |
| Format | JPG, with the extension .jpg |
| File size | 20 KB–200 KB |
| Background | White or light (Shandong); not stated by Beijing or Jiangsu |
| Photo | Recent, front-facing, bare-headed colour ID photo, sharp and upright. No casual snapshots or beautified photos |
Pixels, not millimetres
Beijing's and Shandong's notices print the minimum as "192mm × 144mm (height × width)". Jiangsu's notice writes "192*144 (height*width)" without a unit, next to a minimum imaging area of 48mm*33mm. The 192 × 144 figure is the image size in pixels. We read it this way because a photo 192 mm high would be about 19 cm tall, far bigger than any ID photo.
Photo checks and what can go wrong
- Upload a clear, upright photo of yourself. Jiangsu says candidates whose photo does not meet the rules, or cannot be confirmed as them, may not take the exam.
- Do not over-edit. Beijing asks you not to retouch heavily, because the photo is used to check your identity at the entrance.
- No casual or beautified photos. Shandong rules out everyday snapshots (生活照) and beauty-filtered photos (美颜照).
- Check before you pay. You must pay within 24 hours of confirming, and in Beijing nothing can be changed once you have paid.
Registration fees in 2026
| Beijing | 75 yuan per subject |
|---|---|
| Jiangsu | 70 yuan for levels 1–3, 80 yuan for level 4 |
| Shandong | 72 yuan per subject for levels 1–3, 112 yuan for level 4 |
From each province's notice for the September 2026 exam. Other provinces set their own fees.
Sample photos
How to make an NCRE registration photo
- Read your province's notice. Find your provincial exam authority's NCRE notice for the session, and check the photo rules and the registration and payment dates.
- Take a plain, recent photo. Face the camera, bare-headed, in colour, on a white or light background, with no beauty filter.
- Crop it to the NCRE frame. Leave 1/10 of the height above your head and 1/10 on each side, with your head about 7/10 of the height, and make the image at least 144 pixels wide and 192 high.
- Check the file. Save it as a .jpg between 20 KB and 200 KB. If a 144 × 192 file is under 20 KB, save it at higher quality or use a larger image in the same 3:4 shape. If the file is not a JPG, such as a HEIC photo from an iPhone, convert it with the free 123PhotoTool JPEG converter.
- Upload it and pay. Upload the photo in the NCRE registration system, check your details carefully, then pay within 24 hours.
Watch the 20 KB minimum
Our linked tool's NCRE preset makes a 144 × 192 pixel file on a white background, which is the minimum size. Small JPEGs are often under 20 KB, below the NCRE minimum, so check the file size after you download it.
NCRE photo FAQ
At least 144 pixels wide and 192 pixels high. The provincial notices write it as "192 × 144 (height × width)", and the imaging area is 48 × 33 mm. Because 144 × 192 is a minimum, a larger photo is allowed.
Beijing's and Shandong's 2026 notices print "192mm × 144mm", while Jiangsu's gives just "192*144". A photo 192 mm high would be about 19 cm tall, far bigger than any ID photo. Read it as pixels, with 48 × 33 mm as the imaging area.
A JPG file with the .jpg extension, between 20 KB and 200 KB. A very small 144 × 192 pixel JPEG can come out under 20 KB, so check the saved file size.
Shandong asks for a white or light background. Beijing and Jiangsu do not name a colour. White meets every rule.
No. Beijing says that once you have paid, the registration is complete and you cannot change any information or get a refund. Check your photo before you pay, which you must do within 24 hours of confirming your registration.
On your admission ticket and your certificate. Beijing also uses it to check your identity at the exam, so do not retouch it heavily. Jiangsu says candidates whose photo does not meet the rules, or cannot be confirmed as them, may not take the exam.
Official sources
- NEEA NCRE: 考生须知 (candidate notice)
- Beijing Education Examinations Authority: September 2026 NCRE guide
- Jiangsu Education Examinations Authority: September 2026 NCRE notice
- Shandong Education Admissions and Examinations Authority: 2026 second-half NCRE notice
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.