BEIJING -- A number of English proficiency examinations which Chinese students take to gain admission to foreign universities will be canceled nationwide in May in response to the novel coronavirus epidemic, according to a notice recently released by a test center of the Ministry of Education.

The exams include the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

Individuals who registered for the aforementioned tests will receive a full refund, read the notice.

All tests of the Cambridge Business English Certificate (BEC) scheduled on May 16, May 23 and May 30 were postponed, it said.

The ministry's test center asked for the understanding of test-takers and promised to update the test schedule based on the progress of epidemic control efforts.