Students should pay more attention to using English, and not just consider it as an exam subject, amid changes to the National College English Test, education professionals said.

Undergraduates may face tougher exams before obtaining certificates from the National College English Test, a prerequisite for those entering the job market or applying for higher education.

"Students will have to improve their language ability," said Zhao Jiankun, a teacher from New Oriental Education and Technology Group, one of the leading test preparation companies in China.