A blind Chinese man has received admission offers from two American universities for a doctoral degree. The 40-year-old recently took the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL test, for the blind.

Yang Yang was born in northeast China’s Liaoning Province. His eyesight started to deteriorate when he was in second grade. He was later found to have suffered pathological changes to his retina. When he was 15, he had to drop out of school due to his blindness.

"After I dropped out of school, my parents took me to many places across the country seeking medical help. In the end, we had to face the hard facts," Yang Yang said.

Two years later, Yang found work at an architectural design institute, where he did sample inspection work that does not require the use of the eyes. Encouraged by the institute’s engineers, Yang decided to further his education and was admitted to the Qingdao Senior High School for the Blind.

"After I lost my eyesight, I wanted very much to read and study, even if just for fun. My parents acted as my eyes. They have read to me since my childhood," Yang Yang said.

Yang ended up taking the National College Entrance Exam one year ahead of schedule. He was admitted to the Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, where he studied acupuncture and massage. In 1999, Yang graduated from college and went to work in south China’s city of Shenzhen with his parents. During his spare time, he learned to surf the Internet.

"I heard about software that can help read the screen. I spent almost 200 U.S. dollars to buy the software, about half my monthly salary then. With that software, the content displayed on the computer screen is dictated to me. I can use it to surf the Internet, send emails and do word processing and spreadsheets," Yang Yang said.

Yang had hoped to pursue a post-graduate degree, but found that no Chinese universities offer such degrees specifically for blind people. Yang decided to take the TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, as a first step toward getting a post-graduate degree from a foreign university.

"Computers helped me a lot. I taught myself English through computers. At first, I just downloaded textbooks from the Internet and recited the texts," he said.

Yang took the test in Hong Kong last year, earning 97 out of 120 points. After participating in video interviews and submitting the proper documentation, Yang got offers from two U.S. universities. He chose to go to the University of Southern California.

"Studying can improve and fulfill myself. One can change his own fate through effort. I firmly believe that with effort, a child can draw a beautiful world if you give him a pen and a paper," Yang Yang said.