Peking University
北京大学 · Beijing, Beijing
QS 14ARWU 22THE 13
Strengths: Mathematics · Chemistry · Physics
China university guide · rankings · scholarships · admissions · applicant experience
Study in China, decoded.
Independent, multilingual information for international students: detailed university profiles with ten years of QS, ARWU and THE ranking data, guides, news, first-hand applicant experience reports, and the official application routes explained step by step.
- 33university profiles
- 10years of ranking data per university
- 254guides, news & experience reports
- 9official portals linked
Which Chinese universities lead the world rankings?
Ranking positions in the most recent editions of all three major global tables. Lower is better.
| University | QS 2026 | ARWU 2025 | THE 2026 | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peking University | 14 | 23 | 13 | Beijing |
| Tsinghua University | 17 | 18 | 12 | Beijing |
| Fudan University | 30 | 41 | 36 | Shanghai |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 47 | 30 | 40 | Shanghai |
| Zhejiang University | 49 | 24 | 39 | Hangzhou |
| Nanjing University | 103 | 75 | 62 | Nanjing |
| University of Science and Technology of China | 133 | 40 | 51 | Hefei |
| Tongji University | 184 | 151–200 | 151–200 | Shanghai |
| Wuhan University | 186 | 81 | 131–150 | Wuhan |
| Harbin Institute of Technology | 241 | 101–150 | 131 | Harbin |
Source: published editions of QS World University Rankings, ShanghaiRanking ARWU and Times Higher Education. Always verify current figures with the publisher.
Featured university profiles
Each profile covers history, campuses, faculty, discipline strength, notable alumni, English-taught programmes, tuition, deadlines and scholarships.
Tsinghua University
清华大学 · Beijing, Beijing
QS 17ARWU 18THE 12
Strengths: Computer Science & Technology · Mechanical Engineering · Architecture / Built Environment
Fudan University
复旦大学 · Shanghai, Shanghai
QS 30ARWU 41THE 36
Strengths: Clinical Medicine · Basic Medicine · Chinese Language & Literature
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
上海交通大学 · Shanghai, Shanghai
QS 47ARWU 30THE 40
Strengths: Mechanical Engineering · Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering · Clinical Medicine
Zhejiang University
浙江大学 · Hangzhou, Zhejiang
QS 49ARWU 24THE 39
Strengths: Computer Science & Technology · Agricultural Science / Crop Science · Optical Engineering
Nanjing University
南京大学 · Nanjing, Jiangsu
QS 103ARWU 75THE 62
Strengths: Astronomy · Geology / Earth Sciences · Atmospheric Science
Start here: the four questions every applicant asks
How do I apply?
Direct university applications, the Chinese Government Scholarship route, CSCA, HSK and the documents that decide the outcome.
Application guide →How is it funded?
CSC, provincial schemes, Confucius Institute awards, university scholarships — coverage, stipends and deadlines.
Scholarships →Do I need Chinese?
English-taught programmes, HSK thresholds, and how long it realistically takes to reach each level.
Chinese language →What does it cost?
Tuition, dormitories, food and transport, with city-by-city student budgets.
Costs →Latest news and updates
Ranking releases, scholarship rounds, policy changes and admissions dates.
CSC Type A versus Type B: which route should you use?
One goes through your national embassy, the other through a designated university. Applying to both is the standard strategy.
The application mistakes that cost applicants a full year
Missing documents, mistimed tests and unverified programmes account for most failed cycles. All of them are preventable.
Support services for international students: what universities are improving
Chinese universities have been expanding orientation, counselling and career services for international students, but provision remains uneven.
CSC 2027/2028 application round: what opens in November and what to prepare now
The Chinese Government Scholarship cycle opens each November with embassy deadlines in February. Here is the document set to assemble in advance.
Staying on to work in China after graduation: permits, routes and reality
Working in China after a Chinese degree is possible, and the graduate of a Chinese university has a real advantage in the work permit assessment — but the routes are specific.
China's 15th Five-Year Plan: what it means for international students
The State Council has set out plans to expand the "Study in China" brand, attract foreign students and build globally recognised Chinese education brands through 2030.
Experience sharing: how applicants actually got in
First-hand accounts from students who won scholarships and places at Chinese universities, with the sources they came from.
Fatima Hassan from Tanzania: a PhD in artificial intelligence at USTC
A researcher who wanted to apply artificial intelligence to healthcare access in rural Tanzania found a group at the University of Science and Technology of China working on exactly that.
Samuel Ochieng from Tanzania: environmental engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong on a municipal scholarship
A master's student funded by the Shanghai Government Scholarship worked on renewable energy applications for rural communities, using Chinese green technology as the starting point.
What successful scholarship applicants did differently: the patterns across 20 published accounts
Across accounts from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa, the same six decisions recur — and none of them is about academic brilliance.
Type A and Type B: how to run both CSC routes in one application cycle
The two CSC routes are assessed by different committees, use different agency numbers and have different deadlines — which is why applicants who run both roughly double the number of people who see their file.
The scholarship interview: what assessors actually test, and how successful applicants prepared
Interviews for Chinese government and university scholarships test communication, motivation and a coherent plan — not vocabulary. Generic answers about cost savings are the most common way to fail one.
The mistakes that cost applicants a year — and how to avoid every one of them
Name mismatches, expired documents, a single-route strategy and last-day submission cause more rejections than weak academic records. Here is the failure list, drawn from published accounts and official guidance.
Guides and funding
Step-by-step process guides and scholarship breakdowns.
Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC): eligibility, stipend and how to apply
The single largest funding scheme for international students in China. It covers tuition, accommodation, insurance and a monthly stipend — and it requires a pre-admission letter before you apply.
Confucius Institute Scholarship: full funding for Chinese language and TCSOL degrees
A dedicated scheme for Chinese language study and for training as a Chinese teacher, available at more than 150 host universities.
Shanghai Government Scholarship: Type A and Type B awards explained
Shanghai funds several thousand international students a year through two separate programmes with very different routes to entry.
Beijing Government Scholarship and university-level awards at Beijing universities
Municipal funding plus the internal scholarships offered by Tsinghua, PKU, Beihang and other Beijing institutions.
Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Yangtze Delta government scholarships: a comparison
Four provincial schemes covering Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou and the surrounding region, with different coverage and deadlines.
Guangdong and Greater Bay Area scholarships for international students
Provincial and municipal funding covering Sun Yat-sen University, SCUT, SUSTech and the Guangdong campus network.
Student accounts
Published accounts from students who studied in China, plus compiled field notes.
Field notes: how to pick a supervisor in China, and how to be picked by one
The supervisor determines your funding, your research, your equipment access and your graduation timeline. This is the most important decision in a Chinese postgraduate application.
Field notes: teaching English in China after graduation
It remains one of the most common first jobs for international graduates — and the legal requirements are stricter than most people think.
Lâm Chi from Vietnam: how she won a Confucius Institute Scholarship to Fudan
A 19-year-old Vietnamese student applied to two scholarship schemes, was rejected by one, and ended up at Fudan University with full funding and HSK 6.
Frequently asked questions
Short, direct answers — the format search engines and AI assistants cite.
How do I apply to a Chinese university?
Apply directly through the university's own international admissions system. You need a passport, notarised diploma and transcripts with certified translations, a study plan or research proposal, two recommendation letters for graduate programmes, a Foreigner Physical Examination Form and a police clearance certificate. Application fees are CNY 400–800 per university and are paid to the university, not to an intermediary. Most bachelor's deadlines fall between December and April for a September start.
Do I need to speak Chinese to study in China?
Not for English-taught programmes. China has a growing English-taught portfolio concentrated in engineering, business, computer science, public health, law and China studies at master's level, and a smaller number of English-taught bachelor's programmes. For Chinese-taught programmes you need HSK 4 for postgraduate study and HSK 5 for undergraduate study at competitive universities.
How much does it cost to study in China?
Tuition is typically CNY 20,000–50,000 per year for bachelor's and most master's programmes, CNY 45,000–80,000 for MBBS, and frequently zero for funded research degrees. Dormitory accommodation costs CNY 5,000–20,000 per year. Total living costs range from CNY 2,100 per month in cities such as Wuhan, Xi'an and Changchun to CNY 7,000 in Beijing and Shanghai.
What is the Chinese Government Scholarship and what does it cover?
The CSC scholarship, administered by the China Scholarship Council, covers full tuition, on-campus accommodation, comprehensive medical insurance and a monthly stipend of CNY 2,500 for undergraduates, CNY 3,000 for master's students and CNY 3,500 for doctoral students. It is tenable at around 300 designated Chinese universities. Deadlines fall between 1 and 22 February depending on your country's embassy.
What is CSCA and who has to take it?
CSCA is the China Scholastic Competency Assessment, an academic subject test. Every applicant for a Chinese Government Scholarship undergraduate programme must sit it and upload a valid score report. Register at csca.cn. It tests academic subjects and reasoning, not Chinese language.
About this data
Ranking figures are compiled from the published editions of QS, ShanghaiRanking (ARWU) and Times Higher Education. Tuition, deadlines and stipend amounts reflect the most recent published cycle and are revised annually — always confirm with the university and on campuschina.org before applying. This site is independent: we are not a recruitment agent and we do not charge students.