How to apply to Nanjing University as an international student: requirements, tuition and deadlines

Nanjing University (南京大学) is a public research university in Nanjing, Jiangsu. The biggest climber among China's top universities in QS 2026, rising from 145th to 103rd in a single edition.

Nanjing University is one of China's most respected comprehensive universities, with a historic reputation in the natural sciences, Chinese literature, history and philosophy. Its astronomy, geology and atmospheric science departments are the best in the country.

NJU operates three campuses, including the striking new Suzhou campus opened in 2023, and runs English-taught master's degrees in computer science, business, environment and China studies.

Why international students choose NJU

• Exceptionally strong for pure science research at moderate cost
• Nanjing is a historic, student-heavy city with lower living costs than Shanghai
• Established Chinese-language teaching for international students

Programmes open to international students

Language requirements depend on the track: Chinese and English. Confirm the exact requirement with the international office, because some departments within the same university set different thresholds.

Entry requirements in detail

Bachelor: high school diploma and entrance examination; HSK 5 for Chinese-taught, IELTS 6.0–6.5 for English-taught. Graduate: bachelor's degree, two recommendation letters, study plan; some science programmes require a written subject test.

Deadlines, fees and how to apply

Application deadlines: Bachelor: 1 December – 31 March. Graduate: December – March.. The application fee is CNY 500. Applications are submitted through the university's own international admissions system — see the official international office link at the bottom of this page.

The document set is standard across Chinese universities: passport, notarised diploma and transcripts with certified translations, a study plan or research proposal, two recommendation letters for graduate programmes, the Foreigner Physical Examination Form, a police clearance certificate and, for scholarship applicants, a CSCA score report where required. Start with document authentication eight to ten weeks before the deadline.

Tuition and total cost

CNY 20,000–26,000 per year for bachelor's; CNY 26,000–50,000 for master's; research degrees usually funded.

Nanjing is in the East China region. A realistic student budget including accommodation, food, transport and insurance typically sits between CNY 2,100 and 7,000 per month depending on whether you live in a university dormitory and how far the campus is from the city centre.

Scholarships you can apply for

Chinese Government Scholarship, Nanjing University Presidential Scholarship, Jiangsu Provincial Government Scholarship, Confucius Institute Scholarship.

The Chinese Government Scholarship requires a pre-admission document from a target university, which means the university application has to be completed before the CSC deadline. Apply to the university first, indicate every scholarship you are eligible for in the same form, and submit a separate CSC Type A application through your national embassy if its deadline allows.

Where you will study

NJU teaches across 4 campuses. Several Chinese universities deliver programmes in more than one city, so confirm in writing which campus your programme uses before accepting an offer.

Academic strengths at NJU

Faculty and research environment

The university employs around 4,600 academic staff. 33 national academy members. NJU's School of Astronomy and Space Science, School of Earth Sciences and School of Physics all accept international graduate students and supervise in English.

Notable alumni

• Wu Jianxiong (Chien-Shiung Wu) — Experimental physicist. NJU graduate; proved parity violation in weak interactions.
• Yang Zhenning — Nobel Laureate in Physics. Studied at the wartime NJU-affiliated programme.
• Zhu Guangya — Physicist. Nuclear physics pioneer and NJU alumnus.
• Bi Feiyu — Novelist. Mao Dun Literature Prize winner.
• Howard Schultz — Former Starbucks CEO. Attended NJU's executive programme; Starbucks opened its first China store in the NJU area.

How to strengthen your application

• Lead with the disciplines where NJU is genuinely strong: Astronomy, Geology / Earth Sciences, Atmospheric Science. A study plan that references specific research groups or courses carries far more weight than a general statement.
• If you are applying for a research degree, contact a prospective supervisor 8–12 months before the deadline with a specific proposal. For Chinese universities this is the single most decisive step.
• Submit the language evidence the programme actually asks for. If you are applying to an English-taught track, ask which language the examination papers are delivered in before you accept.
• Apply to more than one university. Chinese scholarship schemes are assessed by different committees and a rejection from one does not affect the others.

Always verify current requirements on the official Nanjing University international admissions site and on campuschina.org, since deadlines and tuition are revised each cycle.