Hangzhou, Zhejiang · Founded 1897 · C9 League · Project 985 · Project 211 · Double First Class
Zhejiang University 浙江大学
Zhejiang University is China's largest comprehensive research university by breadth of disciplines and, after Tsinghua, the strongest in engineering and computer science. It is spread over seven campuses in and around Hangzhou, the city that hosts Alibaba, NetEase and a large share of China's digital economy.
Overview
Zhejiang University is China's largest comprehensive research university by breadth of disciplines and, after Tsinghua, the strongest in engineering and computer science. It is spread over seven campuses in and around Hangzhou, the city that hosts Alibaba, NetEase and a large share of China's digital economy.
ZJU has the largest international student body of any Chinese university — over 5,500 students from more than 140 countries — and offers English-taught degrees across engineering, agriculture, medicine, business and the arts.
History
Zhejiang University was founded in 1897 as Qiushi Academy, making it one of the oldest modern higher education institutions in China. Its name Qiushi ("seeking truth") remains its motto.
It moved west to Guizhou during the war and returned in 1946, then in 1998 four institutions — the original ZJU plus Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University and Zhejiang Medical University — merged to form today's comprehensive university. That merger explains its unusual combination of engineering excellence with top-ranked agriculture and medicine.
ZJU joined Project 211, Project 985 and the Double First Class plan, and in 2019 it opened the International Campus in Haining, a dedicated English-language campus with joint programmes delivered with the University of Edinburgh and Imperial College London.
World rankings, 2017–2026
| Edition | QS | ARWU | THE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 110 | 80 | 201–250 |
| 2018 | 87 | 67 | 177 |
| 2019 | 68 | 70 | 101 |
| 2020 | 54 | 58 | 107 |
| 2021 | 53 | 52 | 94 |
| 2022 | 45 | 36 | 75 |
| 2023 | 42 | 33 | 67 |
| 2024 | 44 | 27 | 55 |
| 2025 | 47 | 24 | 47 |
| 2026 | 49 | 24 | 39 |
Compilations such as this one can lag a publisher's revisions; verify the current figure at source.
Campuses
| Campus | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Zijingang Campus (Main) | 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou | The largest campus and administrative centre; hosts most first- and second-year students and the main library. |
| Yuquan Campus | 38 Zheda Road, Hangzhou | Historic campus in the city centre; engineering and computer science teaching. |
| Xixi Campus | 148 Tianmushan Road, Hangzhou | Arts and humanities. |
| Haining International Campus | 718 Haizhou East Road, Haining, Jiaxing | Purpose-built English-language campus with the ZJU–Edinburgh Institute and the ZJU–UIUC Institute of Engineering; international student housing. |
| Zhoushan Campus | Zhoushan, Zhejiang | Ocean science, marine engineering and port logistics. |
| Huajiachi Campus | Hangzhou | Schools of agriculture, life sciences and medicine. |
| Zhijiang Campus | Hangzhou | Medicine and Stomatology Hospital. |
Faculty and research
Zhejiang University employs around 9,700 academic staff, including about 55 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. Around 55 members of the national academies and one of the highest numbers of highly cited researchers in China. The Haining International Campus is staffed and taught entirely in English or bilingual.
Discipline strength
| Discipline | National grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science & Technology | A+ | Consistently among China's top three; deep ties to Alibaba and Hangzhou's tech sector. |
| Agricultural Science / Crop Science | A+ | Ranked among the world's best in ARWU's agriculture subject tables. |
| Optical Engineering | A+ | World-leading in optical instruments and photonics. |
| Control Science & Engineering | A+ | Robotics, automation and industrial control. |
| Clinical Medicine | A+ | Seven affiliated hospitals including the First and Second Affiliated Hospitals. |
| Mechanical Engineering | A | Fluid power and manufacturing. |
| Chemical Engineering | A | High citation impact in polymer and process engineering. |
| Management Science & Engineering | A | Business administration and innovation management. |
| Horticulture | A+ | Global leader in fruit and vegetable science. |
| Pharmacy | A | Drug discovery and pharmaceutical engineering. |
Grades follow China's national discipline evaluation scheme (A+ is the highest). Consult the university for the most recent evaluation results.
Programmes open to international students
| Programme | Level | Language | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZJU–University of Edinburgh Institute — Biomedical Sciences | Bachelor | English | 4 years |
| ZJU–UIUC Institute — Mechanical / Civil / Electrical Engineering | Bachelor | English | 4 years |
| International Business | Bachelor | English | 4 years |
| Clinical Medicine (MBBS) | Bachelor | English | 6 years |
| IMBA (School of Management) | MBA | English | 2 years |
| Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Global Leadership | Master | English | 2 years |
| Chinese Language and Culture | Language | Chinese | 0.5–2 years |
Admissions, tuition and deadlines
Requirements
Bachelor: high school diploma plus an entrance examination for most English-taught tracks; IELTS 6.0–6.5 / TOEFL 80–90 for English programmes, HSK 5 for Chinese-taught. Graduate: bachelor's degree, transcripts, two recommendation letters and a study plan; PhD requires supervisor pre-agreement.
Deadlines and fees
Deadlines: Bachelor: January – April (Haining campus programmes close earlier). Graduate: December – March.. Application fee: CNY 400–600. Tuition: CNY 24,000–40,000 per year for bachelor's; CNY 30,000–60,000 for English-taught master's; MBBS around CNY 70,000 per year.
Scholarships
Chinese Government Scholarship, Zhejiang Provincial Government Scholarship, Confucius Institute Scholarship, ZJU International Student Scholarship.
Notable alumni
| Alumnus | Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shi Yigong | Structural biologist | ZJU graduate, former president of Tsinghua, now a leading science administrator. |
| Li Ka-shing | Investor | Honorary doctorate; major benefactor of ZJU's medical school. |
| Duan Yongping | Entrepreneur and investor | Founder of BBK and Subor; long-time ZJU supporter. |
| Pony Ma (research ties) | Founder of Tencent | Shenzhen University graduate with close ZJU–industry collaboration. |
| Lu Guanqiu | Industrialist | Founder of Wanxiang Group, one of China's largest automotive parts manufacturers. |
Why students choose this university
- Best combination of scale, programme choice and international student services in China
- Hangzhou's lower living costs than Beijing or Shanghai with a comparable tech-job market
- Strong agriculture, optics and computer science research