10 Top Universities in China for International Students

Looking for a study abroad in China as an international student? This article will give you every detail about the top universities in China for international students. In addition, you will get to know the universities that offer the best programs in medicine, civil engineering, business, mechanical engineering, and computer science.

In recent years, China’s educational system has improved so rapidly that its universities rank among the best universities in the world. China made strides to boost its educational system by establishing project 211 in 1995 and three years later, the nation set up project 985.

These projects were established to increase the standard of research in the top universities in the country. Universities that meet set criteria are rewarded with increased funds. These universities receive about 10 percent of China’s national research budget and are considered elite members of the C9 league.

Therefore, the universities in China for international students contained in this article are among the institutions that receive part of this increased research funds.

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What are the top Medical universities in China for international students?

Medical schools in China are globally recognized due to their world-class medical facilities that train students to be medical doctors in the field of medicine. Almost all the medical schools in China are recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The medical schools in China offer English-medium MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) programs. Hence, the top medical universities in China for international students include:

  • Shantou University Medical College
  • Nanjing Medical University
  • Zhejiang University School of Medicine
  • Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University
  • Guangzhou Medical University
  • Capital Medical University
  • Tongji University School of Medicine
  • Jinzhou Medical University

Shantou University Medical College

Shantou University Medical College (SUMC) is a part of Shantou University. It is jointly funded by the Chinese government and Li Ka Shing Foundation.

SUMC offers an undergraduate program in Clinical Medicine (MBBS) and an undergraduate program in Nursing. The MBBS programs take five years to complete while the nursing program is completed in four years. In addition, the programs are offered both in English and Chinese.

The coursework for the MBBS program includes system-based basic & clinical courses (first-year), skill training courses, and elective courses (second and third-year), clinical courses (fourth year), and clinical internship and elective courses (fifth year).

Nanjing Medical University

Nanjing Medical University (NMU) is a medical university in Jiangsu Province, China that was founded in 1934.

NMU offers bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees and post-doctoral research programs in clinical medicine, pharmacology, and toxicology.

Students at NMU conduct research at 23 affiliated hospitals and over 50 teaching hospitals in the provinces of Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Shandong.

Zhejiang University School of Medicine

Zhejiang University School of Medicine (ZJU Med) is one of the oldest and most prestigious medical schools in China.

ZJU Med administers academic programs through five departments including Basic Medicine, Public Health, Clinical Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Nursing.

The university has partnerships with the University of California, Los Angeles School of medicine in the field of talents education, faculty development, scientific research in Translational Medicine, and other medical engineering areas. Additionally, ZJU Med partners with over 20 leading medical schools overseas including Columbia University, The University of Melbourne, and the University of Toronto.

What are the top Business universities in China for international students?

Here are the business universities in China that offer the best MBA programs to international students:

  • Fudan University – School Of Management
  • CEIBS – China Europe International Business School
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University Antai College Of Economics & Management
  • Peking University – Guanghua School of Management
  • Tsinghua University – School of Economics and Management

Fudan University – School Of Management

The School of Management at Fudan University (FDSM) offers academic programs in business and finance.

FDSM comprises 8 departments and 31 cross-disciplinary research institutes. The School of Management at Fudan University offers 5 disciplinary doctoral degree programs, 13 Ph.D. degree programs of specialist subjects, 5 disciplinary master degree programs, and 17 master’s degree programs of specialist subjects.

In addition, FDSM offers 5 professional Master’s degree programs such as MBA/EMBA, Master of Professional Accountants (MPAcc) Program, Master of International Business Program, Master of Finance Program, and Master of Applied Statistics Program.

CEIBS – China Europe International Business School

China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) is a business school located in Shanghai, China.

CEIBS offers the following programs

  • MBA
  • Finance MBA (Part-time)
  • MBA/Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (Coordinated with Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University)
  • MBA/Master of Public Health (Coordinated with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)
  • MBA/Master of Management in Hospitality (Coordinated with Cornell University School of Hotel Administration)
  • Executive MBA (offered in Mandarin)
  • Global Executive MBA Shanghai cohort (offered in English)
  • Global Executive MBA Zurich cohort (offered in English)
  • Executive Education
  • Ph.D. in Management (Coordinated with Shanghai Jiaotong University)

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Antai College Of Economics & Management

Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM) is the business school of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. It is regarded as the best business school in China for international students.

ACEM offers undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs including a full-time MBA program, executive education programs, and multiple Ph.D. programs.

What are the top Civil Engineering universities in China for international students?

The universities listed below are the best in offering civil engineering programs to international students in China. They include:

  • Tsinghua University
  • Peking University
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University
  • Zhejiang University
  • Fudan University

What are the top Mechanical Engineering universities in China for international students?

The following universities in China offer high-quality mechanical engineering programs to international students, hence, they are considered the best. Keep in mind that the mechanical engineering programs are offered in the English language. They include:

  • Shanghai Jiaotong University
  • Huazhong University of Science and Technology
  • Xi’an Jiaotong University
  • Tsinghua University
  • Harbin Institute of Technology

What are the top Computer Science universities in China for international students?

The top computer science universities in China for international students are as follows:

  • Tsinghua University
  • Peking University
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University
  • Fudan University
  • University of Science and Technology of China

NOTE: The aforementioned universities offer computer science programs to international students in English so as to make teaching and learning easy.

Top Universities in China for International Students

Through the Chinese government’s Double First-Class University initiative that aims at developing the nation’s universities into world-class institutions, the universities listed below are considered the best in the nation for international students. In addition, they are members of the C9 League except for Sun Yat-sen University.

Hence, the top universities in China for international students include:

  • Tsinghua University
  • Peking University (PKU/Beida/Beijing University)
  • Fudan University
  • University of Science and Technology of China (USTC)
  • Zhejiang University (ZJU/Zheda)
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU)
  • Nanjing University (NJU/NU/Nanda)
  • Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech)
  • Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU/Zhongshan University/Zhongda)
  • Beijing Normal University (BNU/Beishida)

Tsinghua University

Tsinghua University is a public research university in Beijing, China that was founded in 1911. It is considered the best university in China and an elite member of the C9 League.

The university is notable for world-class teaching and research and it lays emphasis on leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Through the university’s 20 colleges and 57 departments, Tsinghua University offers 51 bachelor’s degree programs, 139 master’s degree programs, and 107 doctoral programs in science, engineering, arts and literature, social sciences, law, and medicine.

Tsinghua University is known for its diversity as it hosts over 4,000 international students from all over the world every year. In addition, the university offers over 500 courses in the English language. This makes Tsinghua one of the best universities in China for international students.

On the other hand, Times Higher Education ranks Tsinghua #1 in China and the whole of Asia while it is ranked 20th in the world. According to the 2020  U.S. News & World Report, Tsinghua is ranked 1st in China and 28th globally.

School website

Peking University

Founded in 1898, Peking University is a research university in Beijing and an elite member of the C9 League.

The university offers 125 undergraduate majors, 2 majors for the second Bachelor’s degree, 282 master’s degree programs, and 258 doctoral degree programs through 30 schools and 12 departments.

In the same vein, Peking University is a renowned center for teaching, research, and innovation. It possesses 216 research institutions and research centers including two (2) national engineering research centers, 81 key national disciplines, and 12 national key laboratories. The university has the largest library in the Asian continent.

Through its innovative programs, international students from around the world acquire top-notch education leading to the award of internationally recognized degrees. With these, Peking University ranks as one of the top universities in China for international students.

In the 2018  Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Peking University was ranked 1st in China, 2nd in Asia-Pacific, and 27th globally. According to the U.S. News & World Report rankings, Peking University was ranked 2nd in China, 5th in Asia, and 51st worldwide.

School website

Fudan University

Fudan University is a major public research university in Shanghai, China that was established in 1905. The university has an elite C9 League membership and a Chinese Ministry of Education Class A Double First Class University membership too.

Fudan University is notable for its liberal atmosphere and serious academics in humanities, science, medicine, and technology.

At Fudan, students are offered 73 bachelor’s, 201 master’s, and 134 doctoral degree programs as well as 6 professional degree programs through 17 full-time schools and 69 departments.

Currently, the university comprises 77 research institutes, 112 cross-disciplinary research institutes, and 5 national key laboratories.

Over 45,000 students enroll for full-time and online studies at Fudan University annually. Over 1,760 international students are contained in this number. This makes Fudan University second nationally for admitting the highest number of international students. You can see why Fudan University is one of the best universities in China for international students.

School website

University of Science and Technology of China (USTC)

The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) is a public research university in Hefei, Anhui, China that was founded in 1958. It is a member of the elite C9 League and a Chinese Ministry of Education Class A Double First Class University.

USTC is renowned for its emphasis on scientific and technological research, management, humanities, and engineering.

The university comprises 13 schools, 27 departments, the Special Class for the Gifted Young, the Experimental Class for the Teaching Reform, the Graduate School, School of Management (Beijing), the Software School, School of Network Education, School of Continuing Education, and Institute of Advanced Technology.

At USTC, students are offered 43 undergraduate specialties, 17 first-category Ph.D. degree programs, 89 second-category Ph.D. degree programs, 105 second-category master’s degree specialties. The university is seen as a citadel of learning that trains Ph.D. students in the CAS.

Meanwhile, USTC has 3 national research institutions and 6 key laboratories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) including the CAS Research Center for Thermal Safety Engineering and Technology. USTC comes into the list of the top universities in China for international students for its technological research and innovation.

According to the 2021 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, USTC is ranked 4th in China and 87th worldwide. The 2021 US News Best Global Universities ranked USTC 4th in China and 124th globally.

School website

Zhejiang University (ZJU/Zheda)

Zhejiang University (ZJU) is a public research university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China that was founded in 1897. It is a Chinese Ministry of Education Class A Double First Class University.

ZJU offers over 140 undergraduate and 300 graduate programs through 37 colleges, schools, and departments.

The university has a strategic collaboration with several universities worldwide including Imperial College London, Princeton University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Statistics from 2017 show that Zheda admitted over 6,800 international students from 148 countries around the world. This shows why ZJU is one of the top universities in China for international students.

In the 2020 SCImago Institutions Rankings, ZJU is ranked 38th all over the world.

School website

Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU)

Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) is a major public research university in Shanghai China that was founded in 1896. It is a member of the C9 League and a Chinese Ministry of Education Class A Double First Class University.

SJTU offers 63 bachelor’s degree programs, 250 master’s degree programs, 203 Ph.D. programs, 28 post-doctorate programs through 31 schools. The school has 11 state major laboratories and national engineering research centers.

Presently, SJTU offers provisional admission to over 40,711 students of which 2,722 are international students from several countries of the world. This shows SJTU’s diversity thereby making the institution one of the top universities in China for international students.

In 2020, AWRU ranked SJTU 63rd globally while Times Higher Education ranked SJTU 6th in the Emerging Economies University Rankings.

School website

Nanjing University (NJU/NU/Nanda)

Nanjing University (NJU, NU, or Nanda) is a public research university in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China that was established in 1902. It is the oldest university in the region. NJU is a member of the elite C9 League and a Chinese Ministry of Education Class A Double First Class University.

Nanda is widely renowned in the nation for its history in the Chinese language and literature. As a result of this, NJU and Peking University are recognized worldwide as the top universities offering high-quality Chinese language and literature studies in China.

Additionally, Nanjing University was the first institution in China to grant doctoral degrees in Chinese Language and Literature. The university also partners with the United Nations to offer a Chinese language program.

International students looking to learn the Chinese language very well should consider Nanjing University for studies.

In the 2017 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, NJU is ranked 91-100 globally. The 2015 QS World University Rankings also ranked NJU 91-100 worldwide.

School website

Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech)

Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) is a public research university in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China that was established in 2009.

SUSTech is comprised of two colleges (College of Engineering and College of Science) and four schools (School of Business, School of Medicine, School of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and School of Humanities and Social Sciences). In addition, the university has an Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies.

The university offers academic programs in these colleges and schools leading to the award of bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees.

According to the 2021 Times Higher Education rankings, SUSTech is ranked among the top ten universities in China. The 2021 QS World University Ranking ranked SUSTech 38th in China and 137th in Asia.

School website

Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU/Zhongshan University/Zhongda)

Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) is a public research university in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China that was founded in 1924. It comprises five campuses in Guangzhou, Zhuhai, and Shenzhen, and ten affiliated hospitals.

SYSU offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in liberal arts, humanities, science, law, business, and engineering. The university is widely recognized for offering the best programs in business in the country.

Its business schools including Sun Yat-sen Business School (SYSBS) and Lingnan (University) College are one of the only three business schools in China and one of 58 business schools worldwide being triple-accredited by EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA.

The 2015 U.S. News Global University Rankings, ranked SYSU 177th globally. In addition, SYSU is ranked 263rd worldwide in the 2015 QS World University Rankings. In the 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, SYSU is ranked 8th in China and 251-300 worldwide.

School website

Beijing Normal University (BNU/Beishida)

Beijing Normal University (BNU or Beishida) is a public research university in Beijing, China that was founded in 1902. It is a member of the elite C9 League and a Chinese Ministry of Education Class A Double First Class University.

BNU 0ffers 74 undergraduate degree programs, 185 master programs, and 142 doctoral programs in a wide range of disciplines. Out of all the disciplines, 16 of them are honored as national key disciplines such as:

  • Education
  • Chinese Language and Literature
  • Psychology
  • Mathematics
  • Geography
  • Cell Biology
  • Marxist Philosophy
  • Physical Chemistry
  • Ancient Chinese History
  • System Sciences
  • Theory of Science
  • Theoretical Physics
  • Folklore/Anthropology
  • Ecology
  • Environmental Science
  • Educational Economics and Management

On the other hand, BNU has 74 research laboratories such as 4 National Key Labs, 7 Key Labs of the Ministry of Education, and 5 Key Labs of the Beijing Municipality. BNU appears as one of the top universities in China for international students.

In the 2020 Times Higher Education Rankings, BNU is ranked 10th in China and 301–350th globally. Beishida is ranked 12th in China and 279nd worldwide by the 2020 QS World University Ranking. According to the 2020 Academic Ranking of World Universities, BNU is ranked 7th-12th in China and 201-300th globally.

School website

Conclusion

China’s global recognition for having one of the strongest economies in the world is one of the major reasons why international students go there to study. The rapid increase in China’s economy brings about a major boost in its educational institutions.

Meanwhile, this is evident in the Chinese government giving 10 percent of China’s national research budget to institutions of higher learning in the country.

International students that wish to travel to China for studies are advised to choose any of the top universities contained in this article.

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