10 Best China Universities for International Students

Tsinghua University has been referred to as “possibly the best university in the world for mathematics and computing.” This is a title well earned as China continues to put more world-class universities on the world map. If you are looking for the best China universities for international students, you have come to the right place.

As the universities in China continue to get more funding, they are apt to become even better equipped to take international students. Today, many of them enroll thousands of international students already. In this article, we are going to look at the top ten among them all.

Some of these universities are in the elite list of the C9 League universities in China, and most of them are in the city of Beijing. They may not make it to the list of the top ten universities in the world this year, but they are headed there. Some, such as the Tsinghua University also make it to the list of the best universities in Asia.

Basically, what we are trying to say here is that if you would like to study in China as an international student, there is no shortage of universities and the ten that we will review here are among the very best.

1. Beijing Language and Culture University

BCLU is one of the best universities in China for international students. In this university, you can study mandarin and other Chinese languages. This institution is geared to accommodate international students.

There are two buildings for accommodating international students. Students are encouraged to apply for a dorm vacancy through the official website. When looking for information about this university online, you will find that it is one of the most internationally revered universities for studying the language and other tenets of the Chinese culture.

In this university, you will meet a huge mix-pot of students from all parts of the world. With China being a major trading partner, many countries even seek scholarships for placement of their students in this university to study Chinese language. Thus, you will feel almost as you would feel at home, never lonely because there are many internationals just like you.

Another thing that makes most people say that BCLU is one of the best China universities for international students is that you get to practice your mandarin with the Chinese students. This is far much better than trying to socialize on the crowded streets of Beijing.

It is easy to get all the information that you need on the university website. Right there on the home page, you will find tabs for catering services, facilities, apartment reservation, admission requirements, employment and so on. You will find that BCLU has many services and programs geared towards international students from all parts of the world.

Official Website: http://english.blcu.edu.cn/

2. Peking University – Beijing

The first place to stop when you want to be admitted to the Peking University as an international student should be the official website. You can make an online application, and it should not take you long because it is quite straightforward. But even before you make the application, under the “Application” tab, you will find a lot of information regarding things like eligibility, date of admission, accomodation and many more.

One of the reasons that international students say PKU is one of the top universities in China for international students is that they have all the space they need to be students. The university is a thriving community with everything that a student would need to make his or her life comfortable.

Students do not have to go outside the school premises to get the things that they need. Also, meals in the campus canteens are quite affordable. Even international students on a low budget should be able to try different types of Chinese foods.

The university also has the PKU office of international relations, specifically made to help international students. Students can take their programs in both English and Chinese. Since Chinese universities just recently started offering learning in English, there has been a flurry of international students flocking this and other Chinese universities.

For things such as accommodation, international students are placed in dorms with 2 students. However, the Chinese student quarters are a bit crowded.

For academics, just know that they take it very seriously. If you want to party once in a while, you will have to go out of the university.

Official Website: http://english.pku.edu.cn/

3. University of International Business and Economics (UIBE)

Are you looking for a university where you can learn business, interact with students from all over the world and have an amazing firsthand experience of another language and culture?

The University of International Business and Economics – UIBE is where you want to be. It is located  in Beijing and since its establishment in 1951, UIBE has been honing skills in management, law, finance, foreign languages, economics and other fields.

In 1954, UIBE started admitting foreign students and the culture has prevailed into the 21^st century. Today, if you should join them as an international student, you will interact with South Korean, French, Finnish, German, American, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Spanish and Italian students to name but just a few of them. You can see that the collection of internationals here is quite a mixpot.

With almost 2000 academic staff, learning programs are offered in English and Mandarin. This is a good place to practice your Mandarin. Admission is determined by how you will perform in the entrance exam. Please note that this university offers both degree and non-degree training programs.

Accommodation is offered in two types for international students – on-campus and off-campus. There are three on-campus dorms. It is important to apply for on-campus accommodation early since they are offered on first-come first-served basis.

For off-campus accommodation, there are hotels offering accommodation at low rates for long-term board. Either way, you get to pay good rates for accommodation whether on-campus or off-campus.

Why is UIBE one of the best China universities for international students? Because it is located bang in the middle of Beijing, where it is so easy to get to every attraction.

Official Website: http://english.uibe.edu.cn/

 

4. Fudan University

On their official website, you will see information regarding how Fudan University has the largest population of international students among all the Chinese universities. Whether this is true or not is open for debate.

However, what we know is that Fudan University was founded in 1905 and in 2018, it was ranked 116^th in the world ranking of universities by Times Higher Education.

This university is located in Shanghai. With a student to teaching staff ratio of 4:1 and offering more than 350 degree programs, it is easy to see why this is one of the top universities in China for international students. In addition, there are several scholarships for international students.

For accommodation, which is one of the main worries for international students, Fudan University offers a 23 storey building on-campus that serves as the main foreign student accommodation. But there are others. In addition, there are many restaurants on-campus including an Islamic restaurant. Off-campus accommodation for foreign students is also allowed, but it is better to book early for on-campus accommodation, which is managed hotel-style.

International students can choose any of the 15 English-taught degree programs in the university. These programs include  Chinese Economy, Chinese Politics and Diplomacy and others.  Foreign students can also take non-degree programs as visiting scholars. One of the most popular courses in this regard is the Chinese language for international students. This university has been accommodating students from all over the world since 1950, so there is good interaction from people all over the world.

With an academic staff of close to 3000, this school is well equipped with everything a student needs to hone their skills for the world employment stage.

Official Website: http://www.fudan.edu.cn/en/

 

5. Shanghai Jiaotong University

How would you like to study in the MIT of the East? This is the nickname for the Shanghai Jiaotong University, which was started back in 1896 as Nanyang Public School. It is a member of the C9 League, which can be considered as the “Ivy League” of mainland China.

Located in Shanghai, this university has all of seven campuses. It is one of the leading universities in the accommodation of foreign students. As an international student, you will be studying with some of the best brains in the world, as they all have to pass tough entry exams. Thus, you have to up your game. After you are done with schooling, you will be able to defend your arguments anywhere in the world.

This university was mostly known for sciences, systems engineering, computer science, engineering, communication and electronic systems disciplines. However, the humanities faculties have really risen up in the recent past and today, there are many notable alumni in the humanities disciplines.

About accomodation, if you are studying for a non-degree course or you are taking Chinese language studies, you cannot be accommodated on-campus. You will have to live off-campus, but you have to register with the International Student Service Office. Apart from that, there are many on-campus accommodations for students including Building 8, 9, 10, 12, 51 and so on. Of course, terms of accommodation may differ from one building to another.

Just so you can know what you are getting yourself into, Jiaotong University is one of the most renowned university in the world for ship engineering. Even the top engineering university in Norway sends a student or two here for their Masters program every year.

Official Website: http://en.sjtu.edu.cn/

 

6. Jinan University

On the official website for Jinan University, you can click the International Student Services tab and you will find plenty of information regarding international students. They say there are more than 11,000 students at any one year studying in the school. These students come from more than 100 countries. From this alone, you can see just the kind of confidence that other countries have in Jinan University.

Located in Guangzhou City, Tianhe District, Jinan University was started in 1906 and among its core objectives was to help spread Chinese language and culture to all parts of the world. From this alone, you can tell that this university has a great policy for the accommodation of foreign students from North America, Latin America, East and West Europe, Africa, Asia and many more places.

They have the International School, which is a college that offers english-taught programs. Established in 2001, they offer 9 graduate and 1 masters degree programs. They do not only offer learning in English, but they also offer Chinese language and culture studies.

For accommodation, international students can live on or off-campus. On-campus accommodation is limited and so it is given on first-come first-served basis. It is also more affordable. However, there is plenty of hotel-style off-campus accommodation for international students. The student apartment is found on the main campus in HuangPu, Guangzhou. Each room of the student dorms has a chair, desk, wardrobe and air conditioning.

Official Website: https://english.jnu.edu.cn/

 

7. Zhejiang University

With a rich history of academic excellence, high impact research and equipping the job market with highly skilled workers going back as far as 1897, Zhejiang University has gotten better with time.

This university is a member of the Yangtze Delta Universities Alliance. It is located in the city of Hangzhou and it has seven campuses. One of the campuses is the Haining International Campus, which offers english-taught courses and it is where most international students end up.

There is a large student population of slightly more than 45000 and an academic staff of 3350. The learning in this school is fast-paced, but then, it is a very selective university and it accommodates only the best from other countries as well as from home.

Among some of the disciplines offered in different campuses include mathematics and theoretical sciences in the campus of Zhijiang,  medicine in Zijingang Campus, agriculture in Huajiachi Campus, arts and sciences at Xixi Campus and engineering at Yuquan Campus, and the Haining International College campus that offers many degree and non-degree courses, taught in English.

Many reviews say that this is one of the best China universities for international students in engineering and science. It is also one of the best institutions in China for an international student looking for an authentic Chinese language and cultural experience. With students from more than 100 nationalities, clearly, you will get more than Chinese experience.

International students can live on-campus in either single or double rooms. There are three dining halls for international students on Yuquan Campus. All students are expected to buy a meal card and bring their own dinnerware to the campus canteens.

Official Website: http://www.zju.edu.cn/english/

 

8. East China Normal University

The ECNU is a full research university that was established in 1951 after the merger of two universities in China. What makes it one of the top universities in China for international students is that it has forged a very strong relationship with more than 150 universities in the world. Among them is the University of Pennsylvania, Tokyo University, New York University and many more. Thus, getting admission to East China Normal University is very easy. If you are looking for the best academic experience as well as a first-hand experience of Chinese culture and language, this is the university to enroll in.

For accommodation, there are four accommodation options on-campus. These include the International Student Dormitories 1, 2 & 12 and the International Exchange Center. The latter has single rooms with own toilet and shower while the former has double rooms with shared bathrooms and showers.

Students that miss the on-campus accommodation can find other affordable accommodation in Nanyanguan, Jingyang Guan and ChangFeng. If you should choose the off-campus accommodation, you should register with the International Students Office and the police bureau.

With more than 5000 international students, you will feel very comfortable in the university. There are American, Korean, Canadian, Russian, German, Italian, Australian, British, Italian and French students. Simply said, as of 2018, there were students from 137 countries in East China Normal University.

Some of the disciplines that you can pursue in this university include chemistry, molecular Biology, design, art, communication, geographical sciences, sports & health, foreign languages, science & engineering, data science, data engineering, urban and regional sciences. Advanced studies include Estuary & Coastal Research, International & Regional Studies, Arts and many more.

Official Website: http://english.ecnu.edu.cn/

 

9. Tsinghua University

Every year, there are more than 3000 international students being admitted to the Tsinghua University, which is one of the most respected universities in China and the world. Since its establishment in 1911, the university has grown to become a world-class institution. It is a member of the C9 League of elite universities in China.

Among some of the disciplines that this university is mostly known for include instrument science, electronic engineering, navigation technology, photonics and many more. There is also the Peking Union Medical College, School of Journalism and Communication, School of Law and many more.

For the international students, there are 15 undergraduate programs. There are more than 100 Masters programs and more than 80 Ph.D programs. However,  for English taught programs, there are 8 Ph.D and 20 Masters programs. Also, more than 500 different courses are offered in English.

The international student community can get assistance from the Tsinghua International Students and Scholars Center. This center was established solely for the assistance of international students.

An institution cannot be named as one of the best China universities for international students unless it offers its domestic and local students a good school life.

In Tsinghua, international students have many options for accommodation in three dormitories, some of them offering single rooms, double rooms and different facilities. These dormitories have a capacity of 2000 people so they are offered on first-come first-served basis. Each room has internet access, chair and desk, air conditioner and beddings.

Official Website: https://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/thu2018en/index.html

 

10. Huaqiao University

Huaqiao University is located in Fujian Province in China. It is one of the best national universities and it was founded in 1960 to accommodate students of Chinese citizens working and living in other countries, so that their children could get an authentic Chinese experience and education. To date, more than 35,000 students from overseas have passed through the doors of this university.

There are 20 colleges offering 60 bachelor degree programs, 9 doctoral programs and many masters programs. The disciplines that you can pursue in Huaqiao include engineering, law, philosophy, education, agriculture, economics, history, sciences and many more. Since this university has a good international student policy, more than half of the students who graduate are from overseas.

There is 1200 full time teaching staff, among them 450 professors. If you are looking forward to experiencing Chinese culture and language with a global touch, join Huaqiao University and study among students from all over the world.

For on-campus accommodation, there are different dorms available to international students and they have amenities such as air conditioning, telephone, bookshelves, wardrobe, chair, desk, internet, water heater, TV and others. The students’ apartments come in single, double and even quad rooms at different prices.

You will also find the Huaqiao University official website quite easy to use. It is also very detailed with everything that you may need to know about the school and its programs right there on the site.

With the thousands of overseas students who graduate from this university every year, there is no doubt that it is one of the top universities in China for international students.

Official Website: http://en.hqu.edu.cn/

Summary

You have seen our reviews of some of the best China universities for international students. Some of them are in the C9 League, which is a list of the top elite universities in mainland China, which polish future leaders in business, politics and the arts. With China having opened its doors to the world in 1978, there has been an influx of international students going to visit as scholars, and others taking their masters and graduate programs in these ten universities. Top engineering universities in different countries in the world send their masters students to China for further studies. Apart from studying in one of the top universities in China for international students for your degree or non-degree course, you also get the opportunity to learn Chinese languages and culture firsthand.