Study in China

Who this applies to

International (foreign) students at Chinese universities. Admissions are PER-UNIVERSITY (each runs its own online application); the MOE/CSC layer governs scholarships, visas, and quality (Double First-Class, former Project 985/211, C9 League elite tiers).

Governing authority

Ministry of Education (MOE). Common application aggregator: CUCAS. Scholarships: China Scholarship Council (CSC).

Degree system

Bachelor (本科) 4 yrs (Medicine/MBBS 5–6 yrs) · Master 2–3 yrs · PhD 3–4 yrs.

Admission

How

Apply directly to each university's international-students office (online) or via CUCAS. Documents: HS/prior-degree diploma + transcripts (notarized/translated), passport, study plan, recommendation letters, physical exam (Foreigner Physical Examination Form), police clearance for some.

Exams

Generally no single national entrance exam for internationals (the domestic Gaokao is for citizens). CSC bachelor applicants may take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA). Some programs require interviews/portfolios.

Language Requirements

Chinese Taught

HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi), typically HSK 4 for many programs, HSK 5–6 for humanities/medicine; non-qualifiers often do a 1-year Chinese foundation/prep year.

English Taught

IELTS/TOEFL for the growing number of English-taught programs (incl. English-medium MBBS, engineering, business).

Tuition Intl Per Year Cny

Undergraduate

~¥20,000–¥40,000 (~$3,000–$6,000)

English Medium Mbbs

~¥30,000–¥50,000

Graduate

~¥25,000–¥45,000

Note

Plus accommodation (~¥8,000–¥30,000/yr). Elite universities (Tsinghua/Peking) and English-medium programs are at the higher end.

Source

study-abroad.org; CUCAS; university intl fee pages

Student visa & residence permit

Type

X1 visa for studies >180 days; X2 for <180 days.

Process

University issues an Admission Notice + form JW201 (govt-funded) or JW202 (self-funded) → apply for X1 at a Chinese embassy → obtain a residence permit within 30 days of arrival.

Work Rights

Limited; on-campus/internship with university + authority approval.

Scholarships

Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) — full (tuition + accommodation + monthly stipend + insurance) or partial; Confucius Institute Scholarships; provincial government scholarships; university scholarships; Belt and Road scholarships. CSC funds 50,000+ international students annually.

Sources & references

• scholarships/CSC — https://www.cucas.cn/china_scholarship/about_chinascholarship (2026-06-10)
• costs/visa — https://www.study-abroad.org/study-in-china/costs-and-funding/ (2026-06-10)
• CSC/CSCA — https://us.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/lxfw/studyinchina/chinesegovernmentscholarship/ (2026-06-10)