China is home to some of the best universities in Asia – and the world. This is why more and more people are flocking to this superpower of a nation – which is home to about half a million foreign students.
Even with this prestige, studying in China doesn’t come with a steep price. In fact, you can get a cheap yet world-class education at any of these cheapest universities in China for international students.
What Are the Requirements to Study in China?
The minimum requirement for taking an undergraduate program in China is a high school leaving certificate. For graduate studies, a bachelor’s degree is required.
Depending on the program, you may also have to submit a transcript of records and recommendation letters.
Admission will also necessitate proof of proficiency – HSK exam for Chinese-taught programs and TOEFL/IELTS for English-taught degrees.
Check Also:Â Available Programs for International StudentsÂ
Can You Study in English at Chinese Universities?
Yes. One of the best universities to take such programs is Peking University. It offers English-taught graduate courses in Law, Public Policy, and Public Administration, to name a few.
Another good option is top-ranked Tsinghua University, which offers 28 graduate programs in English.
Cheap Universities in China
1. Nanjing University
- Undergraduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 5,200 (USD $800) Per Year
- Graduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 10,000 (USD $1,500) Per Year
Nanjing University, which is also known as NU or NJU, is a public educational institution in Jiangsu, China. Founded in 1902 as the Sanjiang Normal College, this C9 League member is the oldest university in the Nanjing area. With a tuition fee of around $1,000, Nanjing University is the cheapest university in China for international students.
NU currently operates 3 campuses in Pukou, Xianlin, and Gulou. With these branches, it enjoys a big student population of 37,000+ students – 9% of which are represented by foreign enrollees.
Ranked 7th in all of China, NU specializes in the fields of Liberal Arts, Foreign Studies, Business, Journalism & Communications, Physics, Astronomy & Space Science, Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Geoscience, Life Science, Medicine, Environment, and Architecture, to name a few.
2. Guangxi University
- Undergraduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 11,000 (USD $1,700) Per Year
- Graduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 15,000 (USD $2,300) Per Year
Guangxi University, which is also known as Xida, is a research institution based in Nanning, Guangxi. Founded in 1928, it serves as the oldest university in the Guangxi Autonomous Region.
With a student population of 38,000+, the university only has a small community of foreign students (4%). However, this figure is deemed to rise given the school’s many degree offerings.
Here, students may enroll in any of Xida’s 26 schools and colleges. They are organized according to various disciplines, such as Engineering, Computer Science, Marine Science, Agriculture, Life Science, Liberal Arts, Public Policy, Arts, Business, and Law.
Xida is listed as one of the 1,500+ top-ranked universities in China.
3. China University of Mining and Technology
- Undergraduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 13,800 (USD $2,100) Per Year
- Graduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 15,400 (USD $2,400) Per Year
The China University of Mining and Technology or CUMT is a national university founded in the year 1909.
Formerly the Jiaozuo School of Railroad and Mines, it is listed as one of China’s cheapest universities. CUMT is also heralded by the national government as a distinguished Double First-Class Discipline University. These laurels have made it quite popular with students, as it currently has about 47,000 enrollees. Foreigners, however, only correspond to 2% of this population.
CUMT, which operates a main campus in Xuzhou and a branch in Beijing, is known for its flagship STEM programs. They include various Engineering specializations (Mining, Safety, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, and Electrical), as well as Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics.
4. Zhejiang University
Ranked the 5th best university in China (out of 1,500+), Zhejiang University is one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious institutions. Given its reputation, many international students have set their sights on the university. Currently, they represent 23% of the university’s 33,000+ students.
As a Class A Double First Class University, this cheap university in China operates various campuses. Most of these students are based in the Zijingang Campus.
Huajiachi, which is the oldest location, is the home of the College of Agriculture and Long-Distance Education. The School of Law, on the other hand, is based in Zhejiang.
The Yuquan branch houses the Colleges of Physical Science, Computer Science, and Engineering.
The Psychology, Behavioral Science, Marxism, Education, and Humanities departments, on the other hand, are located in Xixi.
5. Wuyi University
- Undergraduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 14,000 (USD $2,200) Per Year
- Graduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 14,000 (USD $2,200) Per Year
Wuyi University or WYU is a former Teacher’s College that was founded in the year 1958. It is currently sprawled on a 28,000-square meter suburban campus in Nanping, Fujian province.
Today, WYU offers more than just education courses. It also offers programs in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics & Computer Science, Ecology, Arts, Tourism, Humanities, and Business.
The WYU is also known for its unique degrees, including Tea & Food Science, Cartoons & Animations, and Modern Information Service.
6. Chongqing University
- Undergraduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 14,000 (USD $2,200) Per Year
- Graduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 30,000 (USD $4,600) Per Year
Chongqing University is one of the affordable universities in China for international students. Founded in the year 1929, it is listed as one of the best institutions in China. This has earned the university membership in the C9 Excellence League.
Expectedly so, it’s also named a Class A Double First Class University by the Ministry of Education. With these titles, Chongqing University has been the top choice of 42,000 students – 5% of which come from outside China.
Chongqing University’s academic departments are grouped under the Faculties of Arts & Sciences, Built Environment, Engineering, and Information Science & Technology.
7. Zhejiang University of Science and Technology
- Undergraduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 16,000 (USD $2,500) Per Year
- Graduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 25,000 (USD $3,800) Per Year
Founded in 1980, the Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (ZUST) is one of the many public universities situated in Hangzhou.
True to its’ name, ZUST specializes in the fields of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering, Automation & Electric Engineering, Information & Electric Engineering, Civil Engineering & Architecture, Biological & Chemical Engineering, and Light Industry.
Apart from these STEM courses, ZUST also offers Fashion, Economics, Humanities, and Foreign Language courses to its 30,000+ students. 8% or about 2,400 of them come from abroad.
8. Zhengzhou University
- Undergraduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 23,000 (USD $3,500) Per Year
- Graduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 30,000 (USD $4,600) Per Year
Zhengzhou University, also known as Zhengda, is a public university based in Henan, China. Founded in 1956, it is a result of a merger between 3 universities.
Because of this, Zhengda has amassed one of the largest student populations in China at about 73,000 (local and foreign). It also has one of the largest campuses – the 10th biggest in the country at a whopping 433 acres.
Given the university’s large structure, this cheap university in China is currently organized into 51 academic departments. These schools offer various specializations, including Medicine & Health Science, Humanities & Social Science, and Science & Engineering.
9. South China University of Technology
- Undergraduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 18,200 (USD $2,800) Per Year
- Graduate Tuition Fees: From RMB 23,000 (USD $3,500) Per Year
South China University of Technology or SCUT is a research university with campuses in Tianhe and Panyu, Guangdong. Founded in 1952 as the South China Institute of Technology, it is named one of the best in China – and the world.
Given its prestige, SCUT has attracted more than 40,000 students – with 5% of these coming from outside China. They are housed on various campuses, such as the Wushan Branch, which is the base of 17 departments. The University Town Campus, on the other hand, houses 11 schools. 4 Engineering and Electronics departments are presently based in the Guangzhou International Campus.
10. Wuhan University
Ranked as the 12th best in China, Wuhan University has earned the reputation of being one of the most selective in the country. To date, it has about 54,000 students – including a handful (7% of the total) originating from outside China.
Founded in the year 1893, the Hubei-based university is famous for its picturesque campus with views of the East Lake. At this affordable university in China, students may dabble in any of the institution’s competitive programs, including Philosophy, Language & Literature, Art, History, Law, Economics, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Engineering, Medicine, and Health Sciences.
Conclusion: Learning New Languages
If you want to study abroad in China, there is another way to save money as an international student. Since courses taught in English have a higher fee than courses taught in Chinese, learning a native language while staying in China might be a great idea if you are looking for more ways to save money.
Learning the native language of a foreign country will make your stay a whole lot easier since there is no communication barrier between you and the natives that you will encounter each and every day. In addition, you will gain confidence while living in a foreign country, gain many more friends, and save money on top of all these benefits. In
I hope that this article on the cheapest universities in China was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs for International Students to know more information like this!
