45 universities compared on tuition, language of instruction and scholarship access. Real cost tables by city. And a funding guide that tells you which scholarship you can actually win.
Most candidates work backwards from a university name. Working forwards from these answers produces a shortlist that actually fits.
City, discipline strength, teaching language and whether the university hosts CSC students directly.
Compare universities →Ten discipline families with duration, language, tuition band and the language certificate each one actually requires.
Browse programs →CSC Type A and B, ten provincial schemes, university awards and research fellowships — with the eligibility rules that filter people out.
Map the funding →X1 or X2, the JW201/JW202 distinction, and the 30-day window to convert your visa into a residence permit.
Read the visa guide →Internship rules, the post-study residence window, work permits and the cities that actually hire international graduates.
Work in China →Tuition bands are annual and indicative. The three universities listed are the strongest matches in our dataset for that field, not a ranking.
| Field | Example programme | Tuition / yr (CNY) | English-taught available | Strong matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine & Health | Clinical Medicine (MBBS) | 18,000–45,000 | Yes | Peking University, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University |
| Engineering | Mechanical Engineering | 18,000–36,000 | Yes | Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University |
| Computer Science & AI | Computer Science | 20,000–45,000 | Yes | Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University |
| Business & Economics | Business Administration (BBA) | 18,000–90,000 | Yes | Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University |
| Sciences | Physics | 18,000–36,000 | Yes | Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University |
| Humanities & Social Sciences | Chinese Language & Literature | 16,000–34,000 | Yes | Peking University, Fudan University, Nanjing University |
| Chinese Language | Intensive Chinese (long-term) | 3,000–30,000 | Yes | Beijing Normal University, East China Normal University, Beijing Language and Culture University |
| Architecture & Design | Architecture | 20,000–40,000 | Yes | Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, South China University of Technology |
| Law | Chinese Law (LLB) | 18,000–38,000 | Yes | Peking University, Wuhan University, Soochow University |
| Agriculture & Food | Food Science & Engineering | 14,000–30,000 | Yes | Zhejiang University, South China University of Technology |
Figures are indicative reference ranges compiled by EduTourChina for planning purposes. Tuition, stipends and requirements are set by each university or awarding body and change annually — confirm current amounts before you commit.
The level decides your documents, your language requirement and your age eligibility before the university does.
| City | Dorm | Food | Realistic total / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 800–1,800 | 1,200–2,200 | 2,500–4,700 |
| Shanghai | 900–2,000 | 1,300–2,400 | 2,800–5,200 |
| Shenzhen | 800–1,800 | 1,200–2,200 | 2,400–4,500 |
| Guangzhou | 700–1,600 | 1,000–1,900 | 2,100–3,800 |
| Hangzhou | 700–1,500 | 1,000–1,900 | 2,000–3,600 |
| Nanjing | 600–1,400 | 900–1,700 | 1,800–3,200 |
| Suzhou | 600–1,300 | 900–1,700 | 1,700–3,000 |
| Tianjin | 600–1,300 | 900–1,600 | 1,700–3,000 |
Eight of the eighteen cities we cover. Every city has its own profile with the full breakdown, climate and universities. Figures in CNY per student per month.
Tuition is set by the university, but the monthly bill is set by the city. Where you study changes your budget more than which university you pick.
1,200–2,200 CNY a month, and Harbin's engineering school competes with the coastal flagships. A stipend goes furthest here.
Read Harbin →2,800–5,200 CNY a month, and no central heating in winter. The finance and biotech internships are the reason people accept it.
Read Shanghai →Eight universities we cover, from Tsinghua to a university that exists specifically to teach Chinese to foreigners.
Read Beijing →1,400–2,500 CNY a month with a top-tier electrical engineering school. The job market is the trade-off, not the teaching.
Read Xi'an →Applicants usually only know about the first layer. The second and third are smaller but far less contested.
Tuition, accommodation, insurance and a monthly stipend. Type A through your embassy, Type B directly to a host university.
CSC routes →Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong and six more run their own awards, usually 50–100% tuition.
Provincial schemes →First-year tuition waivers, merit awards and fully funded programmes such as Schwarzman and Yenching.
University awards →ANSO and CAS-TWAS fellowships fund master's and PhD research outside the CSC system, often with fewer applicants.
Research funding →Decide level and field. Check whether you need HSK or IELTS, because that determines everything downstream.
Shortlist two to four universities and one realistic fallback. Note each one's scholarship deadline, not its admissions deadline.
Sit or book the language test, request references, and start notarising your diploma and transcripts.
Submit scholarship and admission applications. For PhD, contact supervisors before you submit anything.
Accept an offer, pay any deposit, and receive the admission letter with your JW201 or JW202 form.
Visa application, physical examination, accommodation booking and airport pickup request.
Instead of a brochure paragraph, each profile gives you the programme families, what a year actually costs in that city, the admission bar by level and the one caution that decides whether it fits.
Beijing · Engineering, computer science and design
Tuition CNY 26,000–40,000 / yr · CSC host
Shanghai · Medicine, economics and international relations
Tuition CNY 26,000–42,000 / yr · CSC host
Hangzhou · Widest discipline coverage, Hangzhou tech corridor
Tuition CNY 24,000–40,000 / yr · CSC host
Chengdu · Medicine, materials and western China scale
Tuition CNY 20,000–32,000 / yr · CSC host
Harbin · Aerospace, robotics and materials
Tuition CNY 20,000–32,000 / yr · CSC host
Beijing · Chinese language specialist
Tuition CNY 16,000–26,000 / yr · CSC host
Tell us your background, budget and target intake. We will send back a shortlist of universities, the funding you qualify for, and the documents you need to start collecting.