Western China's largest comprehensive university, with a very large affiliated hospital system.
Sichuan is the largest comprehensive university in western China, and the West China Hospital system attached to it is the reason medicine applicants look west. Chengdu's living costs are roughly half of Shanghai's, which changes what a self-funded budget can cover.
Everything here is taken from the same dataset that drives the university comparison table, so the numbers match across the site.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| City | Chengdu · Sichuan |
| Founded | 1896 |
| Status | Project 985 · 211 · Double First-Class |
| Degree levels offered | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD |
| Teaching language | English and Chinese |
| Indicative tuition | CNY 20,000–32,000 per year |
| Chinese requirement | None for English-taught · HSK 4–5 for Chinese-taught |
| CSC Type B host | Yes — apply directly to the university |
| Living cost in this city | CNY 1,500–2,600 per month |
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.
Discipline families recorded for this university, with the programmes international applicants most often take and the tuition band those programmes sit in.
| Discipline family | Example programmes | Levels offered | Tuition band / yr (CNY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine & Health | Clinical Medicine (MBBS), Stomatology / Dentistry, Nursing | Bachelor, Master | 18,000–45,000 |
| Engineering | Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical & Automation | Bachelor, Master | 18,000–36,000 |
| Sciences | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics & Applied Maths | Bachelor, Master, PhD | 18,000–36,000 |
| Humanities & Social Sciences | Chinese Language & Literature, History, Education | Bachelor, Master | 16,000–34,000 |
Families are drawn from the discipline strengths recorded for this university; the example programmes are the ones international students most often apply for. Confirm the current catalogue with the international office before you apply.
English-taught options at this university, as recorded in its programme profile. Availability changes by intake, so confirm the current list with the international office.
| Level | Monthly stipend | Verdict in Chengdu |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 2,500 CNY | Workable — A 2,500 CNY stipend covers a dorm place and canteen food, but little beyond that. |
| Master's | 3,000 CNY | Comfortable — A 3,000 CNY stipend covers a dorm place and food with room to spare. |
| PhD | 3,500 CNY | Comfortable — A 3,500 CNY stipend covers a dorm place and food with room to spare. |
Living cost in Chengdu is CNY 1,500–2,600 per month. A funded student still pays for travel, clothing and anything outside insurance.
| Item | Indicative cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | CNY 20,000–32,000 per year | Paid to the university, usually by semester. Scholarship holders have this waived. |
| Dormitory | CNY 500–1,200 per month | On-campus shared room. A single room costs more and is limited. |
| Food | CNY 800–1,500 per month | Canteen-based. Cooking or eating out changes this significantly. |
| Transport and misc | CNY 300–500 per month | Metro, phone, printing, clothes, occasional travel. |
| Insurance | CNY 800 per year | Student medical insurance, required for registration in most provinces. |
The estimate assumes twelve months of living costs, because rent and food continue outside term time. Figures are indicative planning ranges for 2026.
Requirements by level, plus the one practical caution specific to this university.
| Level | Academic requirement | Language requirement | Age guidance (CSC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | High-school diploma with strong grades in relevant subjects | HSK 4–5 (Chinese) or IELTS 6.0 (English) | Usually under 25 for CSC; universities are more flexible |
| Master's | Bachelor's degree in a related field, usually GPA 3.0/4.0 equivalent | HSK 5 (Chinese) or IELTS 6.0–6.5 (English) | Usually under 35 for CSC |
| PhD | Master's degree and a publication or strong research record | HSK 5 (Chinese) or IELTS 6.5 (English) | Usually under 40 for CSC |
Age guidance reflects scholarship limits; universities are usually more flexible for self-funded applicants.
| What a full award covers | Full scholarship | Partial scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and registration | Fully waived | Waived fully or partially |
| On-campus accommodation | Provided (shared room; single room sometimes costs extra) | Usually not included |
| Monthly living stipend | Bachelor 2,500 · Master 3,000 · PhD 3,500 | Rarely included |
| Comprehensive medical insurance | Provided | Sometimes provided |
| International airfare | Not included (except some bilateral programmes) | Not included |
Stipend rates are the national standard. International airfare is normally excluded.
| Local scheme | Covers | Levels | How it is administered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sichuan Provincial Scholarship | Partial tuition plus occasional stipend | Bachelor / Master / PhD | Chengdu's lower living costs make a partial award go further. |
Municipal and provincial schemes are usually selected by the university after admission, so the application is often a checkbox rather than a separate portal. · All Sichuan schemes →
| University-level award | Level | Covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSC host universities — first-year tuition waiver | 25–100% of first-year tuition | Tuition only | Common recruitment tool for high-achieving applicants; often automatic if your grades are strong. |
| Medical universities — MBBS merit scholarship | Partial tuition, occasionally full | Tuition | Usually awarded after year one on academic performance rather than at admission. |
University awards are frequently decided at admission and are not always advertised. Ask the international office which ones you are automatically considered for.
Chosen for overlapping discipline strengths, not for ranking. Read two or three before you commit to one.
Chongqing · English MBBS in low-cost western China
Tuition CNY 18,000–28,000 / yr
Wuhan · Geomatics, law and hydrology
Tuition CNY 22,000–35,000 / yr · CSC host
Changsha · Xiangya medicine, rail transport and metallurgy
Tuition CNY 18,000–30,000 / yr · CSC host
Send us your level, field and budget. We will tell you which programmes at this university are realistic for your background, what the funding route looks like, and what to fix in your file first.