China has taken the world by storm over the past decade. With the second-largest economy in the World, the Chinese government has given focused attention to developing its education system since the 1950s. In 2012, China reached its target of spending 4 percent of GDP on education, while the number of colleges and universities has doubled in the last decade, now standing at around 2,900. The five-year plan extending to 2020, focused on modernizing and strengthening its higher education system, with key initiatives such as Project 211, which aims to bring 100 Chinese universities to a world-class level, and Project 985, which aims to create an even more elite group of universities. Project 985 has resulted in the creation of the C9 league, which has ambitions of becoming something like the US Ivy League.
Mainland China has 40 institutions ranked in the QS World University Rankings® 2021, including six in the global top 100, with 60 more top universities in China included in the new QS Mainland China Rankings. With the latest figures showing that nearly 490,000 international students were enrolled in Mainland Chinese universities in 2017 (10 percent more than in 2016), China seems certain of meeting its target of hosting 500,000 foreign students by 2020. Out of these statistics, the largest numbers of international students hailed from the countries such as South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan, the United States, India, Russia, Japan and Indonesia.
These improved numbers are believed to be partly due to the Chinese government’s boosted scholarship scheme, with nearly 59,000 foreign students receiving a scholarship in 2017.
One of the biggest advantages for international students is the steadily increasing number of English-taught programmes, with the number available increasing by 63 percent in the last five years.
There are many benefits of studying in China for international students besides the world-class quality of education. China is a vast country with a rich culture, intriguing history and a diverse population. With international students from all corners of the world and infinite opportunities to explore the country, China provides an incredible alternative for personal development and broadening one’s horizons. Moreover, it is affordable to study in China compared to European countries, the US or Japan. The average cost of living in China for students happened to be US$12,000 or 9,31,008 rupees and the average tuition fee ranges between US$2,000-4,000 or 2-4 lakh rupees.
Plus, the country offers ample employment opportunities. With the second-largest economy in the World, all the world’s top 500 companies do business in China, with many choosing to base their Asia-Pacific headquarters in the bustling Chinese cities of Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. With the rise of China in the world, China serves as a huge market for multinational corporations. The ability to speak Chinese as well as having an understanding of the culture, history and economics of the country can be a great advantage to aspiring scholars and professionals.
Here are some of the elite Universities from Mainland China:
Tsinghua University
Ranked 1th in the world and first in the Asia University Ranking in 2022, Tsinghua University is in the Chinese capital of Beijing and is a member of the elite C9 League. Established in 1911, Tsinghua University now has a community of just over 46,000 students, including nearly 2,700 from outside of China. Looking at the most recent QS World University Rankings by Subject, Tsinghua University performs best in architecture, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and materials sciences. For all three of these subjects, it’s ranked in the top 15 universities in the world.
Peking University
Peking University, also known as Beida or Beijing University, is a premier research university in the World. Ranked as the 16th best university in the world by the Times Higher Education in 2022, the university is situated in the heart of Beijing. Established in 1898, the university is a part of the elite C9 League of Chinese universities. The university also ranks among the world’s best in many of the 48 subjects covered by the subject rankings, achieving top 20 positions in chemistry, dentistry, modern languages, linguistics, materials sciences and more.
Fudan University
China’s third-best university, according to both the World University Rankings (for which it’s ranked 34th) and the Mainland China Rankings, Fudan University is spread across four campuses in Shanghai, one of the nation’s largest hubs of finance and trade. Another member of the C9 League and also currently ranked sixth in Asia, the University has a current enrollment of just under 32,000 students and is known as one of China’s most selective schools.
Featured among the world’s top universities in 30 subjects in 2018, Fudan University excels in modern languages, chemistry, business & management, materials sciences and politics, for which it ranks among the top 50 worldwide.
Scholarships
Here are some of the prestigious scholarships for international students to study in China:
CAS-TWAS President’s PhD Fellowship Program – International scholarships to complete a PhD in China
Chinese Scholarships-Great Wall Program – Scholarships for overseas students to study in China for a year at any level of study
Chinese Government Scholarships – Available for all students at all degree levels to study in China
Zhejiang University Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program – Scholarships for Asian students to complete a two-year English-taught master’s degree in public administration at Zhejiang University
Tsinghua University Doctoral Scholarship – Full or partial tuition scholarships are available for foreign students to study for a doctorate at Tsinghua University
Peking University Academic Excellence Scholarships – Scholarships for outstanding international students who have already been admitted to Peking University
