About
About Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University (清华大学) was founded in 1911 in Beijing and has grown from a preparatory school into China’s most prominent university, spanning science, engineering, economics, management, law, the humanities, art and medicine.
The campus occupies former Qing-dynasty imperial gardens in the Haidian district of north-west Beijing — the city’s main academic and technology hub. Tsinghua is a member of the elite C9 League and the national Double First-Class initiative.
With 21 schools and 59 departments, more than 17,000 academic staff and over 50,000 students, Tsinghua consistently ranks first in mainland China and among the top 20 universities worldwide.
Consistently ranked the top university in the country
Top-ranked in China
Ranked #17 in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and consistently the leading university in mainland China.
C9 League member
Part of China’s C9 League — the country’s equivalent of the Ivy League — and the national Double First-Class initiative.
Comprehensive university
Programs across engineering, natural sciences, medicine, economics, management, law, the humanities and the arts.
Historic campus
Set on former imperial gardens, the campus is widely considered one of the most beautiful in China.
Admission
Admission, programs & tuition
Tsinghua admits international students to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as to non-degree programs. There is no separate university-wide foundation year — applicants who first need to strengthen their Chinese usually join the Chinese Language Program listed under non-degree programs below. Tuition is set per academic year and depends on the school, program and language of instruction.
Degree programs
Select a degree level to see tuition, duration and entry requirements.
Bachelor’s degreeUndergraduate
Four-year undergraduate degrees taught in Chinese, in Chinese and English, or fully in English. Clinical Medicine runs longer across foundation, research and clinical stages.
- Economics, finance, management & law
- RMB 26,000 / year
- Science & engineering (Chinese-English)
- RMB 30,000 / year
- Arts
- RMB 40,000 / year
- Clinical medicine (by stage)
- RMB 40,000–70,000 / year
Application requirements
- Foreign citizenship and a valid passport (non-Chinese nationality per Ministry of Education Document No. 12, 2020).
- A valid high-school graduation certificate; applicants must be 18 or older by 1 September 2026.
- High-school transcripts plus national or international exam results (gaokao-equivalent, SAT, ACT, A-Level, AP, IB and similar).
- Chinese-English programs: HSK Level 5 with 60+ in each section (HSK 4 accepted if upgraded to Level 5 within the first year).
- English-taught programs: TOEFL or IELTS scores for applicants whose first language is not English.
- Personal statement and supporting materials submitted through the online application system.
Master’s degreeGraduate
Two- to three-year master’s degrees across 53 schools and departments. More than 30 master’s programs are taught fully in English; others are taught in Chinese or bilingually.
- Philosophy, law, education, arts & history
- RMB 28,000 / year
- Economics & management
- RMB 30,000 / year
- Science, engineering & medicine
- RMB 33,000 / year
- Design & fine arts
- RMB 45,000–65,000 / year
- Professional programs (MBA, Master of Finance)
- RMB 64,000 / year and above
Application requirements
- Foreign passport holder; a bachelor’s degree or equivalent completed before the 2026 registration date.
- Personal statement submitted in the online application system.
- Degree certificate with authentication, and academic transcripts.
- Two recommendation letters from associate professors or above.
- HSK or English-language test scores, depending on the program’s language of instruction.
- Passport biographical page and any program-specific materials.
Doctoral degreeGraduate
Doctoral study across science, engineering, medicine, the social sciences, humanities and the arts. 38 departments also admit outstanding bachelor’s holders directly to doctoral study.
- Philosophy, law, education, arts & history
- RMB 32,000 / year
- Science, engineering, medicine, economics & management
- RMB 40,000 / year
- Specialized fields (journalism, design, art)
- RMB 50,000–75,000 / year
Application requirements
- Foreign passport holder; a master’s degree or equivalent (38 departments also admit bachelor’s holders directly).
- Personal statement that includes research experience and a research plan.
- Degree certificate with authentication, and academic transcripts.
- Two academic recommendation letters from associate professors or above.
- Language-proficiency test scores as required by the chosen program; passport biographical page.
Non-degree programs
Chinese Language Program
Intensive Chinese with about 20 class hours per week, with Spring (Feb–Jun) and Autumn (Sep–Jan) intakes. Application fee RMB 400; insurance RMB 300 per semester. A completion certificate and transcript are issued on meeting attendance and exam requirements.
Fee · RMB 10,500 / semester
Visiting students
General and senior visiting students join a host department to take courses or carry out research without enrolling in a full degree.
Fee · By program
Exchange students
Students nominated by one of Tsinghua’s 120+ exchange partner universities study for one to two semesters under inter-university agreements.
Fee · Per exchange agreement
Documents to prepare
- Valid foreign passport (biographical page).
- Highest degree or graduation certificate, with authentication where required.
- Full academic transcripts.
- Language-proficiency scores — HSK for Chinese-taught programs, TOEFL/IELTS for English-taught programs.
- Personal statement (with a research plan for doctoral applicants).
- Recommendation letters (two, for graduate applicants).
- Standardized test results for undergraduate applicants (SAT, ACT, A-Level, AP, IB, etc.).
- Physical-examination record and any program-specific documents.
Application timeline
- 1
Undergraduate application — Round 1
Sep–Nov 2025Applications 30 Sep – 28 Nov 2025; results issued by January 2026.
- 2
Undergraduate application — Round 2
Nov 2025 – Feb 2026Applications 29 Nov 2025 – 28 Feb 2026; results issued by early May 2026.
- 3
Graduate applications open
Sep 2025 – Feb 2026Deadlines vary by department; submit two to three weeks before the winter break (22 Jan – 23 Feb 2026).
- 4
Chinese Language Program intakes
Feb & SepSpring semester starts in February and the autumn semester in September.
- 5
Registration & start of the autumn semester
Aug–Sep 2026Admitted students register on campus and the academic year begins.
Tuition is charged per academic year and varies by school, program and language of instruction; English-taught and professional programs (MBA, Master of Finance) cost considerably more. Budget separately for the RMB 800 application fee, around RMB 800 per year for medical insurance, and on-campus accommodation. Always confirm the current figure on the official program page before applying.
Funding
Scholarships
International students at Tsinghua can apply for government, municipal and university scholarships. Most cover tuition either fully or partly, and the fully funded options also include accommodation, a living stipend and medical insurance.
Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
Full funding: tuition, on-campus accommodation, a monthly living stipend and comprehensive medical insurance.
Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens in good health applying for bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral study; applied for through the CSC channel together with Tsinghua.
Tsinghua University Scholarship
Full or partial tuition waiver, awarded for one academic year and renewable through annual review.
Eligibility: Self-funded international degree students with strong academic performance.
Beijing Government Scholarship (BGS)
Full or partial tuition for one academic year.
Eligibility: International degree students enrolled at Beijing universities, awarded on academic merit.
Confucius Institute Scholarship
Tuition, accommodation, stipend and insurance for Chinese-language study and teacher training.
Eligibility: Students of Chinese language and related teaching programs.
Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Programme
A scholarship plus a leadership-development programme for the academic year.
Eligibility: Full-time international master’s students from Asia.
Program-specific full scholarships
Dedicated full scholarships attached to particular flagship programs.
Eligibility: Applicants admitted to programs such as Schwarzman Scholars, Nuclear Engineering, Public Health and Public Administration.
Research
Research at the university
Tsinghua is China’s leading research university, ranking first nationally for research funding, national science and technology awards, authorized patents and indexed publications. Research spans engineering, the natural and life sciences, medicine, the social sciences, humanities and the arts.
State Key Laboratories
More than 15 national and state key laboratories, including the State Key Laboratory of Tribology and the State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology & Instruments.
Engineering & information technology
Internationally recognized strengths in computer science, artificial intelligence, automation, microelectronics, energy and advanced manufacturing.
Sciences & life sciences
Research across physics, chemistry, mathematics, materials science, life sciences and biomedicine.
National engineering research centers
Engineering research centers translate laboratory work into industry, from optical storage to intelligent manufacturing systems.
- Faculty and alumni include a Nobel laureate and winners of the Turing Award, Fields Medal and Wolf Prize.
- Tsinghua hosts the largest concentration of State Key Laboratory professors among Chinese universities.
- It leads China in national science and technology awards, research funding and patents granted.
- The university hosts Future Science Prize winners and large-scale national research programs.
Global engagement
Global engagement
Tsinghua collaborates with leading universities on every continent through exchange, joint research and dual-degree programs, and runs flagship international institutes both in China and abroad.
Schwarzman College
A fully funded one-year master’s in global affairs at Tsinghua that trains future leaders; the first Schwarzman Scholars cohort enrolled in 2016.
Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS)
Established in 2019, integrating the Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (with UC Berkeley) and interdisciplinary graduate programs.
Global Innovation Exchange (GIX)
An innovation-focused campus in Seattle founded with the University of Washington and Microsoft in 2015.
Worldwide partner network
Joint programs and exchanges with UC Berkeley, Imperial College London, RWTH Aachen, Kyoto University and TU Munich, among 290+ partners.
Career
Career & alumni
Tsinghua graduates are sought after by employers, government, research institutions and start-ups. The Career Development Center supports students from their first year through to graduation.
Career support
- Career Development Center (established 1988), recognized as a National Advanced Unit for Student Employment.
- Resume workshops, mock interviews and one-on-one career counselling.
- Employer-connection events and recruitment fairs with leading Chinese and global companies.
- Company visits and career treks with employers such as Shell, AB InBev, Microsoft and GE.
- Dedicated guidance for placements with international organizations.
Notable alumni
Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China; studied chemical engineering.
Hu Jintao
Former President of China; studied hydraulic engineering.
Zhu Rongji
Former Premier of China; studied electrical engineering.
Yang Chen-Ning
Nobel Prize-winning physicist and longtime Tsinghua professor.
Campus life
Campus life
Tsinghua’s campus sits on former Qing-dynasty imperial gardens in Haidian and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in China, blending classical Chinese landscaping with modern teaching and research facilities.
Accommodation
Zijing International Student Apartments
RMB 40/bed/day (double) to RMB 80/bed/day (single or AB room)
Buildings No. 19–23 plus Building No. 6 (Asian Youth Center), in the north-east corner of campus near Zijing Gate. Rooms are booked online within a designated window.
Dining
Dozens of campus canteens serve Chinese and international dishes at low prices. Degree students use a campus dining card; non-degree students (visiting, exchange and Chinese Language Program students) use an ordinary dining card subject to a 15% management fee.
Facilities
Libraries
A large library system with extensive Chinese and foreign-language collections and study spaces.
Sport & recreation
Gymnasiums, swimming pools, stadiums and courts; Tsinghua has a strong tradition of student sport.
Health care
An on-campus hospital and clinics; medical insurance is required for all international students.
Student life
Hundreds of student associations and clubs spanning culture, the arts, sport, technology and volunteering.
Campus
Tsinghua University in photos
Photos of Tsinghua University
Photos will appear here once they are uploaded from the Qiao admin panel. In the meantime, Qiao is on it.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at Tsinghua University for international students?+
Undergraduate tuition runs from RMB 26,000 to RMB 40,000 per year (clinical medicine up to RMB 70,000). Master’s programs cost roughly RMB 28,000–65,000 per year and doctoral programs RMB 32,000–75,000 per year, depending on the field. Professional programs such as the MBA and Master of Finance cost considerably more.
What are the admission requirements for international students at Tsinghua University?+
Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport. Undergraduate applicants need a high-school diploma and standardized test results — HSK Level 5 for Chinese-taught programs or TOEFL/IELTS for English-taught programs. Graduate applicants need the relevant prior degree, transcripts, two recommendation letters and a personal statement.
Does Tsinghua University offer scholarships for international students?+
Yes. International students can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship (full funding), the Tsinghua University Scholarship, the Beijing Government Scholarship, the Confucius Institute Scholarship and several program-specific full scholarships.
When is the application deadline for Tsinghua University?+
For the autumn 2026 intake, undergraduate applications run in two rounds between 30 September 2025 and 28 February 2026. Graduate applications are open from September 2025 to February 2026, with deadlines that vary by department.
Does Tsinghua University teach programs in English?+
Yes. More than 30 master’s programs and many doctoral programs are taught fully in English, alongside selected English-taught undergraduate programs. Other programs are taught in Chinese or bilingually.
Is there a foundation year for international students at Tsinghua?+
Tsinghua does not run a separate university-wide foundation year. Students who need to strengthen their Chinese first usually enrol in the Chinese Language Program, a non-degree program with Spring and Autumn intakes.
Contact
Contact the admissions offices
Reach the International Students & Scholars Center (ISSC) for questions about applications, documents, scholarships and arrival. Type university programs and offices are based on campus in Beijing.
- Office
- International Students & Scholars Center (ISSC)
- Address
- Zijing Apartment Building No. 23, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, P.R. China
Verified from official sources · last checked 2026-05-17
Tuition, fees and deadlines change every intake. Always confirm the current figures on the official Tsinghua pages before applying.