Central South University
中南大学
Changsha's big research university for metals, mining, railways and Xiangya medicine, at the foot of Yuelu Mountain.
- Students
- 64,000
- 36,000 undergraduates
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 20.4:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- CN¥20,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 2000
About CSU
Central South University (CSU) was formed in April 2000 by merging Hunan Medical University, Changsha Railway University and Central South University of Technology. Its roots are older: the Central South Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (1952), the Central South Civil Engineering and Architecture Institute (1953) and the Xiangya Medical School, founded in 1914 as one of China's earliest Western medical colleges. It is directly under the Ministry of Education and part of Projects 211 and 985 and the Double First-Class initiative.
CSU's strengths reflect those roots: non-ferrous metals, mining and metallurgy, rail transport and medicine. Its Double First-Class disciplines are mathematics, materials science and engineering, metallurgical engineering, mining engineering, and transportation engineering. Its Xiangya hospitals, known in China by the nickname "southern Xiangya", are among the country's best-known teaching hospitals.
The university has more than 64,000 full-time students, including about 2,200 international students, in 33 schools spread along the Xiang River at the foot of Yuelu Mountain. International undergraduates mostly study in Chinese, from mining engineering to clinical medicine, while the English-taught option is a joint degree with the University of Dundee. CSU suits students interested in engineering, materials or medicine who are ready to learn in Chinese.
知行合一，经世致用
“Create knowledge and serve society” — university motto
Why students choose CSU
CSU is 83rd in the world and 13th in mainland China in ARWU 2026.
Chinese-taught clinical medicine, dental medicine and psychiatry are taught by the Xiangya medical schools and their three flagship Xiangya hospitals.
The Dundee International Institute offers English-taught degrees in civil engineering, computer science, mathematics, mechanical engineering and transportation equipment and control engineering, with degrees from both CSU and the University of Dundee.
Chinese-taught tuition is low: 20,000 yuan a year for humanities and 23,000 yuan for science and engineering.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry (the 2027 international undergraduate guides had not been published as of 29 September 2026; details below are from the 2026 guides)
Selectivity
CSU does not publish an admission rate for international undergraduates. After a first review of documents, applicants pay the fee and are admitted on merit ("择优录取").
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma | High school graduate (or equivalent) aged 18-25; applicants aged 16-17 need a long-term guardian in China. Notarised diploma and transcripts in Chinese or English. |
|---|---|
| CSCA | Scores in the subjects set for your programme (see test policy) |
| HSK (Chinese-taught programmes) | New HSK 4 with 260+ for science and engineering; new HSK 5 with 200+ for humanities and medicine |
| English-taught (Dundee International Institute) | IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 85, and the University of Dundee's entry requirements as well as CSU's |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 85 Only for the English-taught joint programmes with the University of Dundee: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 85. Applicants from English-speaking countries, or whose previous education was taught in English, can be exempted with proof. |
Deadlines
- Self-funded undergraduate programmes, autumn 2026 entry - PAST CYCLE, for reference only Non-binding Passed31 May 2026 (closed)
Both the Chinese-taught and English-taught 2026 guides accepted applications from November 2025 until 31 May 2026.
- Chinese Government Scholarship (bilateral, Type A) Non-bindingSet by the Chinese embassy or authorities in your country
Covers tuition, campus housing, insurance and a living allowance (full award).
The 2026 undergraduate guides were posted on 17 November 2025. Expect the 2027 guides around November 2026 with a similar end-of-May deadline; confirm on intl.csu.edu.cn. Registration is in late August or early September.
How to apply
Register and apply on CSU's international student online service system (csu.17gz.org). Upload a one-minute self-introduction video (in Chinese for Chinese-taught programmes, in English for English-taught ones), passport, notarised diploma and transcripts, CSCA score report, HSK or IELTS/TOEFL results, the foreign physical examination form, a police certificate, and proof of at least 50,000 yuan in savings (self-funded applicants). If you pass the first review, pay the 500 yuan application fee within two weeks; CSU then makes offers on merit.
What admissions looks for
- A completed high school education and good health, with the age limits set in the guide.
- CSCA results in the required subjects, taken in the Chinese-language version for Chinese-taught programmes.
- Language proficiency: new HSK 4 (260+) or HSK 5 (200+) for Chinese-taught programmes, or IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 85 for the Dundee programmes.
- For design and art majors, drawings or other work samples.
Tips for applying to CSU
- 1 Note CSU uses the new HSK scale: science and engineering need HSK 4 with 260, and humanities and medicine need HSK 5 with 200.
- 2 Don't pay upfront: the 500 yuan fee is only charged after you pass the first document review, and you have two weeks to pay.
- 3 Medical applicants have a separate admissions contact on the Xinglin (Xiangya) campus.
- 4 Get the physical examination and police certificate dated after 1 October of the year before entry, as CSU rejects older documents.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
International undergraduates can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship bilateral programme (Type A) through the Chinese embassy in their home country; full awards cover tuition, campus housing, comprehensive medical insurance and a living allowance. CSU's own university scholarships (full: tuition, housing and stipend; partial: tuition) are for master's and PhD applicants.
- 500 yuan, paid only after passing the first review
- Application fee
- 3,500 to 9,000 yuan per bed per year depending on building and room type; singles 6,000 to 8,000 yuan per room
- Campus housing
- 800 yuan for 7-12 months (compulsory)
- Insurance
- At least 50,000 yuan in savings
- Proof of funds (self-funded)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; registration in late August or early September
Clinical Medicine (Chinese-taught, 5 years)
Taught by the Xiangya School of Medicine, which dates from 1914 and runs three major Xiangya teaching hospitals.
Materials Science and Engineering
A Double First-Class discipline; CSU reports materials science in the ESI global top 0.01%.
Metallurgical Engineering and Mining Engineering
Both are Double First-Class disciplines, built on the 1952 Central South Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Railway Engineering and Transportation
From the former Changsha Railway University; transportation engineering is a Double First-Class discipline.
Dundee International Institute (English-taught)
Four-year degrees in civil engineering, computer science, mathematics, mechanical engineering and transportation equipment and control engineering, awarding CSU and University of Dundee bachelor's degrees.
Research
- CSU has 34 national research bases and has won 119 top national science and technology awards since 2000, 20 of them first-class or higher.
- Ten CSU projects have been named among the annual Top 10 Science and Technology Advances in Chinese Universities.
- Microbiologist Tang Feifan, a Xiangya graduate, was the first to culture the agent of trachoma.
Schools & faculties
- Xiangya School of Medicine
- Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Xiangya School of Stomatology
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- School of Metallurgy and Environment
- School of Resources and Safety Engineering
- School of Civil Engineering
- School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering
- School of Computer Science
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
- Business School
- Dundee International Institute
Student life
CSU's campuses sit on both banks of the Xiang River: the main Yuelu Mountain campus and new campus on the west side, the railway (Tianxin) campus and the Xiangya (Xinglin) medical campuses in the city. International students live in dedicated apartments, from double rooms to suites, on the Xiangya, Shenghua and Tianxin sites. Yuelu Mountain rises right behind the main campus, and the Central South University metro station connects to the city.
- The main campus backs onto Yuelu Mountain, a popular place for walks.
- CSU has its own metro stop, Central South University Station.
- The Xiangya medical campus is linked to the famous Xiangya hospitals.
- International students come from many countries, with about 2,200 on campus.
Housing. International student apartments cost from 3,500 yuan per bed per year (double room) up to 8,000 yuan for a single room or 16,000 yuan for a whole suite (2026 fee schedule).
Location
Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, is a large city on the Xiang River, known for spicy Hunan food and lower living costs than China's big coastal cities. CSU itself estimates living costs at about 1,500 yuan a month. High-speed rail links Changsha to Guangzhou, Wuhan and Shanghai.
Nearest airport: Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX)
Notable alumni
- WC Wang ChuanfuFounder and chairman of BYD; studied metallurgical physical chemistry at Central South University of Technology, graduating in 1987
- LW Liang WengenFounder of construction-equipment maker Sany Group; bachelor's degree from Central South University
- WJ Wang JianGeneticist and co-founder of BGI Genomics; graduated from Hunan Medical College (now CSU's Xiangya) in 1979
- TF Tang FeifanMicrobiologist who first cultured the trachoma agent; graduated from Xiangya Medical College in 1921
- CJ Chai JingJournalist and maker of the documentary Under the Dome; studied accounting at Changsha Railway Institute (now CSU)
- ZC Zhiwu ChenFinance professor (formerly at Yale) and public intellectual; BS from CSU's predecessor in 1983
- ZL Zhao LijianFormer Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson; studied foreign languages at Changsha Railway College
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at Central South University for international students?
Chinese-taught bachelor's degrees cost 20,000 yuan a year for humanities, 23,000 for science and engineering and 30,000 for medicine and arts. The English-taught joint programmes with the University of Dundee cost 69,000 yuan a year.
Can I study medicine in English at Central South University?
Not at undergraduate level in the 2026 guides: clinical medicine is listed as a five-year Chinese-taught programme requiring new HSK 5 with 200 or more.
What HSK level does CSU require?
New HSK 4 with 260 or more for science and engineering, and new HSK 5 with 200 or more for humanities and medical programmes.
Does CSU require the CSCA?
Yes. International undergraduate applicants need CSCA scores in the subjects set for their programme; Chinese-taught applicants must sit the Chinese-language papers.
When is the CSU application deadline?
For 2026 entry the deadline for self-funded undergraduates was 31 May 2026. The 2027 guides had not been published by late September 2026 and are likely to appear around November.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- CSU School of International Education: 2026 International Undergraduate (Chinese-taught) Admission Guide
- CSU School of International Education: 2026 International Undergraduate (English-taught) Admission Guide
- CSU: Fee schedule for international students (PDF attachment)
- CSU: 2026 Chinese-taught undergraduate programme list with CSCA subjects (XLSX attachment)
- CSU: 2026 International Student Scholarship guide
- CSU School of International Education: Undergraduate programmes
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