#670 in the world · QS 2027

East China University of Science and Technology

华东理工大学

Shanghai's chemical engineering university, whose Chemical Engineering and Technology degree was the first in mainland China to earn ABET accreditation.

Shanghai, Xuhui and Fengxian districts, China Public research university (Ministry of Education, Double First-Class) Founded 1952 Official website

See my chances at ECUST Admissions office

Photo: Narjuko · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tuition: CN¥22,000; From · 2026-27
Founded: 1952
QS World Ranking: #670; 2027 edition
Campus: Urban; 2,336.68 mu (about 156 ha) across Xuhui, Fengxian and Xuhui South campuses

About ECUST

East China University of Science and Technology was founded in 1952 as the East China Institute of Chemical Technology, by merging the chemical engineering departments of Jiao Tong, Aurora, Datong, Soochow and Jiangnan universities. It was the first university in the People's Republic of China known specifically for chemical engineering and took its current name in 1993. It is a Ministry of Education university in the Project 211 and Double First-Class schemes, with Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, and Chemical Engineering and Technology as Double First-Class disciplines.

ECUST has about 17,000 full-time undergraduates and more than 15,000 master's and doctoral students on three campuses. First- to third-year undergraduates study on the large Fengxian campus in south Shanghai; senior undergraduates, postgraduates and international students are based at Xuhui, in the city's southwest. Its 22 teaching units now cover science, engineering, business, law, arts and more, but chemistry, chemical engineering, materials, biotechnology and pharmacy remain its core.

International students can take four-year Chinese-taught bachelor's degrees at domestic-level fees, or three-year Joint Multi-Degree (JMD) programmes taught in English with a UK partner such as Dundee, Huddersfield or Portsmouth. It suits students who want serious chemistry or engineering training in Shanghai with an industry focus.

勤奋求实励志明德

“Diligence, Factuality, Aspiration and Virtue” — university motto

Why students choose ECUST

Chemical Engineering and Technology was the first programme at a mainland Chinese university to earn ABET accreditation.

English-taught three-year Joint Multi-Degree programmes in Intelligent Chemical Engineering, AI, International Economics and Trade and more, with a double-degree option at a UK partner.

Four-year Chinese-taught bachelor's degrees cost CNY 22,000 a year for international students (CNY 30,000 for art majors).

The ECUST Business School holds AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accreditation.

Admissions

2027 entry (the latest published guide is for the past 2026 intake)

Selectivity

ECUST does not publish an admission rate for international undergraduates. It admits by application review (申请-审核制), and scholarship admission lists are published by the end of July.

Testing Required: the CSCA (China Scholastic Competency Assessment), with subjects set by programme. Chinese-taught engineering majors need STEM Chinese, Mathematics and Physics (plus Chemistry for chemical engineering and chemistry majors); business and humanities majors need Humanities Chinese and Mathematics. English-taught JMD majors need Mathematics, plus Physics and Chemistry for engineering.

Grades High school transcripts or international standardised test results (A-Level, IB, IGCSE, AP, SAT, ACT, UEC, STPM and others) are accepted as academic evidence.

Typical entry requirements

High school diploma	Foreign ordinary passport, high school graduation or above, aged 16 or over (under-18s need a guardian in China); applicants of Chinese origin must meet Ministry of Education rules on foreign nationality and residence abroad
HSK (Chinese-taught programmes)	HSK 4 with at least 190 for science and engineering or 210 for humanities and business, including at least 60 in writing
CSCA	Subjects set by major, for example STEM Chinese, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry for Chemical Engineering and Technology
Design majors	At least one piece of artwork in addition to the standard documents
English language	IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 English-taught programmes: TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 105. Native English speakers, and applicants whose previous studies were taught in English, are exempt. Scores must be valid (two years) at the time of application.

Deadlines

Scholarship applicants, 2026 intake - PAST CYCLE, for reference only Non-binding Passed

April 30, 2026 (closed)

Chinese Government Scholarship Type A, Shanghai Government Scholarship and ECUST President's Scholarship; Chinese-taught programmes only for the government awards. Results were published by July 31, 2026.
Self-funded applicants, 2026 intake - PAST CYCLE, for reference only Non-binding Passed

July 10, 2026 (closed)

Applies to Chinese-taught and JMD bachelor's programmes starting September 2026.

ECUST published its 2026 international undergraduate guide in December 2025; the 2027 guide was not yet out on September 29, 2026. Expect a similar timetable (scholarships around April 30, self-funded around July 10, 2027) and apply early, since CSCA scores are required.

How to apply

Apply once through the ECUST international student online system (apply.ecust.edu.cn) and pay the CNY 600 degree-programme application fee. Upload your passport (valid to at least September 1 of the entry year), high school diploma or expected-graduation certificate, transcripts, language certificate, CSCA scores, a recommendation letter, a personal statement of at least 800 words (in the teaching language), a non-criminal record certificate, proof of financial support and the Foreigner Physical Examination Form.

What admissions looks for

Completed high school with strong grades, or strong results in an international qualification such as A-Levels, IB or AP.
CSCA scores in the subjects your major requires.
Language readiness: HSK 4 at 190 or 210+ for Chinese-taught degrees, or TOEFL 80 / IELTS 6.0 / Duolingo 105 for English-taught JMD programmes.
A personal statement of 800+ words explaining your background and why you chose ECUST and your major.

Tips for applying to ECUST

1 Apply only once in the online system, even if you want a scholarship: every applicant shows as self-funded during review, and you tick the Shanghai Government or President's Scholarship boxes in the same application.
2 For the Chinese Government Scholarship (Type A), apply first to your home country's dispatching authority, then ask ECUST for a pre-admission letter and list ECUST as your first-choice institution.
3 Check the HSK writing sub-score: Chinese-taught programmes need at least 60 in writing on top of the total score.
4 Design applicants must include at least one artwork, and all applicants should write the personal statement in the language of their programme.

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in CNY

International undergraduates per year (2026 intake): 4-year Chinese-taught degree CNY 22,000 (art majors CNY 30,000); 3-year Chinese-taught JMD CNY 40,000 single degree; 3-year English-taught JMD CNY 55,000 single degree; JMD double degree CNY 70,000 Tuition CN¥22,000 – CN¥70,000

+ housing only: single room in the lizhi international student dormitory at cny 80 a day (cny 110 on some floors), charged for the whole year including vacations, so cny 29,200 a year at the lower rate (80 x 365). insurance is cny 800 a year; food is not included. CN¥29,200 ≈ from CN¥51,200 per year

Tuition Housing only: single room in the Lizhi international student dormitory at CNY 80 a day (CNY 110 on some floors), charged for the whole year including vacations, so CNY 29,200 a year at the lower rate (80 x 365). Insurance is CNY 800 a year; food is not included.

Financial aid

Undergraduates can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship Type A (through their home country's dispatching authority, Chinese-taught programmes only), the Shanghai Government Scholarship (Grade B and 1+4 programme, Chinese-taught only) and the ECUST President's Scholarship. The Shanghai and President's scholarships are selected by ticking a box in the ECUST application. Full-scholarship students do not pay the dormitory fee.

CNY 600
Application fee (degree programmes): CNY 800 a year
Insurance: CNY 80 or 110 a day
Dormitory (single room)

Academics

Academic calendar: Two semesters (September intake)

Chemical Engineering and Technology

The first programme at a mainland Chinese university to be ABET-accredited; offered in Chinese (4 years) and as an English-taught JMD (Intelligent Chemical Engineering).

Applied Chemistry and Materials Chemistry

Chemistry was the first mainland programme to pass joint Sino-Russian international science accreditation, and Chemistry is a Double First-Class discipline.

Pharmacy

Accredited by China's Ministry of Education pharmacy programme review, alongside biopharmaceutical engineering in the JMD scheme.

Artificial Intelligence

Available both as a Chinese-taught four-year degree and as an English-taught three-year JMD.

Business (International Economics and Trade, Business Analysis)

Taught in the AACSB-, EQUIS- and AMBA-accredited Business School, with English-taught JMD and Chinese-taught options.

Research

ECUST has 12 national research bases, including 6 national key laboratories and a national technology innovation centre.
Chemistry, Engineering and Materials Science are in the ESI global top 1‰, and 12 fields are in the top 1%.
The university has an analysis and testing centre and a gemstone testing centre with national metrology certification.

Schools & faculties

School of Chemical Engineering
School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
School of Biotechnology
School of Pharmacy
School of Materials Science and Engineering
School of Resources and Environmental Engineering
School of Information Science and Engineering
School of Mechanical and Power Engineering
School of Business
School of Social and Public Administration
School of Art Design and Media
School of Foreign Languages

ECUST reports more than 450,000 graduates since its founding, 33 of them elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Student life

International students live in single rooms in the Lizhi dormitory on the Xuhui campus, where the College of International Education also has its offices. Chinese undergraduates spend their first three years on the newer Fengxian campus, opened in 2007. The college runs a busy calendar: a Shanghai and Yangtze River Delta international students' dragon boat race (its 16th edition in 2026), hikes on Sheshan Hill, trips to water towns such as Wuzhen, company visits to firms like Huawei and internships through its Global Competency Hub.

The 16th Shanghai and 4th Yangtze River Delta International Students Dragon Boat Race was hosted by ECUST in 2026.
Global Competency Hub company visits and internships, including a practice base with SINOPEC Engineering Group.
Student ambassadors and a chatbot help new international students settle in.
ECUST's cultural integration programme for international students was named a 2026 'Study in China' national best practice.

Housing. Single rooms in the Lizhi international dormitory cost CNY 80 or 110 a day, paid for the whole semester including vacations; full-scholarship students stay free.

Location

The Xuhui campus is on Meilong Road in southwest Shanghai, about 17 km from Hongqiao Airport. It puts you inside one of the world's largest cities, with high living costs but plenty of internships and industry links. The Fengxian campus, opened in 2007, is in Shanghai's southern Fengxian District and hosts most first- to third-year undergraduates.

Nearest airport: Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA); Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) for most international flights

Notable alumni

CS
Cheng Siwei

Former Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee; studied inorganic chemical technology at the East China Institute of Chemical Technology (1952-1956)
GY
Gao Yunlong

Vice Chairman of the CPPCC and chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce; chemical engineering graduate
ZD
Zhu Daoben

Chemist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former director of the CAS Institute of Chemistry; graduated 1965, postgraduate 1968
LY
Li Yongfang

Chemist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; entered in 1977 and earned a master's in chemistry in 1982
NC
Nan Cewen

Materials scientist and Tsinghua University professor; bachelor's (1982) and master's (1985) in inorganic materials
YD
Yu Dapeng

Inorganic materials scientist, Peking University professor and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; graduated 1982

Frequently asked questions

Does ECUST have English-taught undergraduate programmes?

Yes. Its three-year Joint Multi-Degree (JMD) programmes are taught in English in fields such as Intelligent Chemical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and International Economics and Trade, with an option to spend the third year at a UK partner for a double degree.

How much does ECUST cost for international undergraduates?

For the 2026 intake, four-year Chinese-taught degrees cost CNY 22,000 a year (CNY 30,000 for art), English-taught JMD single degrees CNY 55,000 and double degrees CNY 70,000 a year. A dorm room is CNY 80 or 110 a day.

Does ECUST require the CSCA?

Yes. Undergraduate applicants must submit CSCA results in the subjects set for their major, for example Mathematics and Physics for AI and Mathematics only for International Economics and Trade in the JMD scheme.

What HSK score does ECUST need?

HSK 4 with at least 190 for science and engineering majors or 210 for humanities and business majors, including at least 60 in writing.

When is the ECUST application deadline for 2027?

The 2027 guide was not published by late September 2026. For the 2026 intake, scholarship applications closed on April 30 and self-funded applications on July 10, 2026.

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.