Jiangnan University
江南大学
A lakeside Wuxi university whose food science has been ranked first in the world by ShanghaiRanking seven years running.
- Tuition
- CN¥14,800
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1958
- QS World Ranking
- 771-780
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
- 208 hectares (university total in the English overview; the Chinese introduction gives 4,591 mu, about 306 ha, across the Lihu, Yixing Dongjiu and Jiangyin Xiakewan campuses)
About JNU
Jiangnan University traces its roots to the Sanjiang Normal School founded in Nanjing in 1902. It became an independent institution in 1958, when the food industry department of Nanjing Institute of Technology moved to Wuxi as the Wuxi Institute of Light Industry. After becoming Wuxi University of Light Industry in 1995, it merged with Jiangnan College and Wuxi Education College in 2001 to form today's Jiangnan University. It reports directly to the Ministry of Education and is a Project 211 and Double First-Class university.
The university calls itself the pearl of China's higher education in light industry, and its strengths follow that line: food science, fermentation and bioengineering, textiles, design and chemical engineering. Light Industry Technology and Engineering and Food Science and Engineering are its national Double First-Class disciplines, and its food science programme was the first in Asia to earn accreditation from the US Institute of Food Technologists. It has 24 schools, about 21,400 undergraduates, 14,200 master's and doctoral students and around 300 international students; its main Lihu campus sits by Lake Li, an inlet of Lake Tai.
International undergraduates mostly study in Chinese, with HSK 4 (HSK 5 for literature or history) plus CSCA scores. Textile Engineering and Industrial Design are taught in English. Jiangnan suits students who want applied science tied to food, biotech, textiles or design, at bachelor's tuition of CNY 14,800 to 16,400 a year.
笃学尚行，止于至善
“Learning and Practice to Perfection” — university motto
Why students choose JNU
Food Science and Engineering has been ranked first in the world in ShanghaiRanking's subject rankings for seven consecutive years (2025), and the food science degree was the first in Asia accredited by the US Institute of Food Technologists.
Textile Engineering (Lihu campus) and Industrial Design (Xiakewan campus) are offered as four-year bachelor's degrees taught in English.
Bachelor's tuition is CNY 14,800 a year for liberal arts and CNY 16,400 for design, science and engineering, with campus housing from CNY 1,500 to 3,000 a year.
A full Chinese Government Scholarship covers tuition, housing and insurance plus a CNY 2,500 monthly allowance for undergraduates, and JNU adds its own President's and Taihu scholarships for international students.
Admissions
September 2027 intake (the latest published guide is for the past 2026 intake)
Selectivity
Jiangnan does not publish an admission rate for international students. Applications are screened by the School of International Education and then reviewed academically by the relevant school, which issues a conditional offer.
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma | High school graduation before September enrolment; Malaysian UEC, STPM, A-levels or equivalent are also listed. Non-Chinese citizens aged 18 to 30, in good health and with no criminal record. |
|---|---|
| CSCA | Per major, e.g. STEM Chinese, Mathematics and Chemistry for Food Science and Engineering; STEM Chinese, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry for Biotechnology and Textile Engineering; Humanities Chinese and Mathematics for Business, the School of Design's majors and Law (Chinese-taught Industrial Design needs STEM Chinese, Mathematics and Physics) |
| HSK (Chinese-taught programmes) | HSK 4 or above; HSK 5 or above for literature or history programmes. Graduates of listed Chinese-medium schools are exempt. |
| Portfolio (design and choreography) | At least 3 works of art for design programmes; a video portfolio for Choreography |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 75 English-taught programmes: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 75, CEFR B2 or another certificate showing sufficient English. Graduates of English-medium schools are exempt. |
Deadlines
- Self-funded bachelor's, September 2026 intake - PAST CYCLE, for reference only Non-binding PassedJune 30, 2026 (closed)
Deadline in the 2026 guide. The CSCA registration screenshot had to be dated no later than June 28, 2026.
- Chinese Government Scholarship (Bilateral Program) Non-bindingApplication window November 1 to March 31
Apply to your home country's dispatching authority (its own deadline may be earlier), at studyinchina.csc.edu.cn choosing Jiangnan University as first option, and at jiangnan.17gz.org. No application fee.
Jiangnan had not published a 2027 undergraduate guide as of September 29, 2026. For September 2026, self-funded bachelor's applications closed on June 30, 2026, so expect a similar spring deadline for 2027. Book a CSCA test early, because every bachelor's application needs the scores.
How to apply
Apply online at jiangnan.17gz.org and pay the CNY 400 application fee. Upload your passport, photo, high school diploma and transcript, HSK or English certificate, CSCA score report (a CSCA registration screenshot was accepted up to June 28, 2026), financial support statement and six months of bank statements, a non-criminal record and a physical examination record. After qualification screening and academic review by the school, a conditional offer is issued; you then pay a CNY 3,000 tuition deposit within one month to receive the full offer.
What admissions looks for
- A completed high school education or equivalent (such as A-levels, UEC or STPM).
- CSCA scores in the subjects set for your major.
- For Chinese-taught programmes, HSK 4 or above (HSK 5 for literature or history).
- For design programmes, a portfolio of at least three works; for Choreography, a video portfolio.
- Proof of financial support, good health and a clean criminal record.
Tips for applying to JNU
- 1 Check the CSCA subjects for your major in the program catalogue before booking: engineering and biotech majors need Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, while business, law and the School of Design's majors need only Mathematics plus Humanities Chinese (Chinese-taught Industrial Design needs STEM Chinese, Mathematics and Physics).
- 2 If you do not speak Chinese, the English-taught options are Textile Engineering and Industrial Design; you need IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 75.
- 3 Budget for the CNY 3,000 tuition deposit, due within a month of the conditional offer, or the offer lapses.
- 4 Scholarship applicants can apply for Chinese Government Scholarships in categories A and B and other scholarships at the same time; tell the university if you win one.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
The Chinese Government Scholarship (Bilateral Program) is open to bachelor's applicants under 25; the full award covers tuition, on-campus housing, medical insurance and a living allowance of CNY 2,500 a month for undergraduates. Jiangnan also gives international students the President's Scholarship and the Taihu Scholarship (for self-funded students with excellent results), plus the Jiangsu Provincial Government Scholarship and the Gong Tiecheng Scholarship for Belt and Road undergraduates.
- CNY 2,500 per month
- CSC full scholarship living allowance (undergraduate)
- CNY 3,000 a year (Lihu campus) or CNY 1,500 a year (Xiakewan campus)
- On-campus accommodation
- CNY 800 a year
- Medical insurance
- CNY 400
- Application fee
- CNY 3,000
- Tuition deposit after conditional offer
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (September intake)
Food Science and Engineering
Ranked first in the world by ShanghaiRanking for seven straight years (2025) and first in Asia to be accredited by the Institute of Food Technologists; Chinese-taught, with CSCA Chemistry.
Bioengineering / Brewing Engineering
The School of Biotechnology offers Bioengineering, Biotechnology, Brewing Engineering and Synthetic Biology; the university reports Bioengineering ranked 6th in the world by ShanghaiRanking in 2025.
Textile Engineering
Taught in English or Chinese on the Lihu campus; Textile Science and Engineering ranked 3rd in the world by ShanghaiRanking in 2025, according to the university.
Industrial Design
An English-taught bachelor's at the School of Digital Technology and Innovation Design on the Xiakewan campus.
Product, Visual Communication and Fashion Design
Chinese-taught design degrees in the School of Design, which also runs English-taught master's and PhD programmes; applicants submit a portfolio.
Research
- Jiangnan has 10 national research platforms, including the national key laboratory for food science and resource mining, the National Engineering Research Center for Cereal Fermentation and Food Biomanufacturing and the National Engineering Research Center for Functional Food, plus 72 ministerial and provincial platforms.
- In WIPO's 2024 international patent rankings, the university was 46th among education institutions worldwide and 10th among Chinese universities.
- 14 fields are in the ESI global top 1%, with agricultural science in the top 0.1‰.
- The university has partnerships with 263 institutions in 43 countries and regions and runs 44 international joint laboratories.
Schools & faculties
- School of Food Science and Technology
- School of Biotechnology
- School of Textile Science and Engineering
- School of Design
- School of Chemical and Material Engineering
- School of Automation and Intelligent Science (School of Internet of Things)
- School of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering
- Wuxi School of Medicine
- School of Business
- School of Digital Technology and Innovation Design
The university reports a graduate employment rate that is stable at about 95% and lists itself among China's top 50 universities for graduate employment work.
Student life
Most students live on the Lihu campus beside Lake Li, an inlet of Lake Tai, which was designed as an eco-campus. New international students register at Chunyuan Apartment on this campus, and the university runs a pickup from Shanghai Pudong Airport at the start of the year. The International Student Association of Jiangnan University (ISA-JU) links international and Chinese students. Regular events include an international cuisine festival, a dragon-boat race for Chinese and international students, a New Year gala, the Common Joy in Jiangsu Chinese speech contest and hands-on courses in local intangible heritage such as Huishan clay figures.
- International Student Association of Jiangnan University (ISA-JU), run by international students.
- International cuisine festival and a Chinese and international students' dragon-boat race.
- Welcome-week trips for new international students, such as a visit to the Wuxi Museum (2026).
- Metro Line 1 stops at Jiangnan University Station by the campus east gate.
Housing. International students can live on campus for CNY 3,000 a year on the Lihu campus or CNY 1,500 a year on the Xiakewan campus.
Location
Wuxi is a city of about 7.5 million in southern Jiangsu, on the shore of Lake Tai in the Yangtze delta, with high-speed rail links to Shanghai and Nanjing. Landmarks include Lihu Park, Xihui Park and the Grand Buddha at Ling Shan. The main campus is in Binhu district by Lake Li and is on Metro Line 1. New students flying in often arrive at Shanghai Pudong and continue by bus or high-speed train.
Nearest airport: Wuxi Shuofang International Airport (WUX)
Notable alumni
- CJ Chen JianFermentation engineer, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Jiangnan University 2005-2020; master's and PhD at Wuxi Institute of Light Industry
- CW Chen WeiFood scientist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; bachelor's, master's and doctorate from Jiangnan
- JZ Jin ZhengyuFood scientist and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; food engineering graduate of Wuxi Institute of Light Industry
- RH Ren HongqiangEnvironmental engineer, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and dean of Nanjing University's School of the Environment; PhD in fermentation engineering, 2000
- CX Chen XianbaoEntrepreneur who founded snack maker ChaCha Food (Qiaqia) in 1999; 1982 graduate of Wuxi Institute of Light Industry
Frequently asked questions
Does Jiangnan University require the CSCA for international undergraduates?
Yes. All bachelor's applicants must take the CSCA. Mathematics is needed for every major, Physics and/or Chemistry for science and engineering, and Professional Chinese for Chinese-taught programmes.
Does Jiangnan University offer bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes, two: Textile Engineering and Industrial Design. You need IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 75 or CEFR B2 unless you graduated from an English-medium school.
How much is Jiangnan University tuition for international students?
In the 2026 guide, bachelor's tuition is CNY 14,800 a year for liberal arts and CNY 16,400 for design, science and engineering, plus CNY 1,500 to 3,000 a year for campus housing and CNY 800 for insurance.
When is the Jiangnan University application deadline for 2027?
The 2027 guide was not out by late September 2026. For September 2026, self-funded bachelor's applications closed on June 30, 2026; Chinese Government Scholarship applications run from November 1 to March 31.
What HSK level do I need for Jiangnan University?
HSK 4 or above for Chinese-taught bachelor's programmes, and HSK 5 or above for literature or history programmes.
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.
- Jiangnan University School of International Education: Bachelor Program (2026 guide and program catalogue)
- Jiangnan University School of International Education: Fees
- Jiangnan University School of International Education: List of English-Taught Programs
- Jiangnan University School of International Education: Admissions Q&A
- Jiangnan University School of International Education: CSC Scholarship (Bilateral Program)
- Jiangnan University School of International Education: Scholarships for current students
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