Jinan University
暨南大学
China's 'highest institution for overseas Chinese': a Guangzhou university where a third of students come from outside the mainland.
- Students
- 50,437
- 33,109 undergraduates
- International
- 34%
- of students
- Tuition
- CN¥19,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1906
About JNU
Jinan University (JNU) began in 1906 as Jinan School, founded by the Qing government in Nanjing to educate the children of overseas Chinese, and became National Jinan University in 1927. It was closed three times and moved five times, including wartime years in Fujian and Shanghai, before being rebuilt in Guangzhou in 1958 and reopened in 1978. It was the first overseas Chinese university set up by the Chinese government and is known as the 'highest institution for overseas Chinese'. It is overseen by the United Front Work Department, the Ministry of Education and Guangdong province, and is a Project 211 and Double First-Class university.
JNU has about 50,400 full-time students and says more than 17,000 of them come from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, overseas Chinese communities and other countries, making it China's largest university for these groups. It has five campuses in Guangzhou (Shipai, Panyu and Guangyuan East), Zhuhai and Shenzhen, 108 undergraduate majors and 2,777 full-time teachers. Pharmacy is its Double First-Class discipline, and journalism, business administration, biology, applied economics and Chinese literature are among its strongest fields.
Admission works differently from most Chinese universities: students from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas Chinese communities can apply through a joint entrance exam run with Huaqiao University, or with their DSE or Macao exam results, while foreign students apply by application review with a CSCA transcript. It suits students who want a big, multicultural Greater Bay Area university, including those with Chinese heritage.
忠信笃敬
“Loyalty, faithfulness, sincerity and respect” — university motto
Why students choose JNU
A third of JNU's students come from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, overseas Chinese communities or other countries; in 2025 it welcomed 2,250 foreign students from 95 countries and regions.
The English-taught International School, running for more than 20 years, offers degrees including Clinical Medicine, Pharmacy, Computer Science, Finance and Accounting with CPA Canada content.
There are several routes in: application review for foreign students, a joint entrance exam with Huaqiao University, Hong Kong DSE results, or Macao's four-university joint exam.
Olympic champions Su Bingtian and Chen Aisen studied at JNU, which has a strong sporting tradition.
Admissions
Students from outside the mainland, September entry (2026 guides used; 2027 guides not yet published)
Selectivity
JNU does not publish admission rates. It uses separate routes: application review for foreign and overseas Chinese students (merit-based, with written tests sometimes waived); the Joint Entrance Examination with Huaqiao University for Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, overseas Chinese and foreign students; minimum Hong Kong DSE scores (for example 10 points across the three core subjects and one elective, no subject below 2); and Macao's four-university joint exam (40 places in 2026).
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma (foreign students) | High school diploma or equivalent, age 18-25; applicants of Chinese heritage who hold foreign nationality must meet the Ministry of Education's 2020 No. 12 rules on passport validity and residence abroad |
|---|---|
| CSCA (application review route) | Valid CSCA transcript in the subjects listed for your major, e.g. Mathematics for International Economy and Trade, Mathematics and Chemistry for Pharmacy and Clinical Medicine, Chinese and Mathematics for liberal arts majors taught in Chinese |
| Chinese-taught majors | HSK 5 with at least 180 points |
| Hong Kong DSE | Citizenship and Social Development attained, and at least 10 points across Chinese, English, Mathematics and one relevant elective with no subject below 2 (core subjects of 3, 3, 2 preferred); 7 points for arts and sports majors; 7-9 points for the preparatory (foundation) year |
| Joint Entrance Examination (Jinan and Huaqiao universities) | For Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, overseas Chinese and foreign students; admission by score, with priority for those listing JNU first |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 For the English-taught International School: IELTS 5.5 with no section below 5.0, TOEFL iBT 80, or SAT 1030; not required for native English speakers. |
Deadlines
- Application review, first window (2026 intake, past) Non-binding PassedFebruary 28, 2026
Online registration January 15 to February 28, 2026.
- Joint Entrance Examination registration (2026 intake, past) Non-binding PassedMarch 15, 2026
Online registration March 1-15, on-site confirmation March 19-27, exam May 30-31, 2026.
- Application review, second window (2026 intake, past) Non-binding PassedMay 31, 2026
Online registration April 1 to May 31, 2026.
- Hong Kong DSE route (2026 intake, past) Non-binding PassedJuly 22, 2026
Registration and on-site confirmation July 16-22, 2026; results by August 10.
All dates are for the 2026 intake; JNU publishes its next international guide around January. Expect the 2027 application-review windows to open in mid-January 2027 and the Joint Entrance Exam (with its new 2027 subjects) in late May 2027.
How to apply
Register at lxlz.jnu.edu.cn. Foreign students applying by review upload a passport, CSCA transcript, high school diploma and transcripts (plus any SAT, A-level, AP or IB results), HSK or English scores, a personal statement, one recommendation letter, a no-criminal-record certificate and (for medicine) a physical exam report; applicants can apply through JNU's overseas registration points or directly. Joint Entrance Exam candidates register online and confirm in person at the Shipai campus; Hong Kong DSE applicants register online and confirm at designated agencies in Hong Kong, with no interview.
What admissions looks for
- Language proficiency, high school grades, conduct and health, which JNU weighs when deciding whether to waive the written test.
- A recommendation, from a JNU overseas registration point, a Chinese embassy, an overseas Chinese organisation or a teacher.
- CSCA or Joint Entrance Exam scores in the subjects your major requires.
- For the DSE route, strong core-subject scores (3, 3, 2 or better preferred).
Tips for applying to JNU
- 1 Work out your route first: foreign nationals of Chinese descent must meet the 4-year passport and 2-in-4-years residence rules to count as international students.
- 2 Apply in the January-February window if you can, and upload your final diploma by the mid-August deadline or your offer is cancelled.
- 3 Check the CSCA subject list for your major; English-taught Pharmacy and Clinical Medicine need Chemistry as well as Mathematics.
- 4 If you are preparing for the Joint Entrance Exam, note the 2027 change to Chinese, English, Mathematics plus one elective, with Biology added for medicine.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
International students can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship through a Chinese embassy (usually November to April), the Guangdong Provincial Government Scholarship (10,000 CNY for the first year, applied for directly to JNU), a Chinese Language Education undergraduate scholarship (with a commitment to teach Chinese at home for 4 years), the CSC Silk Road Scholarship and the International Chinese Teacher Scholarship for Chinese language majors.
- 10,000 CNY for the first academic year
- Guangdong Provincial Government Scholarship
- 975-4,000 CNY a year (Shipai), 1,440 (Panyu), 1,700 (Zhuhai), 2,600 (Shenzhen), 6,000 (Guangyuan East)
- Accommodation
- 500 CNY
- Registration fee
- 22,800-24,800 CNY
- Foundation (college prep) year
- About 1,000-1,500 CNY a month in the student cafeteria
- Meals (JNU estimate)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (September entry)
Pharmacy
JNU's Double First-Class discipline for two rounds running; Pharmacology and Toxicology is in the ESI global top 0.1%. Taught in Chinese or in English at the International School.
Clinical Medicine (International School)
A six-year English-taught medical degree run with JNU's First Affiliated Hospital; tuition 40,000 CNY a year.
Journalism and Communication
Among the fields JNU says are in China's top tier, with an English-taught International News and Communication option.
Accounting (CPA Canada)
English-taught at the International School with CPA Canada course content included in tuition.
Chinese Language and Literature
Taught by the College of Liberal Arts and, for international learners, the College of Chinese Language and Culture.
Research
- 19 ESI fields in the global top 1% and 5 in the top 0.1% (Pharmacology and Toxicology, Environment/Ecology, Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry).
- One national key laboratory and a Belt and Road joint laboratory among five national science and medicine platforms.
- JNU works with 10 affiliated hospitals, four of them national tertiary hospitals.
Schools & faculties
- International School
- College of Pharmacy
- School of Journalism and Communication
- School of Economics
- School of Management
- Health Science Center (School of Medicine)
- College of Information Science and Technology
- College of Liberal Arts
- Law School / Intellectual Property School
- International Business School (Zhuhai)
- College of Chinese Language and Culture
- Jinan University-University of Birmingham Joint Institute
JNU says it has trained more than 600,000 graduates from over 170 countries and regions and that its graduates are sought after by employers in China and abroad; no current employment rate is published on the pages checked.
Student life
JNU's student body is unusually mixed: mainland students study alongside large groups from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and dozens of other countries, and the university has 155 alumni associations, 67 of them outside mainland China. The main Shipai campus in Guangzhou's Tianhe district has lakes, a library facing a large lawn, and an International Wall; newer campuses are in Panyu, Zhuhai and Shenzhen. Dorm rooms have air conditioning and bathrooms (no private rooms), cafeteria meals cost about 1,000-1,500 CNY a month, and clubs range from calligraphy and martial arts to animation and orienteering.
- Olympic sprinter Su Bingtian and diving champion Chen Aisen are JNU alumni.
- Student associations for calligraphy, martial arts, animation, orienteering and more.
- Five campuses across Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen in the Greater Bay Area.
- 155 alumni associations worldwide, 67 of them outside mainland China.
Housing. Shared dorm rooms with air conditioning and bathrooms cost from 975 CNY a year on the Shipai campus to 6,000 CNY at Guangyuan East; private rooms are not available.
Location
Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong province and a major trading city at the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. JNU's main Shipai campus is in Tianhe, the city's modern commercial district, while the Panyu campus is in the south of the city. The Zhuhai campus sits next to Macao and the Shenzhen campus in Nanshan near Hong Kong.
Nearest airport: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN)
Notable alumni
- SB Su BingtianSprinter, the first Asian-born athlete to run 100 m under 10 seconds; master's in international economics and trade (2017)
- CA Chen AisenDiver and double Olympic gold medallist at Rio 2016
- WG Wang GuozhenPoet; graduated in Chinese in 1982
- TQ Tan QixiangHistorian and founder of Chinese historical geography, editor of The Historical Atlas of China; studied at Jinan when it was in Shanghai
- LK Lee Kong ChianSingaporean businessman and philanthropist; studied at Chi Nan (Jinan) College
- SL Simin LiuPhysician-scientist and epidemiologist; medical degree from JNU School of Medicine (1991)
- SS Stephen S. ChangFood scientist known for research on lipids and flavours; BS from National Jinan University (1941)
Frequently asked questions
How do Hong Kong students apply to Jinan University?
Either through the Joint Entrance Examination run with Huaqiao University or with DSE results: for 2026, at least 10 points across the three core subjects and one elective (no subject below 2), with online registration and in-person confirmation in Hong Kong in July and no interview.
Does Jinan University require the CSCA?
Foreign students applying through application review must submit a CSCA transcript in the subjects their major requires. Students taking the Jinan-Huaqiao Joint Entrance Examination are selected on that exam instead.
Does Jinan University teach in English?
Yes. The International School teaches degrees entirely in English, including International Economy and Trade, Accounting, Finance, Pharmacy, Computer Science, International News and Communication and Clinical Medicine. It needs IELTS 5.5, TOEFL 80 or SAT 1030.
How much is tuition at Jinan University?
Under the 2026 guide, 19,000 to 29,000 CNY a year for Chinese-taught majors and 28,000 to 40,000 CNY a year for English-taught International School programmes.
What changes in the Jinan-Huaqiao joint exam from 2027?
From 2027 all candidates sit Chinese, English and Mathematics plus one of History, Geography, Physics or Chemistry; medical applicants also take Biology.
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.
- QS World University Rankings 2027 (topuniversities.com)
- THE World University Rankings 2026
- ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
- 暨南大学: 学校简介 (profile, updated June 2026)
- 暨南大学: 办学数据 (data to March 2026)
- Jinan University Admissions Office: home page (routes for Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, overseas Chinese and international students)
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