The entrance plaza of Macao Polytechnic University in the evening, with an illuminated MPU sign, a covered walkway and the glass-fronted administration building behind
951-1000 in the world · QS 2027

Macao Polytechnic University

澳門理工大學 / Universidade Politécnica de Macau

Macao's public applied university, known for Chinese-Portuguese-English translation, computing and gaming management.

Macau, Macau SAR Public applied university Founded 1981 Official website
Photo: Yumeto · CC BY-SA 4.0
Students
6,000
Tuition
MOP 112K
From · 2026-27
Founded
1981
QS World Ranking
951-1000
2027 edition

About MPU

Macao Polytechnic University began in 1981 as the Polytechnic Institute of the University of East Asia. When that university was split in 1991, the Macao Polytechnic Institute was created from it together with several public schools, including the Technical School of the Chinese Affairs Bureau, the Public Administration Training Centre, the Academy of Visual Arts and the Health Bureau's technical school. It moved to its current main campus on Rua de Luís Gonzaga Gomes in 1999 and became Macao Polytechnic University on March 1, 2022.

MPU describes itself as a public, multidisciplinary, applied university. It has about 6,000 full-time degree students in six faculties (Applied Sciences; Health Sciences and Sports; Business; Languages and Translation; Arts and Design; Humanities and Social Sciences), plus a Nursing Academy run with the Peking University Health Science Center. Its best-known strengths reflect Macao itself: Chinese-Portuguese and Chinese-English translation, Portuguese language, gaming and recreation management, computing and public administration. Many bachelor's degrees are taught in English, including Accounting, Management, Marketing, E-Commerce, Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

It suits students who want a practical, professionally accredited degree in a small, international city where Chinese, Portuguese and English meet.

普專兼擅,中西融通

“Excelling in both general and specialised knowledge; bridging Chinese and Western cultures” — university motto

Why students choose MPU

01

Bachelor's degrees in Accounting, Management, Marketing, E-Commerce, Computing and Artificial Intelligence are taught in English.

02

The BSc in Computing is accredited by the UK's Institution of Engineering and Technology, and the Bachelor of Accounting gives exemptions from 9 ACCA exams and 6 CPA Australia exams.

03

MPU is a centre for Chinese-Portuguese translation, with a Chinese-Portuguese-English machine translation laboratory and a Ministry of Education engineering research centre for machine translation and AI.

04

International applicants with SAT, ACT, IB, A-level, Korean CSAT, Japanese or Southeast Asian school results can apply for direct admission without MPU's entrance exams.

Admissions

2027/2028 entry (previous cycle's dates shown; 2027 entry dates not yet published)

Selectivity

MPU does not publish an admission rate. Places are allocated by programme quota, based on your documents and, depending on the route, your entrance exam or interview results.

Testing Two routes for overseas applicants. Direct admission: no entrance exam; apply with qualifying results such as SAT or ACT scores, the IB Diploma, three A-levels at grade E or above, the Korean CSAT, Japan's National Center Test, Taiwan's GSAT, the Malaysian UEC or STPM, Thai M6 or Indonesian SMA certificates; a video interview or other assessment may be required. Admission exams: the Joint Admission Examination (JAE) of Macao's four universities in subjects such as English and Mathematics, plus MPU's own specialised exams or interviews for some programmes.

Typical entry requirements

Secondary educationCompletion of six years of secondary education, or currently in the final year of senior high school
A-levelsGrade E or above in three A-level subjects (direct admission)
IB DiplomaAward of the IB Diploma (direct admission)
SAT / ACTCompleted with score results (direct admission)
Arts, music and sports programmesA portfolio (at least 10 works for Design and Visual Arts, 5 for Media Arts), a performance video for Music, or sports competition awards for Physical Education
English languageIELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 79 IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 79 exempts you from the JAE English paper on the admission exams route. MPU does not state a separate minimum for direct admission.

Deadlines

  1. Admission exams route (JAE) - PAST CYCLE (2026/27 entry), for reference Non-binding Passed
    January 16, 2026 (closed)

    Online applications December 1, 2025 to January 16, 2026; exams from March 2026; results from early May 2026. Expect the 2027/28 round to open around December 1, 2026.

  2. Direct admission - PAST CYCLE (2026/27 entry), for reference Non-binding Passed
    June 15, 2026 (closed)

    Online applications and documents February 1 to June 15, 2026; results and tuition payment from mid-February 2026.

Dates shown are for 2026/2027 entry (previous cycle); MPU had not yet published 2027/2028 dates as of September 30, 2026. Postgraduate applications for 2026/27 opened on October 15, 2025.

How to apply

Apply online on MPU's admission platform and pay the MOP 250 application fee. For direct admission, upload your ID, a photo, exam results or diploma with the grading system, transcripts for grades 10-12 and your graduation certificate, plus a portfolio or awards for arts and sports programmes. Offers are released only on the Candidate Portal.

What admissions looks for

  • Completion of secondary school with a recognised qualification or exam result.
  • For exam-route applicants, strong JAE results in the subjects each programme requires, such as English and Mathematics.
  • For arts, music and design, a portfolio or performance showing your work and ideas; for Physical Education, sports competition awards.
  • Performance in any interview or assessment the programme asks for.

Tips for applying to MPU

  1. 1 If you have SAT, ACT, IB, A-level or national exam results, use direct admission: it runs later (to mid-June in 2026) and needs no MPU exam.
  2. 2 An IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 79 score exempts you from the JAE English paper if you take the exams route.
  3. 3 Check each programme's language of instruction: some are in Chinese or Portuguese only, while business and computing programmes are in English.
  4. 4 Watch the Candidate Portal: MPU does not send admission decisions by email, and appeals must be filed within 3 working days.

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in MOP

Overseas undergraduates, per year: MPU quotes full-programme tuition for intakes from 2024/25 of MOP 480,000 for overseas students and MOP 448,000 for students from Hong Kong and Taiwan, paid in eight instalments over the normal four-year programme; divided by four years this is MOP 120,000 (overseas) and MOP 112,000 (Hong Kong and Taiwan) a year. Fees are subject to adjustment Tuition MOP 112,000 – MOP 120,000
Financial aid

MPU offers a Scholarship for Students Studying in Macao to outstanding overseas students admitted to its bachelor's programmes, and continuing students can win more than 70 merit scholarships from the university and donors, awarded on GPA and extracurricular achievements without a separate application. More than 600 students receive MPU scholarships each year.

MOP 250 (about USD 32)
Application fee
MOP 20,000 for ten months, plus a MOP 2,000 refundable deposit; utilities extra
Hostel, non-single room (2025/26)
MOP 216
Medical insurance (2025/26)
600+ a year
Students receiving MPU scholarships

Academics

Academic calendar: Two semesters; four-year bachelor's programmes

Bachelor of Arts in Chinese-Portuguese Translation and Interpretation

Taught in Chinese and Portuguese, drawing on Macao's role as a bridge between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Bachelor of Science in Computing

Taught in English and accredited by the UK's Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence

Taught in English; MPU also hosts an engineering research centre for machine translation and AI.

Bachelor of Business Administration (Gaming and Recreation Management)

Links to Macao's gaming industry and MPU's Centre for Gaming and Tourism Studies.

Bachelor of Accounting

English-taught, with exemptions from 9 ACCA and 6 CPA Australia professional exams.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

A four-year programme taught in Chinese and English, with overseas internships in medical organisations.

Research

  • Engineering Research Centre of Applied Technology on Machine Translation and Artificial Intelligence (Ministry of Education) and a Chinese-Portuguese-English Machine Translation Laboratory.
  • MPU-UCLA Joint Research Center in Ubiquitous Computing and the MPU-Melco Gaming and Entertainment Information Technology R&D Centre.
  • Research centres for Portuguese studies, gaming and tourism, 'One Country Two Systems' and AI-driven drug discovery.

Schools & faculties

  • Faculty of Applied Sciences
  • Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports
  • Faculty of Languages and Translation
  • Faculty of Arts and Design
  • Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Faculty of Management Sciences

MPU's graduate survey reports that graduates spent a little more than a month finding their first job, with an average starting salary of MOP 16,000 a month; 80% work in jobs related to their degree, most in health care and nursing, trade, education, and gaming and entertainment.

Student life

MPU's main campus sits on Rua de Luís Gonzaga Gomes in central Macau, in buildings that once housed the Liceu de Macau; a second campus in Taipa occupies part of the former University of Macau site. Student hostels are on or near campus with wardens and organised activities. The Students' Union and the university run orientation, careers days, volunteer teaching in mainland China, French cultural activities and Putonghua courses, and a Confucius statue by sculptor Wu Weishan stands in the Meng Tak Building.

  • Six student hostels, five of them on campus or nearby.
  • More than 200 internship organisations work with MPU.
  • Study-abroad and internship exchanges with partners in Portugal, the UK, the US, Australia, Brazil, mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
  • Activities include volunteer teaching in mainland China, careers days and French cultural workshops.

Housing. A non-single hostel room cost MOP 20,000 for ten months in 2025/26, plus a MOP 2,000 deposit and utilities.

Location

Macau is a compact, densely built special administrative region on China's south coast, where Chinese and Portuguese heritage meet. MPU's main campus is in the city centre on Rua de Luís Gonzaga Gomes, and its Taipa campus is across the water on Taipa island. Chinese, Portuguese and English are all used at the university.

Nearest airport: Macau International Airport (MFM)

Notable alumni

  • LW
    Lei Wai Nong
    Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macao from December 2019 to December 2024; computing diploma from the Macao Polytechnic Institute
  • JR
    Jia Rui
    Wushu athlete and Asian Games gold medallist for Macao; studied at the Macao Polytechnic Institute
  • SL
    Season Lao
    Artist and photographer based in Kyoto and Macao; MPU graduate
  • CC
    Chu Cheok Son
    Painter, designer and curator; graphic design graduate of the Macao Polytechnic Institute's School of Arts (1998)
  • PC
    Pascal Chao Kai Yeung
    Macao presenter and actor; bachelor's in Chinese-Portuguese translation
  • BP
    Bruce Pun
    Independent musician and producer; studied music education at the Macao Polytechnic Institute

Frequently asked questions

How much does Macao Polytechnic University cost for international students?

Undergraduate tuition for overseas students is MOP 480,000 for the whole programme, about MOP 120,000 a year over four years (MOP 448,000 for Hong Kong and Taiwan students). A hostel room was MOP 20,000 for ten months in 2025/26.

Can I study at MPU in English?

Yes. Accounting, Management, Marketing, E-Commerce, Computing and Artificial Intelligence are taught in English; other programmes are in Chinese, Portuguese or a mix.

Do I need to take an exam to get into MPU?

Not if you use direct admission with results such as SAT, ACT, IB, A-levels or a national exam. The alternative route uses the JAE and MPU's own exams.

When is the MPU application deadline?

For 2026/27 entry, the exam route closed January 16, 2026 and direct admission closed June 15, 2026. The 2027/28 dates had not been published by September 30, 2026.

Does MPU offer scholarships to international students?

Yes: a scholarship for outstanding overseas students admitted to bachelor's degrees, plus more than 70 merit scholarships for current students; over 600 students receive one each year.

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.