Macau University of Science and Technology
澳門科技大學
Macao's largest university, founded in 2000, with English-taught business, tourism and engineering degrees.
- Students
- 25,000
- 15,000 undergraduates
- Tuition
- HK$163K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 2000
- QS World Ranking
- #398
- 2027 edition
About MUST
Macau University of Science and Technology was founded in 2000 in Taipa and describes itself as the multi-disciplinary university with the largest number of students in Macao. It enrols more than 25,000 students, around 15,000 of them undergraduates and over 10,000 at master's and doctoral level, drawn from Macao, mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas.
MUST is organised into faculties and schools including Innovation Engineering, Business, Law, Chinese Medicine, Medicine, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Humanities and Arts, Liberal Arts and a University International College. Research is concentrated in five state-level platforms, among them the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences and the State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, and MUST took part in developing Macao Science 1, the first space science satellite jointly built by the mainland and Macao.
Many programmes are taught in English, including business administration, applied economics, international tourism management, hotel management, artificial intelligence and a six-year MBBS, while others run in Chinese and English. Admission routes differ by origin: Macao students use the Joint Admission Examination or direct admission, mainland students are admitted on Gaokao results, and Hong Kong, Taiwan and international students can apply directly with HKDSE, A levels, IB, SAT and other qualifications. MUST suits students who want an English-medium degree in a compact, high-cost city on China's south coast.
意誠格物
“Dedication to practical studies, Enhancement of knowledge, Ability and Quality” — university motto
Why students choose MUST
English-taught degrees span business, economics, data analytics, tourism and hotel management, AI, space science and medicine.
Direct admission accepts a wide range of qualifications, from HKDSE and A levels to IB, SAT, ACT, AP and ATAR, with published minimums.
Research platforms include the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences and a Nobel Laureate laboratory.
Admission scholarships for Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysian and international students range from half tuition to full tuition plus accommodation and a living allowance, with no separate application.
Admissions
2027/28 entry (classes begin September 2027); some 2027 dates published, others shown from the 2026/27 cycle for reference
Selectivity
MUST does not publish an acceptance rate. Direct admission is on merit against published minimum grades; MBBS has much higher minimums (e.g. IB 36, SAT 1300, ACT 30) and an interview. Mainland applicants are considered on Gaokao results, generally around or above their province's Tier-1 cutoff.
Typical entry requirements
| HKDSE | General programmes: level 3 in Chinese and English, level 2 in Mathematics, Attained in Citizenship and Social Development, level 3 in two electives. MBBS: level 3 Chinese, level 4 English and Mathematics, level 4 in two electives including Chemistry |
|---|---|
| A levels / IAL | General programmes: three A levels at grade E or above (or two A levels plus two AS). MBBS: grade A in two A levels, or grade B in three A levels plus two AS, with at least B in Chemistry |
| IB Diploma | General programmes: IB Diploma awarded (HL Chemistry 4+ for pharmacy and biomedical programmes). MBBS: 36 points with HL Chemistry 4 |
| SAT / ACT / ATAR | General programmes: SAT 1190+, ACT 24+, ATAR 70+. MBBS: SAT 1300+, ACT 30+, ATAR 80+ |
| Gaokao (mainland China) | Generally around or above the provincial Tier-1 (or special-type) cutoff; MBBS applicants must be above it and pass an English mini multiple interview |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 79 These scores exempt Written Exam applicants from the JAE English paper: IELTS 6.0 overall or TOEFL iBT 79 (MBBS: IELTS 6.5 Academic or TOEFL iBT 93), taken within two years. Direct Admission applicants are assessed on their public exam English results. |
Deadlines
- Written Exam Admission (JAE), 2026 entry (past, for reference) Non-binding Passed16 January 2026
Online application 2 to 16 January 2026. The 2027 JAE Languages and Mathematics exams are scheduled for 20 and 21 March 2027.
- Direct Admission (all except mainland students), 2026 entry (past, for reference) Non-binding Passed22 April 2026
Online application 22 January to 22 April 2026; offers released in batches from late May.
- Mainland Gaokao applicants, 2026 entry (past, for reference) Non-binding Passed30 June 2026
Art and elite applicants 22 January to 27 February 2026; all programmes 6 May to 30 June 2026. MUST admits independently and does not use Gaokao preference slots.
- Recommended Admission (Hong Kong DSSSC schools), 2027 entry Non-binding Next deadline · In 24 days30 October 2026
Member schools of the Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council recommend graduates between 5 and 30 October 2026.
The 2027/28 application periods for JAE, Direct Admission and Gaokao applicants had not been posted as of September 2026; the 2026/27 windows above are for reference. Classes start on 1 September.
How to apply
Apply yourself through MUST's Online Application System (oas.must.edu.mo); MUST says it uses no agents. Choose a route: Direct Admission (upload public exam results and documents, fee MOP/HKD 1,000), Written Exam Admission through the JAE (fee MOP/HKD 250), or Recommended Admission through a partner school. Mainland students apply online with their Gaokao results. Some programmes add an interview, audition or art exam.
What admissions looks for
- Public exam results meeting the published minimums for your qualification, with chemistry for pharmacy, nutrition and biomedical programmes.
- For MBBS, much higher grades plus success in the Faculty of Medicine interview.
- For Art Design and Acting, performance in the art exam or audition and interview.
- Outstanding sports or arts talent for Elite Student status, which can bring priority admission and scholarships.
Tips for applying to MUST
- 1 Apply directly through the OAS: MUST states it has no agents and will not work with anyone claiming to be one.
- 2 Check the colour-vision rules before you choose: applicants with colour blindness or colour weakness cannot enter programmes such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Pharmacy, Art Design and the MBBS, and colour-blind applicants cannot enter the Bachelor of Science or Artificial Intelligence degrees.
- 3 If you have IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 79 and take the JAE route, apply for exemption from the JAE English paper.
- 4 Budget in Hong Kong dollars: non-Macao residents are billed in HKD, and first-years are normally required to live in university dormitories.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in HKD
The MUST Foundation awards Admission Scholarships automatically on merit: for Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysian and international students, Distinguished (tuition and accommodation plus living allowance), Full (100% tuition) and Half (50% tuition) awards, renewable if you stay in the top 10%, 20% or 25% of your programme. Mainland students can earn awards from 25% of tuition to full tuition, accommodation and living allowance based on how far their Gaokao score is above the Tier-1 line. The Macao Foundation Belt and Road Scholarship is open to students from listed countries.
- MOP 41,800 to 51,200 per year; MBBS MOP 85,000
- Macao residents' tuition (MOP)
- HKD 40,000 to 49,800 per academic year
- Dormitory fee
- MOP/HKD 1,000 (Direct Admission) or MOP/HKD 250 (Written Exam)
- Application fee
- 10 places each for Taiwan, Malaysia and international applicants; 10 plus 30 recommended places for Hong Kong
- International Admission Scholarships
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; classes begin 1 September
Bachelor of International Tourism Management
English-taught, with majors from hotel and MICE management to gaming management; MUST cites 20th worldwide for hospitality and tourism in ShanghaiRanking's 2026 subject ranking.
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
A six-year English-taught degree with high entry minimums and an interview; HKD 258,000 a year for non-Macao residents.
Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence
English-taught in the Faculty of Innovation Engineering; MUST reports 91st worldwide for AI in the U.S. News 2026 subject rankings.
Bachelor of Science in Space Science and Technology
English-taught, linked to the State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences.
Bachelor of Traditional Chinese Medicine
A five-year Chinese-taught degree backed by the State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine.
Bachelor of Business Administration
English-taught with nine majors, from accounting and finance to business analytics and supply chain management.
Research
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, approved in 2018.
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine.
- MUST took part in developing Macao Science 1, the first space science satellite jointly developed by the mainland and Macao.
- 12 research fields in ESI's global top 1%, and a laboratory named after a Nobel laureate.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Innovation Engineering
- School of Business
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management
- Faculty of Humanities and Arts
- School of Liberal Arts
- University International College
Student life
MUST's campus sits on Avenida Wai Long in Taipa, with academic blocks, dormitory blocks, a library with a koi pond outside, a sports field and its own hospital nearby, and the MUST station on the Taipa light rail line. Non-local students normally live on campus: first- and second-year undergraduates are required to stay in university dormitories, and third-years are guaranteed a place. MUST runs a University Team and Art Troupe, and talented athletes and performers can be admitted as Elite Students. The student body mixes Macao, mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and international students.
- Dormitories are required for non-local first- and second-year undergraduates and guaranteed in third year.
- Elite Student scheme for athletes and performers joining the University Team or Art Troupe.
- MUST station on the Taipa line of the Macau Light Rapid Transit is named after the university.
- The Macau University of Science and Technology Hospital is affiliated with the university.
Housing. Non-local first- and second-year undergraduates are normally required to live in university dormitories (HKD 40,000 to 49,800 a year), and third-years are guaranteed accommodation.
Location
Macao is a small special administrative region on China's south coast, bordering Zhuhai. MUST is in Taipa, close to the Cotai area where the university's hospital stands, and the campus is served by buses and the MUST station on the Taipa light rail line. Non-local students should budget around HKD 40,000 a year for living costs on top of tuition and dormitory fees.
Nearest airport: Macau International Airport (MFM)
Notable alumni
- AM Adriano Marques HoDirector-General of the Macao Customs Service; bachelor's degree in law from MUST
- WZ Weng ZuliangChairman of China Minmetals and former Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai's Pudong New Area; Executive MBA from MUST
- LS Leong Sun IokDirectly elected member of Macao's Legislative Assembly and labour-union leader; master's in tourism management from MUST
- ZS Zhou ShifengHuman rights lawyer and founder of Beijing Fengrui Law Firm; doctorate from MUST's Faculty of Law
Frequently asked questions
How much does MUST cost for international students?
Non-Macao residents pay HKD 163,000 to 206,000 a year in tuition (MBBS HKD 258,000), plus HKD 40,000 to 49,800 for a dormitory place. MUST estimates living expenses at about HKD 40,000 a year.
Are MUST degrees taught in English?
Many are. Business administration, applied economics, tourism and hotel management, artificial intelligence, space science, nanoscience, biomedical sciences and the MBBS are taught in English; others such as law and journalism are taught in Chinese and English.
What SAT score do you need for MUST?
For direct admission to general programmes the minimum is SAT 1190 (or ACT 24); for the MBBS it is SAT 1300 (or ACT 30).
Does MUST offer scholarships to international students?
Yes. Admission Scholarships are awarded automatically on merit, from half tuition up to full tuition plus accommodation and a living allowance, and are renewed if you stay near the top of your programme.
When is the application deadline for MUST?
For 2026 entry, Direct Admission ran from 22 January to 22 April 2026 and the JAE route from 2 to 16 January 2026. The 2027 windows had not been published as of September 2026, but the 2027 JAE exams are set for 20 and 21 March 2027.
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.
- MUST Undergraduate Admissions
- MUST: Application & Admissions (student numbers)
- MUST: Application Period 2026/2027
- MUST: Important Dates, Written Examination (Hong Kong, Taiwan and international)
- MUST: Important Dates, Direct Admission (Hong Kong, Taiwan and international)
- MUST: Important Dates, Recommended Admission
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to MUST in the QS World University Rankings 2027.