Nanjing University
南京大学
A C9 League research university in the old capital of Nanjing, with a long tradition in the natural sciences.
- Students
- 47,911
- 16,008 undergraduates
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Tuition
- CN¥21,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1902
About NJU
Nanjing University traces its history to Sanjiang Normal School, founded in 1902. It went through several names, including National Central University, before becoming Nanjing University in 1950. In 1952 it merged with the arts and sciences colleges of the former Jinling University (founded 1888) and moved onto Jinling's campus in Gulou, which is still its historic heart. Today NJU is one of China's C9 League universities and a directly administered national key university. In December 2025 it had 46 schools, 16,008 undergraduates, 30,471 graduate students and 1,432 international students across four campuses: Xianlin, Gulou and Pukou in Nanjing, and a new campus in Suzhou.
The university describes itself as having been "known for science" since its early years, and it remains strongest in the natural sciences. It has 33 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on its faculty and 16 disciplines in China's national Double First-Class program. The humanities and social sciences are also strong, and NJU was early to work with foreign universities: the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies has run for more than 30 years.
For international undergraduates, NJU is a Chinese-language university. Every bachelor's major is taught in Chinese, applicants need HSK 5 with a score of at least 180, and from 2026-27 all undergraduate applicants must also take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA). It suits students who already read and write Chinese well and want a top Chinese research university at low tuition.
诚朴雄伟，励学敦行
“Sincerity with Aspiration, Perseverance with Integrity” — university motto
Why students choose NJU
International undergraduate tuition is CNY 21,000 to 42,000 a year depending on the discipline, and a bed in a double room on the Xianlin campus costs CNY 3,000 per semester.
New undergraduates start in the College of First-Year Students, and the Kuang Yaming Honors School is NJU's dedicated honors college.
NJU opened a dedicated School of Artificial Intelligence in 2018 and has newer schools in integrated circuits, robotics and future technologies alongside its traditional science departments.
The Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center, on the Gulou campus, has run a joint China-US program for more than 30 years.
Admissions
International bachelor's admission for September entry; requirements and fees are from NJU's 2026/2027 guidelines, the latest published
Selectivity
NJU does not publish admission statistics for international undergraduates. Chinese nationals are admitted through the national gaokao. International applicants are assessed on documents plus a written exam and interview during the spring application period.
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma | Completed high school (or expected graduation). Applicants must be 18 or older, in good health and hold a valid non-Chinese passport. |
|---|---|
| HSK (Chinese proficiency) | HSK 5 with a score of at least 180. Transfer students into Chinese language need HSK 6 with at least 180. Applicants with 12 years of Chinese-medium schooling in Malaysia or Singapore are exempt. |
| CSCA (China Scholastic Competency Assessment) | Required from 2026-27. Tests run five times a year (January, March, April, June and December). Scores were due to NJU by May 15, 2026 for the 2026-27 intake. |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 70 Only required for applicants to the English major (NJU TOEFL institution code C288). All other bachelor's majors are taught in Chinese and use HSK instead. |
Deadlines
- International undergraduate application (single annual round, September 2027 intake) Non-bindingExpected March to May 2027 (the 2026 round ran March to May, with CSCA scores due May 15, 2026)
Results, admission notices and visa forms are issued June to August, and new students register in September. NJU will announce exact dates for the September 2027 intake on the Institute for International Students site.
The pattern above follows NJU's 2026/2027 bachelor's admissions page. NJU says application dates follow its official website, so check the Institute for International Students site in early 2027 for the September 2027 intake.
How to apply
Apply online at istudy.nju.edu.cn. You will need the application form, passport copy, high-school diploma or proof of expected graduation, full transcript, HSK certificate, CSCA score report, two original recommendation letters in Chinese or English, and a personal statement. Architecture applicants add a portfolio, and English-major applicants add an IELTS or TOEFL score. The application fee is CNY 500. Between March and May there is a physical examination, consultation, written exam and interview.
What admissions looks for
- Chinese good enough to study a full degree taught in Chinese, shown by HSK 5 with at least 180 points.
- Academic readiness shown by the CSCA test report in the subjects your chosen major requires.
- A strong high-school record, supported by two recommendation letters and a personal statement.
- Performance in the written examination and interview held during the application period, plus a portfolio for architecture applicants.
Tips for applying to NJU
- 1 Book the CSCA early. It runs only five times a year, and for the 2026-27 intake scores had to reach NJU by May 15. Check the 2026 undergraduate program catalogue for which CSCA subjects your major requires.
- 2 Aim above the HSK 5 minimum of 180 if you can, because every lecture, exam and textbook will be in Chinese.
- 3 If you have them, submit SAT, ACT, AP, A-Level or IB results from the last two years. NJU accepts them as additional evidence.
- 4 Apply for scholarships separately: Chinese Government Scholarship programs are listed on the Institute for International Students site, and the Nanjing Municipal Scholarship gives enrolled undergraduates a one-time CNY 10,000 award.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
International students can apply for Chinese Government Scholarship programs, which NJU administers through its Institute for International Students. The Nanjing Municipal Government Scholarship gives enrolled undergraduates a one-time award of CNY 10,000 and cannot be combined with other government scholarships. Insurance costs CNY 800 a year.
- CNY 10,000 one-time award
- Nanjing Municipal Scholarship (undergraduate)
- CNY 500
- Application fee
- CNY 800 per academic year
- Insurance
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (autumn semester from September)
Kuang Yaming Honors School
NJU's honors school, listed among its degree-granting schools alongside the College of First-Year Students.
School of Artificial Intelligence
Opened in May 2018 and described by NJU as the first dedicated AI school among China's C9 League universities.
School of Astronomy and Space Sciences
A standalone school of astronomy and space sciences at a university that describes itself as having been known for science since its founding.
Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies
Founded in the 1980s, it was one of the first long-term higher-education partnerships after China's reform and opening.
School of Environment
Three departments cover environmental science, environmental engineering, and environmental planning and management.
Research
- As of December 2025, NJU hosts 10 National Key Laboratories and more than 130 provincial and ministerial research platforms.
- Its faculty include 33 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and 3 of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
- Sixteen NJU disciplines are in China's national Double First-Class program, and NJU reports 22 disciplines in the top 1% worldwide in the ESI rankings.
- In 2023 NJU launched its Forging Ahead Initiative, which sets a goal of becoming a top-tier global institution by 2050.
Schools & faculties
- Kuang Yaming Honors School
- School of Liberal Arts
- School of History
- School of Business
- School of Foreign Studies
- School of Mathematics
- School of Physics
- School of Astronomy and Space Sciences
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- School of Computer Science
- School of Artificial Intelligence
- Medical School
Student life
Undergraduate life is centred on the large Xianlin campus in northeast Nanjing, which has its own stop, NJU Xianlin Campus Station, on Nanjing Metro Line 2. The Gulou campus in the city centre keeps the historic Jinling University buildings, the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and the Xiyuan international student building. International students live in dedicated buildings on both campuses and study alongside Chinese classmates in regular Chinese-taught classes. That makes daily life immersive, but it assumes you are comfortable in Chinese from day one. Campus sports facilities, including tennis courts, gyms and swimming pools, are open at student rates.
- Four campuses: Xianlin, Gulou and Pukou in Nanjing, plus a new campus in Suzhou
- Historic Jinling-era buildings on the Gulou campus, including the North Building (Beidalou)
- College of First-Year Students for new undergraduates
- Dedicated international student housing: Building 21 at Xianlin and the Xiyuan building at Gulou
Housing. On-campus rooms for international students cost CNY 3,000 per semester for a bed in a double room at the Xianlin International Students Apartment (Building 21). At Gulou's Xiyuan building a bed in a double room is CNY 52 a day and a single room CNY 67 a day, and there is a CNY 600 room deposit.
Location
Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, is a major city on the Yangtze River in the Yangtze River Delta region of eastern China. NJU's Gulou campus is in the old city centre, while most undergraduates live and study at Xianlin in the northeast, which has its own stop on Metro Line 2. The Suzhou campus extends NJU further into the delta. NJU puts typical off-campus rent at CNY 2,500–5,000 a month.
Nearest airport: Nanjing Lukou International Airport (NKG), about 35 km south of the city centre
Notable alumni
- CW Chien-Shiung WuExperimental physicist and first Wolf Prize laureate in Physics; studied at National Central University, NJU's predecessor
- XP Xia PeisuComputer scientist who developed China's first general-purpose digital computer
- GT Gang TianMathematician
- YF Yuan-Cheng FungPioneer of bioengineering; US National Medal of Science (2000)
- ZZ Zhou ZhonghePaleontologist; member of the US National Academy of Sciences
- FH Fang HongboChairman of the appliance maker Midea
- CY Chiang YeePainter, poet and author of the Silent Traveller books
- NH Nieh Hua-LingWriter known for her work in international literary exchange
Frequently asked questions
Can international students study at Nanjing University in English?
Not at bachelor's level. NJU says all undergraduate majors are taught in Chinese. Its English-taught degree programs are master's programs.
What HSK level does Nanjing University require?
Undergraduate applicants need HSK 5 with a score of at least 180. Transfer students into the Chinese language major need HSK 6 with at least 180. Applicants with 12 years of Chinese-medium schooling in Malaysia or Singapore are exempt.
Do I need to take the CSCA to apply to Nanjing University?
Yes. From the 2026/2027 academic year every international undergraduate applicant must submit a China Scholastic Competency Assessment report; for the 2026 intake, scores were due by May 15, 2026. The test runs five times a year (January, March, April, June and December).
How much is Nanjing University tuition for international students?
Per year it is CNY 21,000 for liberal arts, CNY 24,000 for science and business, CNY 32,000 for the Software Institute and CNY 42,000 for the Medical School. The application fee is CNY 500.
When is the application period?
NJU's undergraduate application runs online once a year, from March to May, with written exams and interviews in the same period; offers go out June to August and registration is in September. Exact dates for September 2027 entry will be posted on the Institute for International Students site.
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.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to NJU in the QS World University Rankings 2027.