Ocean University of China
中国海洋大学
China's leading ocean-science university, on the Qingdao coast, with English-taught bachelor's degrees from CNY 8,000 a year.
- Students
- 36,500
- 17,720 undergraduates
- International
- 1%
- of students
- Tuition
- CN¥8,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1924
About OUC
Ocean University of China traces its history to the Private Qingdao University, founded in 1924 in the former German Bismarck Barracks, now its Yushan campus. It became National Qingdao University in 1929 and National Shandong University in 1932; when Shandong University moved to Jinan in 1958, the marine departments stayed behind and became Shandong Oceanographic College in 1959. It was renamed Qingdao Ocean University in 1988 and took its current name in 2002.
OUC is a key comprehensive university under the Ministry of Education, part of the former Project 211 and Project 985 and of the Double First-Class programme, with distinctive strengths in marine science and fisheries. It has about 36,500 students (17,720 undergraduates, 14,730 master's and 3,790 doctoral students, plus about 320 international students) and 4,220 faculty and staff, spread over four campuses in Qingdao: Yushan, Fushan, Laoshan and the new West Coast campus. Teaching is organised in 20 colleges and schools, a faculty and a Teaching Center of Fundamental Courses, plus Haide College, a joint institution with Adelaide University.
Its research runs from ocean circulation and climate to aquaculture breeding and marine drugs, backed by three research vessels including the 5,600-tonne Dong Fang Hong 3. For international undergraduates it is an unusually cheap way into a Double First-Class university: three English-taught bachelor's programmes cost CNY 8,000 a year, and Marine Science in English costs CNY 23,000. It suits students who want to study the ocean seriously, or who want a low-cost degree in a coastal city.
海纳百川，取则行远
“Ocean embraces all streams; exploring promises reaching far” — university motto
Why students choose OUC
Three English-taught bachelor's programmes (Computer Science and Technology, International Economics and Trade, Tourism Management) cost CNY 8,000 a year, which OUC describes as much lower than most similar programmes.
Marine Science is also taught in English at bachelor's level, at a university that set up coastal biology, oceanography and meteorology as early as the 1930s.
OUC runs three research vessels, including the 5,600-tonne Dong Fang Hong 3, and supported the building of the Laoshan Laboratory for marine science.
The OUC International Student President Scholarship can waive tuition, accommodation and insurance for new self-financed undergraduates.
Admissions
September 2027 intake (degree programmes admit once a year, in the autumn)
Selectivity
OUC does not publish an admission rate. Chinese students are admitted through the national gaokao; international applicants are assessed on their documents, language certificate and CSCA results.
Typical entry requirements
| Nationality and age | Non-Chinese citizen in good physical and mental health, aged 16 to 30 for bachelor's programmes |
|---|---|
| High school diploma | Completed high school, with notarized diploma and transcript |
| CSCA | China Scholastic Competency Assessment transcripts required for bachelor's applicants |
| Chinese (Chinese-taught majors) | HSK 4 with a score above 180 |
| Gaokao (Chinese students) | Admission by provincial gaokao score under OUC's annual undergraduate admissions charter |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 For English-taught majors, applicants from non-English-speaking countries need IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 80, an equivalent English certificate, a previous degree taught in English, or proof of at least a year of study in an English-speaking country. |
Deadlines
- OUC International Student President Scholarship - PAST CYCLE, for reference Non-binding PassedMay 25, 2026 (applications March 1 to May 25 each year)
For newly enrolled self-financed international students, with priority for OUC's international (English-taught) programmes.
- Self-funded degree programmes, September 2026 intake - PAST CYCLE, for reference Non-binding PassedJune 10, 2026 (applications opened January 1, 2026; closed)
Covers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes. Expect the 2027 window to follow a similar January-June pattern.
- Chinese Government Scholarship, Silk Road Program Non-bindingSee the 2026/2027 programme notice on sie.ouc.edu.cn
Full scholarship funded by the Chinese Government, open to undergraduate, master's and PhD candidates from Belt and Road countries.
OUC has not yet published its 2027 international application guide; the dates shown are from the 2026 Application Guide for International Students (previous cycle): degree applications ran January 1 to June 10, 2026 and President Scholarship applications March 1 to May 25. Check sie.ouc.edu.cn for the 2027 guide.
How to apply
Register and apply on the OUC international students service system (ouc.at0086.cn) and pay the CNY 400 application fee for degree programmes. Upload a passport scan and photo, notarized diploma and transcript, resume, physical examination form, non-criminal record, financial statement, language certificate and CSCA transcripts; applicants under 18 also need a guardian in China.
What admissions looks for
- A completed high school education and a clean academic record, shown through notarized diploma and transcripts.
- CSCA results, now required from all bachelor's applicants.
- Language ability matched to the programme: HSK 4 above 180 for Chinese-taught majors, IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 80 for English-taught majors.
- Good health, a non-criminal record and proof of funds.
Tips for applying to OUC
- 1 Book the CSCA early: OUC lists CSCA transcripts among the required documents for every bachelor's application.
- 2 If your Chinese is not yet at HSK 4, look at the English-taught programmes (Computer Science, International Economics and Trade, Tourism Management, Marine Science) or OUC's one-year Chinese language programme (CNY 14,000).
- 3 Apply for the President Scholarship between March 1 and May 25 alongside your degree application; first- and second-class awards also cover campus accommodation.
- 4 Get your diploma and transcripts notarized before you start the online application, as copies without notarization are not listed as acceptable.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
International students can apply for Chinese Government Scholarships (including the Silk Road Program for undergraduates from Belt and Road countries and bilateral programmes via their home governments), the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, and the OUC International Student President Scholarship. The President Scholarship's first class waives tuition, campus accommodation and medical insurance (plus a stipend for graduate students), the second class waives tuition, accommodation and insurance, and the third class waives tuition and insurance. Chinese undergraduates pay a credit-based fee (registration fee set by Shandong's price authority plus CNY 100 per credit).
- CNY 400
- Application fee (degree programmes)
- CNY 5,500 per semester (about CNY 11,000 a year), one bed in a twin room with private bathroom
- On-campus accommodation
- CNY 800 for six months and above
- Medical insurance
- Tuition, campus accommodation and insurance waived during the standard study period
- President Scholarship, first and second class
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (autumn and spring)
Marine Science (English-taught BSc)
OUC's signature discipline, taught in English to international undergraduates at CNY 23,000 a year.
Physical Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences
Taught in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, home of the university's work on ocean heat transport and air-sea interaction.
Aquaculture and Marine Fishery Science
The College of Fisheries' breeding research drove China's kelp, shrimp, scallop, turbot, sea cucumber and abalone farming booms.
Computer Science and Technology (English-taught)
Core courses include AI, big data and machine learning, at CNY 8,000 a year for international students.
International Economics and Trade (English-taught)
A dedicated English-taught class covering econometrics, trade theory and international business law.
Pharmacy
Builds on OUC's marine drug research, including PSS, China's first modern marine drug, and co-development of GV-971 for Alzheimer's disease.
Research
- Led the Frontier Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System, China's first MOE frontier science centre in the geosciences, and supported the building of the Laoshan Laboratory.
- Operates three research vessels, including the 5,600-tonne Dong Fang Hong 3, and built what it calls the world's largest integrated sea-land-air-space regional ocean observation system.
- Developed PSS, China's first modern marine drug, co-developed the Alzheimer's drug GV-971, and hosts the International CLIVAR Project Office.
- Two OUC achievements won 2025 State Science and Technology Awards.
Schools & faculties
- College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences
- College of Information Science and Engineering
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- College of Marine Geo-sciences
- College of Marine Life Science
- College of Fisheries
- College of Food Science and Engineering
- School of Medicine and Pharmacy
- College of Engineering
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering
- College of Management
- School of Economics
OUC reports about 370,000 graduates, including 16 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Chinese Academy of Engineering and four directors of the State Oceanic Administration.
Student life
Most undergraduates study on the modern Laoshan campus in the east of Qingdao, while the historic Yushan campus, built around German-era barracks on a hill above the sea, holds the university's oldest buildings. Student organisations include the Seagull Drama Club, founded in 1932 and the oldest in OUC's history, the College Students' Art Troupe, the POKE Center for interdisciplinary innovation projects and a Marine Science Association that runs ocean outreach. International students live on campus in twin rooms with private bathrooms. With only about 320 international students, the campus is overwhelmingly Chinese, which makes it a strong place to learn the language.
- The Seagull Drama Club, founded in 1932, is OUC's oldest student organisation.
- The Marine Science Association runs ocean-science outreach with local communities and museums.
- Four campuses: Laoshan, Yushan (historic), Fushan and the West Coast campus.
- Partnerships with over 300 universities and institutes in more than 50 countries and regions.
Housing. International students can live on campus for CNY 5,500 per semester, one bed in a twin room with private bathroom and shower (prices vary slightly by campus and room type).
Location
Qingdao is a port city on the south-east coast of the Shandong Peninsula, on the Yellow Sea, known for its beaches, German-era architecture and beer, and host of the sailing events of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Yushan campus sits in the old city near the seafront; the main Laoshan campus lies to the east near Laoshan mountain. The city is also a major centre for marine research.
Nearest airport: Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport (TAO)
Notable alumni
- LR Luo RonghuanMarshal of the People's Republic of China; completed a preparatory course in industry and commerce at the Private Qingdao University (1924-1926)
- ZK Zang KejiaPoet; studied at National Qingdao University from 1929, where he began publishing poetry under Wen Yiduo
- GH Guan HuashiMarine drug scientist, Chinese Academy of Engineering academician and later OUC president; graduated from Shandong Oceanographic College in 1964
- GC Gao CongjieChemical separation and membrane specialist, Chinese Academy of Engineering academician; marine chemistry graduate (1964)
- JX Jiang XingweiDirector of China's National Satellite Ocean Application Service and chief designer of its ocean satellite ground system; Chinese Academy of Engineering academician; marine hydrology graduate (1982)
- BZ Bao ZhenminShellfish genetics and breeding specialist, Chinese Academy of Engineering academician; marine biology graduate (1982)
- SW Song WeiboProtozoologist specialising in ciliates, Chinese Academy of Sciences academician; master's degree from Shandong Oceanographic College (1985)
Frequently asked questions
How much does Ocean University of China cost for international students?
Under the 2026 guide, English-taught Computer Science, International Economics and Trade, and Tourism Management cost CNY 8,000 a year, Chinese-taught bachelor's programmes CNY 18,000 and English-taught Marine Science CNY 23,000. Campus accommodation is CNY 5,500 per semester.
Does OUC teach bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes. Four bachelor's programmes are taught in English: Computer Science and Technology, International Economics and Trade, Tourism Management and Marine Science. You need IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL 80 or equivalent proof of English.
Do I need the CSCA to apply to OUC?
Yes. OUC lists China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) transcripts as a required document for bachelor's degree applicants.
When is the OUC application deadline?
In the 2026 cycle, degree applications ran from January 1 to June 10, and President Scholarship applications from March 1 to May 25. The 2027 guide had not been published as of September 2026.
Are there scholarships at Ocean University of China?
Yes: Chinese Government Scholarships (including the Silk Road Program for undergraduates), the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, and the OUC President Scholarship, whose top classes waive tuition, accommodation and insurance.
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.
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