Shandong University
山东大学
One of China's oldest modern universities, spread across Jinan, Qingdao and Weihai, with medicine dating back to 1864.
- Students
- 70,000
- Tuition
- CN¥18,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1901
- QS World Ranking
- #309
- 2027 edition
About SDU
Shandong University traces its main body to the Shandong Imperial College founded in Jinan in 1901, which it describes as China's second national university after the Imperial University of Peking, and its medicine to 1864. Today's university was formed by merging the old Shandong University with Shandong Medical University and Shandong University of Technology. It is a Ministry of Education university on the 211, 985 and Double First-Class lists.
SDU is very large: more than 70,000 students, 102 undergraduate majors covering every discipline except agriculture and military science, and campuses in three cities: Jinan (the provincial capital), Qingdao and Weihai. It runs five affiliated hospitals, including Qilu Hospital, and 11 national key laboratories. The university reports 8 fields in ESI's global top 1 per mille and 20 in the top 1%, with named strengths in financial mathematics, crystal materials, underground engineering and reproductive medicine.
For international undergraduates the offer is focused: 14 Chinese-taught and 6 English-taught majors for 2026-27, led by medicine, engineering, economics and journalism. Every applicant needs a CSCA score and chooses a single major. It suits students who want a big, traditional comprehensive university in northern China, especially for medicine or engineering.
学无止境，气有浩然
“Noble in Spirit, Boundless in Knowledge” — university motto
Why students choose SDU
English-taught options include a six-year Clinical Medicine degree, five-year Stomatology and Nursing, Tourism Management and two mechanical engineering majors.
Tuition starts at RMB 18,000 a year for Chinese-taught humanities, economics and management majors, and SDU runs its own Outstanding International Student Scholarship.
Medical students train on the historic Baotuquan Campus, the former Cheeloo University site, alongside Qilu Hospital.
Research depth: 11 national key laboratories, 5 affiliated hospitals and 20 fields in ESI's global top 1%.
Admissions
2027 entry (international undergraduates); 2027 guide not yet published, figures below are from the 2026 admission brochure
Selectivity
SDU does not publish an acceptance rate for international undergraduates. It reviews application materials and may interview applicants, then admits on merit.
Typical entry requirements
| Senior high school diploma | High school graduate or above, non-Chinese citizen with a valid ordinary passport; graduating students submit a pre-graduation certificate and full high school transcript |
|---|---|
| HSK (Chinese-taught majors) | HSK 5 with 180 or more; HSK 4 with 210 or more for Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages. Applicants whose highest qualification was taught in Chinese can submit proof of that instead. |
| CSCA | Score report in the subjects listed for your major in SDU's 2026-2027 major and CSCA subject table |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 For English-taught majors: IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 80 (DI code C296), TOEFL MyBest 80 or TOEFL Essentials 8, or equivalent. Native English speakers are exempt; applicants whose highest qualification was taught in English submit a medium-of-instruction letter. |
Deadlines
- Chinese Government Scholarship (Type B), 2026 entry (past, for reference) Non-binding Passed6 February 2026
Apply on both the CSC system (studyinchina.csc.edu.cn) and apply.sdu.edu.cn.
- Jinan Friendship City Scholarship, 2026 entry (past, for reference) Non-binding Passed1 March 2026
- SDU Outstanding International Student Scholarship, 2026 entry (past, for reference) Non-binding Passed1 April 2026
- Self-funded applicants, 2026 entry (past, for reference) Non-binding Passed31 May 2026
SDU advises finishing at least two weeks before the deadline, as materials cannot be added afterwards.
Dates are from SDU's 2026 international undergraduate brochure. The 2027 brochure had not been posted as of September 2026; expect a similar pattern, with scholarship deadlines from February to April and the self-funded deadline around the end of May. Type A Chinese Government Scholarships are applied for through your home country's sending authority.
How to apply
Apply online at apply.sdu.edu.cn (no paper documents need to be posted) and choose one major, which normally cannot be changed. Upload passport, high school diploma or pre-graduation certificate, full transcript, CSCA score report, a personal statement on SDU's template (in Chinese or English to match the programme), language certificate, Foreigner Physical Examination Form, no-criminal-record certificate and a financial guarantee showing at least RMB 50,000. The RMB 400 application fee is paid after a pre-admission email.
What admissions looks for
- A CSCA score report in exactly the subjects your chosen major requires.
- Language readiness: HSK 5 (180+) for Chinese-taught majors, or IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 80 for English-taught ones.
- A complete, truthful application: false information leads to cancellation of admission or student status.
- Performance in SDU's review of materials and, where used, its interview.
Tips for applying to SDU
- 1 Pick your major carefully: SDU lets you list only one, and it normally cannot be changed.
- 2 Check the CSCA subject table before booking: English-taught Tourism Management needs only Mathematics, but Chinese-taught Computer Science needs STEM Chinese, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
- 3 Scan documents in colour with a scanner: SDU does not accept phone photos or photocopies, and apart from the medical form and signature, nothing handwritten.
- 4 Scholarship deadlines fall months before the self-funded one, so apply by early February if you want a CSC Type B place.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
International undergraduates can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship (Type A through their home country, Type B through SDU and the CSC system), the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, the Jinan Friendship City Scholarship and the Shandong University Outstanding International Student Scholarship.
- RMB 400, paid after pre-admission
- Application fee
- RMB 800 per year
- Medical insurance
- Usually RMB 23 to 45 per person per day, by room type
- Accommodation
- Deposit proof of at least RMB 50,000
- Financial guarantee (self-funded)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters; autumn intake
Clinical Medicine (MBBS, English-taught)
Six years on the Baotuquan Campus in Jinan, RMB 45,000 a year; CSCA Mathematics and Chemistry required.
Stomatology (English-taught)
A five-year English-taught dentistry degree from the School of Stomatology, RMB 32,000 a year.
Machine Design, Manufacturing and Automation
Offered in both Chinese and English on the Xinglongshan Campus, alongside Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering.
Computer Science and Technology
A Chinese-taught major on the Qingdao Campus, RMB 21,000 a year.
Economics, Finance and International Economics and Trade
Chinese-taught majors at the School of Economics on the Central Campus, RMB 18,000 a year; SDU names financial mathematics among its world-level strengths.
Urban Underground Space Engineering
From the School of Qilu Transportation, linked to underground engineering, one of the fields SDU says is at world level.
Research
- 11 national key laboratories and 5 affiliated hospitals, including Qilu Hospital of Shandong University.
- 8 fields in ESI's global top 1 per mille and 20 in the top 1%, with financial mathematics, crystal materials, underground engineering and reproductive medicine named as world-level strengths.
- Mathematician Wang Xiaoyun, who earned all three of her degrees at SDU, co-authored the 2004-05 collision attacks on the MD5 and SHA-1 hash functions.
- SDU publishes the humanities journal Wen Shi Zhe (Literature, History and Philosophy).
Schools & faculties
- School of Basic Medical Sciences
- School of Stomatology
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- School of Economics
- School of Management
- School of Journalism and Communication
- School of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Qilu Transportation
- School of Computer Science and Technology
- School of Political Science and Public Administration
- College of International Education
Student life
Where you live and study depends on your major: medicine is taught on the Baotuquan Campus in central Jinan, economics and journalism on the Central Campus, mechanical and transport engineering on the newer Xinglongshan Campus in south Jinan, and computer science and international politics on the Qingdao Campus by the sea. International students can book university accommodation through the online application system, with rooms usually costing RMB 23 to 45 a day. The university's long history shows in its campuses, from the early 20th-century Cheeloo buildings to the modern Central Campus tower.
- The Baotuquan Campus is the former Cheeloo University site, with buildings such as Bergen Science Hall and the 1924 Alumni Gate.
- Campuses in three cities: Jinan, Qingdao and Weihai.
- Partnerships with over 300 universities and research institutions in 45 countries and regions.
- Medical students study close to Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, one of five affiliated hospitals.
Housing. On-campus accommodation for international students is applied for through SDU's online system, usually at RMB 23 to 45 per person per day depending on room type.
Location
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in eastern China, known as the City of Springs. Most international undergraduate programmes are in Jinan, spread across several city campuses, while Qingdao, a coastal city on the Yellow Sea, hosts computer science and international politics. The historic Baotuquan Campus sits in the city centre.
Nearest airport: Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (TNA)
Notable alumni
- WX Wang XiaoyunCryptographer and CAS academician; bachelor's, master's and doctorate from SDU
- PS Peng ShigeMathematician known for backward stochastic differential equations; studied physics at SDU (1971 to 1974)
- JX Ji XianlinIndologist, linguist and writer; attended Shandong University before Tsinghua
- HJ Ha JinNovelist and National Book Award for Fiction winner; master's in Anglo-American literature from SDU
- ZY Zhang YueranNovelist and short-story writer; SDU alumna
- ZK Zang KejiaPoet; studied at Qingdao University (a predecessor of SDU) under Wen Yiduo
Frequently asked questions
Does Shandong University offer undergraduate degrees in English?
Yes, six for 2026-27: Clinical Medicine (6 years), Stomatology, Nursing, Tourism Management, Machine Design, Manufacturing and Automation, and Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering.
What HSK level does Shandong University require?
HSK 5 with at least 180 for Chinese-taught majors, or HSK 4 with at least 210 for Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages.
Is the CSCA required for Shandong University?
Yes. Every undergraduate applicant must submit a CSCA score report; the subjects depend on the major, from Mathematics only to STEM Chinese plus Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
How much does Shandong University cost for international students?
Tuition runs from RMB 18,000 a year for Chinese-taught humanities, economics and management majors to RMB 45,000 for English-taught Clinical Medicine, plus RMB 800 insurance and accommodation of roughly RMB 23 to 45 a day.
When is the Shandong University application deadline?
For 2026 entry, self-funded applicants could apply until 31 May 2026, with scholarship deadlines between 6 February and 15 May. The 2027 dates had not been published as of September 2026.
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.
- Shandong University: 2026 International Student (Undergraduate) Admission Brochure
- Shandong University: Bachelor Programs (2026-2027 program and tuition list, PDF)
- Shandong University: About
- Shandong University: Facts & Figures (April 2026)
- Shandong University: History
- Shandong University: 学校简介 (University introduction, Chinese)
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