Shenzhen University
深圳大学
The young, city-funded university of China's first Special Economic Zone, where Tencent's founders studied.
- Students
- 51,505
- 30,128 undergraduates
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Tuition
- CN¥26,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1983
About SZU
Shenzhen University (SZU) was founded in 1983 to serve the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, China's first, with Peking University, Tsinghua University and Renmin University helping to set up its early schools. It calls itself an 'experimental university': from the start it tried out credit systems, work-study and, unusually for China at the time, graduates finding their own jobs rather than being assigned them. Funded by the Shenzhen city government, it now has more than 51,000 full-time students, 29 colleges and 106 undergraduate majors across the Yuehai campus on Houhai Bay and the newer Lihu campus in the city's University Town.
SZU's growth has been fast. It reports 20 subjects in the ESI global top 1%, 5,679 patents granted in 2021-2025 and a place among the top 60 universities worldwide in the Nature Index. Its best-known graduates are the founders of Tencent: Ma Huateng, Zhang Zhidong and Chen Yidan all studied here, and the university says more than 95% of its graduates stay to work in the Greater Bay Area.
For international students, SZU offers four-year bachelor's degrees taught mostly in Chinese (HSK 4 or HSK 5 depending on the field) plus a few English-taught programmes in business, economics and fintech. Fees are moderate and scholarships are generous. It suits students who want to study in one of China's most dynamic tech cities and are ready to work in Chinese.
自立、自律、自强
“Self-reliance, self-discipline, self-improvement” — university motto
Why students choose SZU
Tencent was founded by SZU graduates Ma Huateng, Zhang Zhidong and Chen Yidan, and the campus sits in Nanshan, Shenzhen's tech district.
English-taught bachelor's options include International Business Administration, International Economics and Trade, and a Financial Technology (WeBank ASEAN Class) programme that gives a first-year full-tuition scholarship to students without a university scholarship.
The Liyuan International Scholarship ranges from a 50% tuition cut to a full waiver plus 1,000 CNY a month, alongside the Shenzhen Universiade Scholarship (30,000 CNY a year) and a Guangdong provincial award.
Tuition is 26,000 to 40,000 CNY a year, and on-campus rooms run from 750 CNY per semester (Lihu four-bed room) to 8,000 CNY per semester (Yuehai single).
Admissions
International undergraduates, September 2027 entry (2026 brochure used; the 2027 brochure is not yet published)
Selectivity
SZU does not publish an admission rate for international undergraduates. Applications are reviewed by expert panels in each college, which may hold an online or face-to-face interview.
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma | High school graduation or above; final-year students may apply with an expected-graduation certificate. Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens aged 18-25 and meet the Ministry of Education's 2020 No. 12 rules on foreign nationality and residence abroad. |
|---|---|
| HSK (Chinese-taught programmes) | HSK 4 with 180+ for science and engineering; HSK 5 with 180+ for liberal arts, medicine and arts; no HSK needed for Chinese Language and Literature or Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages |
| English (English-taught programmes) | IELTS 5.5, TOEFL iBT 80 or Duolingo 100 |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 For English-taught programmes; Duolingo 100 also accepted. Native speakers of Chinese or English may be exempted from the relevant certificate once SZU confirms it. |
Deadlines
- First round (2026 intake, past) Non-binding PassedMarch 20, 2026
Applications from January 1 to March 20, 2026; pre-admission results in April.
- Second round (2026 intake, past) Non-binding PassedMay 31, 2026
Applications from March 20 to May 31, 2026; pre-admission results in June.
These are the 2026-intake dates from SZU's 2026 brochure (published December 2025). The 2027 brochure is not out yet; if SZU keeps the same pattern, applications for September 2027 would open on January 1, 2027.
How to apply
Register at lxs.szu.edu.cn and apply online, uploading high school certificate and transcripts, passport, photo, language certificate, foreigner physical examination form, a CV from primary school onwards, two recommendation letters and a study plan of about 500 words, plus proof of paying the 400 CNY (60 USD) application fee. Colleges review files after the deadline and may interview; pre-admission results come by email.
What admissions looks for
- A completed high school education, with original certificates and transcripts checked again at registration.
- Language readiness: HSK 4 or HSK 5 at 180+ for Chinese-taught study, or IELTS 5.5 / TOEFL iBT 80 / Duolingo 100 for English-taught study.
- Two recommendation letters and a study plan that shows why you want to study your major in China.
- For scholarships, a strong record: the Liyuan International Scholarship is reviewed every year.
Tips for applying to SZU
- 1 Apply in the first round (January 1 to March 20) if you can: results come in April, two months earlier than the second round.
- 2 Pay the 400 CNY application fee by wire transfer before you submit; SZU will not review unpaid applications.
- 3 Check your HSK level against your field: engineering needs HSK 4, but liberal arts, medicine and arts need HSK 5.
- 4 If you are from an ASEAN country, look at the English-taught Financial Technology (WeBank ASEAN Class), which gives priority to ASEAN applicants.
- 5 Watch for the 2027 brochure around late December and check whether it adds the CSCA test.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
SZU's Liyuan International Scholarship gives a tuition waiver plus 1,000 CNY a month (first class), a tuition waiver (second class) or a 50% tuition cut (third class). International students can also apply for the Guangdong Government Outstanding International Student Scholarship (10,000 CNY a year), the Shenzhen Universiade Scholarship (30,000 CNY a year) and the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship.
- 50% tuition cut, full tuition waiver, or full waiver plus 1,000 CNY a month
- Liyuan International Scholarship
- 30,000 CNY per year
- Shenzhen Universiade Scholarship
- 750 CNY per semester (Lihu four-bed room) to 8,000 CNY per semester (Yuehai single room), utilities extra
- Accommodation
- 400 CNY per semester (compulsory)
- Insurance
- 400 CNY or 60 USD, non-refundable
- Application fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Computer Science and Software Engineering
The field in which Tencent founder Ma Huateng earned his SZU degree in 1993, in the heart of Shenzhen's tech sector.
Financial Technology (WeBank ASEAN Class)
An English-taught Bachelor of Economics oriented towards ASEAN, linked to SZU's WeBank Institute of FinTech, with about 15 places a year.
International Business Administration
An English-taught business degree focused on innovation, business analytics and the Greater Bay Area economy.
Architecture and Urban Planning
A dedicated school of architecture and urban planning in one of China's fastest-built cities, with study tours abroad.
Chinese Language and Literature
Offered by the College of International Exchange with no HSK requirement for entry, for students starting out in Chinese.
Research
- SZU reports 20 subjects in the ESI global top 1% and 5,679 patents granted in 2021-2025.
- It is 57th among universities worldwide in the Nature Index annual table, according to its September 2026 profile.
- The university hosts 158 municipal-or-higher science and engineering research platforms, including 5 national key laboratories it leads or co-builds.
Schools & faculties
- College of Computer Science & Software Engineering
- College of Electronics and Information Engineering
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering
- College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering
- College of Materials Science and Engineering
- School of Architecture & Urban Planning
- College of Civil and Transportation Engineering
- Medical School
- College of Economics
- College of Management
- School of Media and Communication
- College of International Exchange
SZU says more than 95% of the graduates it has trained stay to work in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; it does not publish an employment rate on the pages checked.
Student life
International students live in the International Student Dormitory on the Yuehai campus, in single or double rooms with bathrooms, or in cheaper four-bed rooms on the Lihu campus. The Yuehai campus has 12 canteens, including halal food on the fourth floor of the New Southwest Canteen, a Starbucks at Alumni Plaza, and Wenshan Lake. A campus card covers buses, canteens, the library and sports facilities, with a 150 CNY sports subsidy each semester. The College of International Exchange runs student activities, an international choir and a dance club, and SZU students take part in national competitions, winning 2,869 awards in 2024-2025.
- Two campuses in Nanshan: Yuehai on Houhai Bay and Lihu in University Town.
- 12 canteens, 41 dorm buildings and more than 10 sports facilities, according to SZU's statistics page.
- A 150 CNY per-semester sports subsidy on the campus card.
- International student clubs including an international choir and a dance society.
Housing. International students pay for their own rooms: SZU's 2026 brochure gives 2,400 to 8,000 CNY per semester for single and double rooms on the Yuehai campus and 750 CNY per semester for four-bed rooms on the Lihu campus, utilities extra (the fees page lists some Yuehai room types at up to 10,000 CNY per semester).
Location
Shenzhen, across the border from Hong Kong, grew from a small town into a city of millions after becoming China's first Special Economic Zone in 1980. SZU's Yuehai campus is in Nanshan district, home to the headquarters of Tencent and many other tech companies, and the Lihu campus is in the northern University Town. Hong Kong is reachable by metro and border crossing.
Nearest airport: Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX)
Notable alumni
- MH Ma Huateng (Pony Ma)Founder and CEO of Tencent; BS in computer science (1993)
- ZZ Zhang Zhidong (Tony Zhang)Tencent co-founder and former CTO; classmate of Ma Huateng at SZU
- CY Chen YidanTencent co-founder and founder of the Yidan Prize for education; bachelor's in applied chemistry
- SY Shi YuzhuFounder of online games company Giant Interactive; postgraduate study in software engineering
- ON Ou NingWriter, curator and cultural activist; graduated in 1993
- BX Bing XueAI and machine learning professor at Victoria University of Wellington; MSc (2010)
- CZ Chen ZheyuanActor in Hidden Love and other TV dramas; graduate of the Department of Performance
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at Shenzhen University for international students?
Under the 2026 brochure, bachelor's tuition is 26,000 CNY a year for liberal arts, 30,000 CNY for science and engineering, and 40,000 CNY for medicine, arts and physical education.
Does Shenzhen University teach bachelor's degrees in English?
A few: International Business Administration, International Economics and Trade, and Financial Technology (WeBank ASEAN Class). Most bachelor's programmes are taught in Chinese and need HSK 4 or HSK 5.
When is the Shenzhen University application deadline?
For 2026 entry there were two rounds: January 1 to March 20 and March 20 to May 31, 2026. The 2027 brochure has not been published yet.
Do I need the CSCA to apply to Shenzhen University?
SZU's 2026 bachelor's brochure does not list the CSCA; it asks for HSK or English test scores, recommendations and a study plan. Check the 2027 brochure when it is released.
Are there scholarships for international students at SZU?
Yes. The Liyuan International Scholarship ranges from half tuition to a full waiver plus 1,000 CNY a month, and there are Shenzhen Universiade (30,000 CNY a year) and Guangdong provincial (10,000 CNY a year) scholarships.
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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