Sichuan University
四川大学
West China's largest comprehensive university in Chengdu, home to the West China medical and dental schools.
- Tuition
- CN¥17,500
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1896
- QS World Ranking
- #300
- 2027 edition
- Campus
- Urban
- 8,050 mu (about 537 ha) across four campuses
About SCU
Sichuan University traces its roots to the Sichuan Sino-Western School, founded in Chengdu in 1896. Today's university was formed by two mergers: in 1994 with Chengdu University of Science and Technology, and in 2000 with West China University of Medical Sciences, which grew from West China Union University, a missionary university founded in 1910 and one of the first in China to train graduate students.
It is one of China's largest universities, with more than 38,000 full-time undergraduates, over 33,000 master's and doctoral students and nearly 3,000 international and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan students (end of 2025). There are 42 schools and departments, six affiliated hospitals and four campuses: Wangjiang, Huaxi and Jiang'an in Chengdu, and a new campus in neighbouring Meishan. SCU covers 13 disciplinary categories, and eight of its fields, including chemistry, materials science, clinical medicine and pharmacology, were in the ESI global top 0.1% in 2025 data.
The Huaxi (West China) campus is the base of its medical centre, including West China Hospital and West China Hospital of Stomatology, so medicine and dentistry are a major draw. International students can take Chinese-taught degrees with HSK 5, or one of six English-taught bachelor's programmes, including MBBS and dental surgery. It suits students who want a broad, research-heavy university in a large and liveable western Chinese city.
海纳百川，有容乃大
“The sea is vast because it takes in a hundred rivers; greatness comes from openness” — university motto
Why students choose SCU
SCU is joint 77th in the world in ARWU 2026 and reports ranking 10th among universities worldwide in the Nature Index.
Six English-taught bachelor's programmes: MBBS, Dental Surgery, Software Engineering, Civil Engineering, International Business Management, and International Tourism and Hotel Management.
Medicine and dentistry are taught through the West China Medical Center, with its West China teaching hospitals on and around the Huaxi campus.
Tuition for international undergraduates starts at 17,500 yuan a year for humanities, economics and management.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry (the 2027 admission guide had not been published at verification; details below are from the 2026 guide)
Selectivity
Sichuan University does not publish an admission rate for international undergraduates. It evaluates applicants' overall strengths from application documents, interviews and other assessments and admits on merit.
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma and transcripts | Non-Chinese citizens aged at least 18 and in principle under 25, with good academic records; a pre-graduation certificate is accepted when applying. |
|---|---|
| CSCA | Required; subjects depend on programme type and teaching language (see test policy). |
| HSK (Chinese-taught majors) | HSK level 5 with 180 or above, or proof that your highest degree was taught in Chinese. Not required for first-year entry to the Chinese Language programme. |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 English-taught majors: TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent). Native English speakers are exempt, as are applicants whose highest degree was taught in English. |
Deadlines
- Undergraduate programmes, autumn 2026 entry - PAST CYCLE, for reference only Non-binding Passed30 May 2026 (closed)
Window was 1 January to 30 May 2026. The 2027 guide had not been published as of 29 September 2026.
- Chinese Government Scholarship Non-bindingSet by the CSC and your home country's dispatching authority
Apply via campuschina.org and submit Sichuan University's required documents on the Overseas Students Office website.
The 2026 guide was posted in November 2025, with undergraduate applications open from 1 January to 30 May 2026. SCU's standing application-period page gives the undergraduate window as 1 January to 30 May each year, so autumn 2027 applications are likely to follow that pattern; confirm when the 2027 guide appears. SCU recommended taking the CSCA in December, January, March or April to have scores in time.
How to apply
Apply online through the Overseas Students Office system, uploading passport, graduation certificate, transcripts, a personal statement (self-introduction, reasons for applying, understanding of the major and study plan; in English for English-taught programmes), language certificate, CSCA scores, physical examination form, proof of funding and a certificate of no criminal record. The application fee is 600 yuan, also charged for scholarship applications. Chinese Government Scholarship applicants also apply via the CSC system.
What admissions looks for
- A completed high school education with good academic records.
- CSCA results in the subjects required for your programme type.
- Language proficiency: HSK 5 (180+) for Chinese-taught majors, or TOEFL 80 / IELTS 6.0 for English-taught majors.
- A personal statement showing your reasons for applying, understanding of the major and study plan, plus interview performance.
Tips for applying to SCU
- 1 Take the CSCA early: SCU recommended the December, January, March or April sittings for its January to May window.
- 2 Choose carefully: once admitted, you cannot change your major, length of study or teaching language.
- 3 Reply quickly to SCU's emails during review; applicants who miss requests for extra documents are rejected.
- 4 Apply for campus housing as soon as you are admitted: rooms are limited and students must apply for them.
- 5 Check the spam folder of the email you registered with, as SCU warns that notifications can end up there.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
International students can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship through the CSC, the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, and Sichuan University's own 'Study at SCU' Outstanding Student Scholarship. The 600 yuan application fee applies to scholarship applications too.
- 600 yuan
- Application fee
- 4,500 yuan (quad) to 9,000 yuan (double) per bed per year; 18,000 yuan per single room per year, utilities included
- Jiang'an campus student apartments
- 17 to 60 yuan per person per day depending on room type
- Wangjiang and Huaxi campus apartments
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (autumn and spring)
Clinical Medicine (MBBS, English-taught)
Taught through the West China Medical Center, which grew out of West China Union University; 45,000 yuan a year.
Dental Surgery (English-taught)
Linked to West China Hospital of Stomatology on the Huaxi campus; stomatology tuition is 36,000 yuan a year.
Materials Science and Engineering
Materials science is one of SCU's eight fields in the ESI global top 0.1%.
Software Engineering (English-taught)
One of the English-taught engineering degrees, requiring CSCA Mathematics and Physics.
International Tourism and Hotel Management (English-taught)
An English-taught business degree for students outside the sciences, needing only CSCA Mathematics.
Research
- In ESI data released in 2025, eight SCU fields were in the global top 0.1%: chemistry, materials science, clinical medicine, pharmacology and toxicology, engineering, computer science, biology and biochemistry, and molecular biology and genetics.
- The university reports it has led 11 national science and technology awards since 2018.
- Its humanities scholars have produced major reference works including the Hanyu Da Zidian dictionary and the Complete Prose of the Song Dynasty.
Schools & faculties
- West China School of Clinical Medicine
- West China School of Public Health
- West China School of Pharmacy
- West China School of Preclinical Medicine and Forensic Medicine
- College of Materials Science and Engineering
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering
- College of Chemistry
- College of Computer Science
- College of Software Engineering
- College of Architecture and Environment
- Business School
- School of Overseas Education
Student life
SCU is spread over four campuses, each with a different feel. Wangjiang, in Wuhou district, is the historic main campus; Huaxi preserves early 20th-century West China Union University buildings that are protected as national heritage sites; Jiang'an in Shuangliu is a newer campus with landscaped waterways that is the base for much undergraduate teaching; and Meishan is the newest. International students live in dedicated apartments on the Wangjiang, Huaxi and Jiang'an campuses or rent off campus.
- Historic West China Union University buildings on the Huaxi campus are protected as a national heritage site.
- Four campuses: Wangjiang, Huaxi and Jiang'an in Chengdu, and Meishan.
- Nearly 3,000 international and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan students.
- Exchange partnerships with 284 universities and research institutions in 49 countries and regions.
Housing. International student apartments are available on the Wangjiang, Huaxi and Jiang'an campuses, but rooms are limited, so admitted students must apply; others rent off campus.
Location
Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in south-west China, is a large city known historically as the 'Land of Abundance' (Tianfu). The Wangjiang and Huaxi campuses are in central Wuhou district, while Jiang'an is in suburban Shuangliu to the south. The newest campus is in Meishan, a neighbouring city.
Nearest airport: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU)
Notable alumni
- JC Jung ChangWriter, author of Wild Swans; studied English at Sichuan University in the 1970s
- DB Dai BingguoDiplomat and State Councillor of China (2008-2013); Russian language graduate
- BJ Ba JinNovelist, author of Family; listed by the university among those who studied at SCU
- GM Guo MoruoPoet, historian and archaeologist; studied at the university's predecessor institutions
- Z Zhu DeOne of the Ten Marshals of the People's Liberation Army; studied at the university's predecessor institutions
- ZX Zhang XingdongBiomaterials scientist, foreign member of the US National Academy of Engineering; graduated in 1960
- ZE Zhao ErmiHerpetologist and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; studied biology at West China Union University
Frequently asked questions
Does Sichuan University offer English-taught bachelor's degrees?
Yes: MBBS, Dental Surgery, Software Engineering, Civil Engineering, International Business Management, and International Tourism and Hotel Management. You need TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.0 unless you are a native English speaker.
Do I need the CSCA to apply to Sichuan University?
Yes. SCU requires CSCA scores for undergraduate applicants: Mathematics for English-taught liberal arts, Mathematics and Physics for English-taught engineering, and Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry for English-taught medicine, plus Chinese for Chinese-taught programmes.
How much is tuition at Sichuan University for international students?
From 17,500 yuan a year for humanities, economics and management to 22,000 yuan for science and engineering, 36,000 yuan for stomatology and 45,000 yuan for MBBS and arts and sports.
When is the Sichuan University application deadline for 2027?
The 2027 guide was not out in late September 2026. SCU's usual undergraduate window runs from 1 January to 30 May; for 2026 entry it closed on 30 May 2026.
What HSK level does Sichuan University require?
HSK level 5 with at least 180 points for Chinese-taught majors, unless your previous degree was taught in Chinese. First-year Chinese Language students do not need HSK.
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.
- SCU Overseas Students Office: 2026 SCU Admission Guide (archived)
- SCU Overseas Students Office: Instructions for CSCA (archived)
- SCU Overseas Students Office: Application Requirements for Undergraduates (archived)
- SCU Overseas Students Office: Undergraduate Program Tuition Fees (archived)
- SCU Overseas Students Office: English-Teaching Undergraduate Program (archived)
- SCU Overseas Students Office: Catalogue of Undergraduate Programs (archived)
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to SCU in the QS World University Rankings 2027.