711-720 in the world · QS 2027

Soochow University

苏州大学

A 1900 missionary foundation turned Double First-Class university, with campuses from old Suzhou to a new Future Campus.

Suzhou, Jiangsu, China Public research university (Jiangsu provincial; Project 211, Double First-Class) Founded 1900 Official website

See my chances at SUDA Admissions office

Photo: song songroov · CC BY 3.0

Students: 49,939; 27,671 undergraduates
International: 3%; of students
Tuition: CN¥18,000; From · 2026-27
Founded: 1900

About SUDA

Soochow University descends from Soochow University (Dongwu Daxue), founded in Suzhou in 1900 by American Methodists. The university says it was the first in China built on a modern academic discipline system, the first to award master's degrees, the first to teach Anglo-American law and the first to publish a university journal. After the 1952 reorganisation it became Jiangsu Teachers College, took back the English name Soochow University in 1982, and absorbed Suzhou's sericulture college, silk textile institute and medical college between 1995 and 2000.

Today it is a Project 211 and Double First-Class university co-built by the Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province. It has 27,671 full-time undergraduates, 18,506 master's students, 2,239 doctoral students and 1,523 international students across 37 schools, offering 121 undergraduate majors in 13 disciplinary areas. Strengths include chemistry and materials science, nanotechnology, clinical medicine, radiation medicine, textiles, law and rail transit.

Students are spread across four campuses: historic Tiancizhuang in the old city, Dushu Lake in Suzhou Industrial Park, Yangcheng Lake, and the new Future Campus in Wujiang. International undergraduates choose from 27 majors, mostly taught in Chinese, with MBBS and Pharmaceutical Science taught in English. It suits students who want a large research university in one of China's richest and best-preserved cities.

养天地正气，法古今完人

“Nurture the upright spirit of heaven and earth; model yourself on the complete people of past and present (literal translation). The university's English motto is "Unto a full grown man".” — university motto

Why students choose SUDA

Soochow was the first university in China to teach Anglo-American law, and its law school's alumni include former Hong Kong Chief Justice Yang Ti-liang and novelist Jin Yong.

19 subjects are in the ESI global top 1%, and five, including Chemistry and Materials Science, are in the top 0.1%.

Top-scoring students can be selected for the Jingwen and Tang Wenzhi residential colleges or the Life Sciences elite class after enrolment.

International students can study MBBS (six years) or Pharmaceutical Science in English, or 25 other majors in Chinese, from Translation and Fine Arts to Rail Transit Signal and Control.

Admissions

2027 entry (September 2027 intake)

Selectivity

Soochow does not publish an admission rate. Chinese students are admitted on provincial gaokao scores; international applications are reviewed in three batches, and applicants may be asked for supplementary material, a written test or an interview.

Testing International bachelor's applicants must take the CSCA (China Scholastic Competency Assessment). Chinese-taught liberal arts: Chinese and Maths; Chinese-taught science, engineering and medicine: Chinese, Maths and Physics or Chemistry; English-taught programmes drop the Chinese paper. Chinese students are admitted on gaokao results.

Typical entry requirements

High school diploma (international applicants)	High school graduate or equivalent, non-Chinese citizen under 30 with a valid ordinary passport (under-18s need guardianship documents)
HSK (Chinese-taught majors)	HSK 4 with a score of 180 or above; students must reach HSK 5 by graduation
CSCA	Score report required (or proof of registration by April 2026, with scores sent later)
Gaokao (Chinese students)	Admission by provincial gaokao score under the university's annual admissions charter
English language	IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 For English-taught majors: TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.0, native English speaker status, or other evidence accepted by the university. English-taught students must reach HSK 4 by graduation.

Deadlines

First Batch (2026-27 intake) - PAST CYCLE Non-binding Passed

March 30, 2026 (closed)

Admission results by April 15, 2026.
Second Batch (2026-27 intake) - PAST CYCLE Non-binding Passed

May 15, 2026 (closed)

Admission results by May 30, 2026.
Third Batch (2026-27 intake) - PAST CYCLE Non-binding Passed

June 15, 2026 (closed)

Admission results by June 30, 2026.
Chinese Government Scholarship (Type A) Non-binding

Set by the dispatching agency in your home country

For undergraduates under 25; Soochow's agency code is 10285.

Soochow had not published its 2027-28 undergraduate notice as of September 30, 2026. The 2025-26 and 2026-27 notices both used the same three batch deadlines (March 30, May 15 and June 15), so expect a similar schedule for September 2027 entry.

How to apply

Take the CSCA, then apply as self-sponsored on the Soochow University International Student Service System (suda.17gz.org) and pay the non-refundable CNY 650 application fee. Upload a passport, notarised diploma, sealed transcripts, CSCA score report, HSK or English certificate, a study plan of more than 600 words or characters, a medical form, a non-criminal record, a financial guarantee of at least USD 5,000 and any awards. Music applicants submit performance recordings and art applicants a portfolio.

What admissions looks for

A completed high school education with sealed transcripts and a notarised diploma.
CSCA results in the subjects set for your language and subject category.
Language readiness: HSK 4 (180+) for Chinese-taught majors, or TOEFL 80 / IELTS 6.0 for English-taught majors.
A study plan of more than 600 words or characters and supporting evidence such as awards, publications or volunteer work.
A portfolio for art majors, and performance works for Music Performance (Western music only).

Tips for applying to SUDA

1 Apply in the first batch (March 30 in 2026) to get a decision by mid-April and more time for your visa.
2 Register for the CSCA early: Soochow accepted proof of CSCA registration by April 2026 with scores sent later.
3 For Chinese-taught majors, your HSK 4 score must be at least 180, not just a pass.
4 Use the email subject format Soochow asks for (application number + passport name + topic) when you contact studyinsuda@suda.edu.cn.

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in CNY

Chinese students, per year (2026 admissions charter): liberal arts 5,200; sports 5,300; science 5,500; engineering 5,800; art and medicine 6,800; majors in Jiangsu advantage disciplines charge 10% more; Sino-foreign cooperative programmes are charged separately Tuition CN¥5,200 – CN¥6,800

International undergraduates, per year (published per semester, times two): liberal arts 18,000; science and engineering 22,000; medicine and arts 28,000; English-taught medicine 32,500 Tuition CN¥18,000 – CN¥32,500

Financial aid

International undergraduates can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship (Type A) through their home country's dispatching agency if they are under 25. The Soochow University Scholarship and the CGS university programme (Type B) are for master's and doctoral students only. Current students can compete for the Jiangsu Government Scholarship, a one-year lump-sum award.

CNY 650 (non-refundable)
Application fee: CNY 800-900 a month (Tiancizhuang/East campus) or CNY 600 a month (Dushu Lake)
On-campus accommodation (shared double room): CNY 1,000 a year
Insurance

Academics

Academic calendar: Two semesters (autumn and spring)

Law

Soochow was the first Chinese university to teach Anglo-American law; its law alumni include Jin Yong, Yang Ti-liang, Li Haopei and John C. H. Wu.

Clinical Medicine (MBBS)

Six-year English-taught programme at Suzhou Medical College, open to international students; Clinical Medicine is in the ESI top 0.1%.

Chemistry and Materials Science

Both are in the ESI global top 0.1%, supported by the Faculty of Materials and Chemistry and the College of Nano Science and Technology.

Textile Engineering

Inherited from the Suzhou Institute of Silk Textile Technology, merged into the university in 1997, in a city famous for silk.

Rail Transit Signal and Control

Taught by the School of Rail Transportation and open to international students in Chinese.

Research

Lead institution of a national 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center, with a national engineering laboratory, a national clinical medical research centre and a national Belt and Road joint laboratory.
19 subjects in the ESI global top 1%, including Chemistry, Materials Science, Clinical Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology and Engineering in the top 0.1%.
Staff include a Nobel laureate, 8 academicians and 45 National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars recipients, according to the university.
A national university science park, and the university is co-built with the China National Space Administration.

Schools & faculties

Kenneth Wang School of Law
Suzhou Medical College
Faculty of Materials and Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
College of Nano Science and Technology
School of Computer Science and Technology
School of Rail Transportation
College of Textile and Clothing Engineering
Golden Mantis School of Architecture
Business School
School of Foreign Languages
School of Music
College of Pharmaceutical Sciences

The university says it has trained more than 500,000 graduates, including more than 50 academicians of the Chinese Academies of Sciences and Engineering; it does not publish a graduate employment rate on the pages used.

Student life

Soochow is spread across four campuses. Tiancizhuang, the original Dongwu campus in the old city, has red-brick buildings, a clock tower and tree-lined lawns; Dushu Lake sits in Suzhou Industrial Park; Yangcheng Lake is in Xiangcheng; and the new Future Campus in Wujiang hosts the School of Future Science and Engineering and the International Innovation College of Pharmacy. High-scoring students can join the Jingwen or Tang Wenzhi residential colleges. International students live in the Overseas Students Dormitory on the East campus or on Dushu Lake campus, and self-sponsored students may live off campus.

Four campuses linked by Suzhou's metro lines 1, 2 and 4.
Residential colleges: Jingwen College, Tang Wenzhi College and Ziqing College.
The Study in SUDA Association brings Chinese and international students together.
The Future Campus lies in the Yangtze River Delta ecological green integration demonstration zone.

Housing. International students can live in shared double rooms in the Overseas Students Dormitory (CNY 800-900 a month on the East campus, CNY 600 at Dushu Lake), though rooms are limited; self-sponsored students may live off campus.

Location

Suzhou is a large, prosperous city west of Shanghai, known for its classical gardens and canals. The Tiancizhuang campus is in Gusu District, the historic core, a short metro ride from the modern Suzhou Industrial Park where the Dushu Lake campus sits. Four metro lines serve the campuses, and high-speed trains connect the city to Shanghai and Nanjing.

Notable alumni

JY
Jin Yong (Louis Cha)

Wuxia novelist and founder of Ming Pao; studied international law at Soochow University's Faculty of Law
TJ
Tan Jiazhen

Founder of modern Chinese genetics; undergraduate at Soochow University, 1926-1930
YT
Yang Ti-liang

Chief Justice of Hong Kong (1988-1996); read law at Soochow University Law School in Shanghai, 1946-1949
LH
Li Haopei

International lawyer and judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; bachelor's and master's in law from Soochow University
JC
John C. H. Wu

Jurist, vice president of the Republic of China's constitution drafting commission and ambassador to the Holy See; studied at Soochow University's law school from 1917
TC
T. C. Chao

Protestant theologian; graduated from Soochow University in 1910
VG
Victor Gao

Commentator and former translator for Deng Xiaoping; BA in English from Soochow University, 1981

Frequently asked questions

How much is Soochow University tuition for international students?

Fees are published per semester: CNY 9,000 for liberal arts, 11,000 for science and engineering, 14,000 for medicine and arts and 16,250 for English-taught medicine, or CNY 18,000 to 32,500 a year.

Does Soochow University offer programmes in English?

At undergraduate level, Clinical Medicine (MBBS) and Pharmaceutical Science are taught in English, and Music Performance is taught in Chinese or English. The other majors open to international students are taught in Chinese.

What HSK level do I need for Soochow University?

Chinese-taught majors need HSK 4 with at least 180 points, and students must reach HSK 5 by graduation. English-taught majors need TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.0.

When is the Soochow University application deadline?

For 2026-27 there were three batches, closing March 30, May 15 and June 15, 2026. The 2027-28 notice had not been published by September 30, 2026.

Is Soochow University in Suzhou the same as Soochow University in Taipei?

No. Both trace back to the Soochow University founded in 1900, but the Taipei university was set up separately by alumni who moved to Taiwan after 1949. This profile is the university in Suzhou, mainland China.

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.