Sun Yat-sen University
中山大学
South China's leading comprehensive university, spread over five campuses in Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen.
- Students
- 71,104
- 33,785 undergraduates
- International
- 1%
- of students
- Tuition
- CN¥26,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1924
About SYSU
Sun Yat-sen University was founded in 1924 by Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary leader who founded the Republic of China, and took his name in 1926. Today's university was formed in 2001 when it merged with Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, and its Guangzhou South Campus sits on the former grounds of Lingnan University. It now has five campuses in three cities of the Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen, plus ten affiliated hospitals.
SYSU is one of China's largest universities, with 71,104 students (33,785 undergraduates) and 5,046 full-time teachers as of May 2026, across 67 schools and departments and 128 undergraduate majors. Each campus has a focus: Guangzhou builds on traditional strengths in the humanities, sciences and medicine; Zhuhai concentrates on ocean, space and earth sciences; Shenzhen is home to new medical and engineering schools. The university says China's earliest Western medical education began at one of its predecessor institutions.
For international students, SYSU is a Chinese-language university. Every bachelor's program in the 2026 catalogue is taught in Chinese and needs HSK level 5 with at least 180 points, so it suits applicants who are already fluent, or willing to spend a preparatory year getting there, and who want a full Chinese degree at a top-ten mainland research university.
博学、审问、慎思、明辨、笃行
“Study extensively, inquire accurately, reflect carefully, discriminate clearly, practise earnestly” — university motto
Why students choose SYSU
SYSU is 62nd in the world and 7th in mainland China in ARWU 2026.
Clinical Medicine, Stomatology, Pharmacy and Public Health are taught through the Zhongshan School of Medicine and sister schools linked to ten affiliated hospitals.
Tuition for international undergraduates is a flat 26,000 yuan a year for humanities and social sciences and 33,800 yuan for science and engineering.
A merit-based SYSU Scholarship for International Students can cover full tuition plus a 30,000 yuan yearly living allowance for undergraduates.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry (the 2027 international undergraduate guidelines had not been published at verification; details below are from the 2026 guidelines)
Selectivity
SYSU does not publish an admission rate for international undergraduates. Applicants are screened on documents, CSCA scores and HSK results, and qualified applicants are interviewed on overall competence and language proficiency before a comprehensive evaluation.
Typical entry requirements
| Senior high school diploma (or equivalent) and full transcripts | Non-Chinese citizens with a foreign passport; current-year graduates may apply with a pre-graduation certificate. Under-18s need a guardian residing in Guangdong. |
|---|---|
| CSCA (China Scholastic Competency Assessment) | Required; subjects depend on the major (see test policy). |
| HSK | HSK level 5 with at least 180 points for all majors; HSK level 4 with 180 for the Chinese Language major. Can be waived for applicants whose schooling was taught in Chinese. |
| English language | Not applicable: all bachelor's programs for international students in the 2026 catalogue are taught in Chinese. |
Deadlines
- First round, 2026 entry - PAST CYCLE, for reference only Non-binding Passed28 February 2026 (closed)
Window was 1 January to 28 February 2026. The 2027 dates had not been announced as of 29 September 2026.
- Second round, 2026 entry - PAST CYCLE, for reference only Non-binding Passed30 April 2026 (closed)
Window was 1 March to 30 April 2026.
- Chinese Government Scholarship, Bilateral Program (Type A), 2026 - PAST CYCLE Non-bindingSet by your home country's dispatching authority; SYSU invitation-letter pre-applications closed 12 January and 12 February 2026
Apply through the Chinese embassy or your country's dispatching authority and also on SYSU's application system.
The 2026 guidelines were posted on 10 December 2025, so the 2027 guidelines are likely to appear around the end of 2026. In the last cycle there were two rounds (1 January to 28 February and 1 March to 30 April). Check iso.sysu.edu.cn for 2027 dates.
How to apply
Take the CSCA, then apply online at apply.sysu.edu.cn, choosing up to six majors in order of preference. Upload passport, graduation proof, transcripts, CSCA score report, HSK certificate, physical examination form, birth certificate, a certificate of no criminal record and optional award certificates, then print, sign and upload the generated application form. Pay the 400 yuan application fee. Qualified applicants are interviewed; preliminary results appear 15 days later and admission letters from July.
What admissions looks for
- Excellent academic performance and a completed senior high school education.
- CSCA scores in the subjects your chosen majors require.
- Chinese proficiency at HSK level 5 (180+), checked again in the interview.
- Overall competence shown in the interview, plus good conduct and a clean disciplinary record.
Tips for applying to SYSU
- 1 List up to six majors and say whether you accept reassignment: your CSCA subjects are set by the major on your list that needs the most tests, so a medicine choice means you will sit Physics and Chemistry too.
- 2 Apply in the first round if you can: it accepts CSCA scores from sessions up to 1 March, and the SYSU scholarship uses the same two rounds.
- 3 The SYSU Scholarship needs a recommendation from an agency or recruitment ambassador SYSU recognises, two recommendation letters (principal and a teacher) and a study plan, so line these up early.
- 4 Plan housing: the 2026 guidelines say self-funded students must arrange their own accommodation because on-campus dorms are limited, while scholarship holders get a campus room.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
The SYSU Scholarship for International Students has three tiers: first class (tuition waiver plus 30,000 yuan a year living allowance for undergraduates), second class (tuition waiver) and third class (half tuition), renewed after annual review; undergraduate applicants must be under 25 and recommended by a recognised agency or ambassador. Chinese Government Scholarships are available via the Bilateral Program (Type A) and the Silk Road program (Type B), and the Guangdong Government Outstanding International Student Scholarship gives 10,000 yuan once to selected self-funded newcomers.
- 400 yuan (non-refundable)
- Application fee
- 800 yuan per academic year
- Compulsory medical insurance
- From 3,000 yuan (Guangzhou South Campus No. 502 quad room) to 18,000 yuan (South Campus single room) per academic year, excluding water and electricity; Zhuhai double rooms 4,600 yuan
- On-campus accommodation (2026 fee table)
- Tuition waiver plus 30,000 yuan a year
- SYSU Scholarship, first class (undergraduate)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (academic year starts in September)
Clinical Medicine (Zhongshan School of Medicine)
A five-year Chinese-taught program on the Guangzhou campus, backed by ten affiliated hospitals; 48,000 yuan a year for international students.
Economics (Lingnan College)
Offered in Guangzhou through Lingnan College, named after the university whose campus SYSU inherited, and in Zhuhai through the International School of Business and Finance.
Oral Medicine (Guanghua School of Stomatology)
A five-year dentistry program run by a dedicated school of stomatology.
Marine Science (Zhuhai)
Part of the Zhuhai campus's focus on ocean, space and earth sciences, at a university that runs its own research ship and polar icebreaker.
Artificial Intelligence (Zhuhai)
One of several new engineering majors open to international students, alongside Software Engineering and Microelectronics.
Aeronautics (Shenzhen)
Taught at the Shenzhen campus, which the university is building around new engineering and medical schools.
Research
- SYSU hosts the National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou and the TianQin Center for space gravitational-wave research.
- It operates the research and training ship Zhongshan Daxue and the polar icebreaker Zhongshan Daxue Jidi, and is part of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory.
- The university reports 39 national-level and 284 provincial or ministerial research platforms, and 13 disciplines in the global top 0.1% of ESI (2026 guidelines).
Schools & faculties
- Lingnan College
- Zhongshan School of Medicine
- Guanghua School of Stomatology
- School of Computer Science and Engineering
- School of Mathematics
- School of Physics
- School of Life Sciences
- School of Law
- School of Business
- School of Marine Sciences
- School of Artificial Intelligence
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Student life
SYSU's main Guangzhou South Campus is a leafy, historic campus on the south bank of the Pearl River, with red-brick buildings inherited from Lingnan University and wide lawns. The university says almost all undergraduate and graduate students live on campus, and there are several dining halls serving local food. There were 169 registered student clubs as of May 2024, covering academic and technology groups, sport, arts and volunteering. International students are a small group (495 degree students in 2026), so daily life is mostly in Chinese.
- 169 registered student clubs (May 2024).
- Five campuses in three Greater Bay Area cities: Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen.
- The Guangzhou South Campus occupies the former grounds of Lingnan University (founded 1888).
- The university celebrated its centenary in November 2024.
Housing. International dorms on the Guangzhou South Campus cost 8,000 to 10,000 yuan a year for a double room in 2026, but the admissions guidelines say self-funded students must arrange their own housing because campus places are limited.
Location
Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong province and one of China's largest cities, a trading hub with a strong Cantonese food culture and a subtropical climate. The South Campus is in Haizhu district, close to the city centre. The Zhuhai campus sits beside the sea near Macau, and the Shenzhen campus is in the tech city's Guangming district, so where you live depends heavily on your major.
Nearest airport: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN)
Notable alumni
- SZ Shou-Wu ZhangMathematician and Princeton professor; bachelor's degree in mathematics from SYSU (1983)
- YS Ye ShuhuaAstronomer and former director of the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory; studied astronomy at SYSU
- XN Xu NingshengPhysicist who studied and taught in SYSU's physics department, later president of SYSU and of Fudan University
- FF Fang FengleiInvestment banker, co-founder of Hopu Investment Management and former chairman of Goldman Sachs Gaohua Securities
- SC Sonia ChanSecretary for Administration and Justice of Macau (2014-2019); law graduate of SYSU
- GC George ChannChinese American painter who studied at SYSU before moving to the United States
- SH Shiu-Ying HuBotanist at Harvard's Arnold Arboretum; MSc from Lingnan University, now part of SYSU
Frequently asked questions
Does Sun Yat-sen University offer English-taught bachelor's degrees?
Not for international undergraduates in the 2026 catalogue: every bachelor's major was taught in Chinese and required HSK level 5 with at least 180 points (HSK 4 for the Chinese Language major).
Do I need the CSCA to apply to SYSU?
Yes. From 2026 all international undergraduate applicants must take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment in Chinese. Subjects depend on the major: Chinese and Mathematics for humanities, plus Physics for science and engineering, plus Physics and Chemistry for medicine.
How much is tuition at Sun Yat-sen University for international students?
For 2026 entry, 26,000 yuan a year for humanities and liberal arts, 33,800 yuan for science, engineering and agriculture, and 48,000 yuan for medical programs.
When is the SYSU application deadline for 2027?
The 2027 guidelines were not out as of late September 2026. For 2026 entry, the first round ran 1 January to 28 February 2026 and the second round 1 March to 30 April 2026.
Are there scholarships for international students at SYSU?
Yes: the SYSU Scholarship for International Students (up to a tuition waiver plus 30,000 yuan a year for undergraduates), Chinese Government Scholarships through the Bilateral and Silk Road programs, and a one-off 10,000 yuan Guangdong provincial award.
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.
- SYSU Office of International Students' Affairs: 2026 Enrollment Guidelines (Bachelor's Degree)
- SYSU: Catalog of Bachelor's Programs for International Students 2026 (PDF)
- SYSU: Application guides index
- SYSU: 2026 Guidelines for the Scholarship for International Students
- SYSU: 2026 Chinese Government Scholarship Bilateral Program guidelines
- SYSU: Scholarship programs index
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