Southwest Jiaotong University
西南交通大学
China's oldest engineering school, founded in 1896 and now the country's powerhouse for railway and transport engineering.
- Students
- 49,870
- 29,852 undergraduates
- Tuition
- CN¥18,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1896
- QS World Ranking
- 851-900
- 2027 edition
About SWJTU
Southwest Jiaotong University was founded in 1896 at Shanhaiguan as the Imperial Chinese Railway College, making it China's first institution of higher engineering education and the birthplace of Chinese civil, mining and transport engineering. For decades it was known as Tangshan Jiaotong University, one of the original roots of the 'Jiaotong' universities. In 1964 it moved inland to Emei in Sichuan, took its current name in 1972, and moved its main base to Chengdu in 1989.
Today SWJTU is a Ministry of Education university in the Double First-Class, Project 211 and 985 innovation-platform programmes. As of May 2026 it had 29,852 undergraduates, 16,229 master's and 3,789 doctoral students and more than 2,700 full-time teachers, across 34 schools and centres on four campuses: Jiuli and Xipu in Chengdu, the new Eastern (International) campus, and Emei. Its rail transit disciplines are its core strength: SWJTU describes itself as having the most complete set of rail-transport programmes, laboratories and research in the world.
For international students it offers Chinese-taught bachelor's degrees across engineering, architecture and management, plus English-taught bachelor's programmes in transportation, traffic engineering, logistics and safety engineering. Tuition is CNY 18,000 to 25,000 a year. It suits applicants who want to build railways, bridges, tunnels or transport systems, and who like the idea of studying in Chengdu.
精勤求学，敦笃励志，果毅力行，忠恕任事
“Diligence, Ambition, Tenacity, and Loyalty” — university motto
Why students choose SWJTU
Transportation Engineering is rated first (A+) in China, and SWJTU runs national key laboratories for rail transit vehicle systems and for intelligent and green bridge construction.
Five transport-related bachelor's degrees (Transportation, Traffic Engineering, Logistics Engineering, Logistics Management and Safety Engineering) are taught in English to international students.
SWJTU built the high-temperature superconducting high-speed maglev test line and is developing large research facilities including a multi-state coupled rail transit dynamic model test platform.
The SWJTU Presidential Scholarship can cover tuition, campus housing, a living stipend and medical insurance for international bachelor's students.
Admissions
September 2027 intake (international degree students start in September)
Selectivity
SWJTU does not publish an admission rate. Chinese students are admitted through the gaokao. International applicants go through an initial eligibility check, an academic review and an expert panel review, and are admitted on merit.
Typical entry requirements
| High school diploma | High school diploma or equivalent; applicants normally under 25; graduating students submit a pre-graduation certificate |
|---|---|
| CSCA | Required for all international bachelor's applicants |
| Chinese (Chinese-taught programmes) | HSK 5 (180+) for science and engineering; HSK 4 (180+) for liberal arts and management; waived if you graduated from a Chinese-medium school |
| Gaokao (Chinese students) | Admission by provincial gaokao score |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 For English-taught programmes, non-native speakers need IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 80 or equivalent, or proof that previous study was taught in English. |
Deadlines
- SWJTU Presidential Scholarship (bachelor's) - PAST CYCLE, for reference Non-binding PassedJune 1, 2026 (closed)
For the September 2026 intake; full or partial scholarship.
- Self-supported bachelor's applications - PAST CYCLE, for reference Non-binding PassedJune 30, 2026 (closed)
For the September 2026 intake; guide published November 2025.
SWJTU had not published its 2027-2028 degree guides as of September 2026. The dates shown are from the 2026-2027 cycle (previous cycle), whose guides appeared in November 2025: Presidential Scholarship applications closed June 1, 2026 and self-supported applications June 30, 2026. Expect a similar schedule for September 2027.
How to apply
Apply on SWJTU's online system (admission.swjtu.edu.cn) and pay the non-refundable CNY 400 application fee. Upload a passport valid to at least March 1, 2027, your diploma (or pre-graduation certificate) and full transcripts, a foreigner physical examination form, the CSCA score report, a Chinese or English language certificate, a study plan and a non-criminal record; applicants under 18 need a guardian's guarantee from an adult living in Chengdu.
What admissions looks for
- A completed high school education with strong academic records, checked in the academic review.
- CSCA results, now required from every bachelor's applicant.
- Language ability matched to the programme: HSK 5 for Chinese-taught science and engineering, HSK 4 for arts and management, or IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 80 for English-taught programmes.
- A clear study plan, which feeds into the expert panel's merit-based decision.
Tips for applying to SWJTU
- 1 Check the language band for your major: Chinese-taught engineering needs HSK 5, while management and liberal arts need HSK 4.
- 2 If you want to study in English, focus on the School of Transportation and Logistics, which teaches its five bachelor's programmes in English.
- 3 Apply for the Presidential Scholarship before the self-funded deadline: it closed a month earlier (June 1) in 2026.
- 4 Upload everything at once: SWJTU says it accepts no supplementary materials after submission.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
The SWJTU Presidential Scholarship for international students offers full awards (tuition, on-campus accommodation, living stipend and comprehensive medical insurance) or partial awards covering one or more of these. SWJTU also takes Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) students, including Silk Road and High-level Postgraduate programmes at graduate level, and lists Chengdu Government and MOFCOM scholarships among its funding options.
- CNY 400 (non-refundable)
- Application / registration fee
- CNY 1,000 per year
- Compulsory insurance
- CNY 365 per month (bunk bed) to CNY 1,000 per month (Xipu Apartment Suite 1), about CNY 4,380-12,000 a year
- Campus accommodation
- Tuition, campus housing, living stipend and medical insurance
- Presidential Scholarship (full)
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters; international degree students start in September
Railway Engineering
The discipline SWJTU was founded for in 1896; taught in Chinese in the School of Civil Engineering.
Transportation (English-taught)
Part of the national A+ Transportation Engineering discipline, taught in English to international undergraduates.
Traffic Engineering and Logistics Engineering (English-taught)
Two more English-taught options in the School of Transportation and Logistics.
Civil Engineering (bridges and tunnels)
Home of the national key laboratory for intelligent and green bridge construction, and of alumni such as bridge builder Mao Yisheng.
Vehicle Engineering
Built on SWJTU's rail vehicle dynamics research and its national key laboratory for rail transit vehicle systems.
Electrical Engineering and Its Automation
Linked to the national engineering research centre for rail transit electrification and automation.
Research
- Developed the internationally recognised 'Shen theory' and 'Zhai-Sun model' of railway system dynamics.
- Hosts national key laboratories for rail transit vehicle systems, intelligent and green bridge construction, and geotechnical and tunnel engineering in extreme environments, and is building a national rail transit laboratory.
- Built an engineering test line for high-temperature superconducting high-speed maglev with its own intellectual property.
- Has led or taken part in 67 national science and technology awards.
Schools & faculties
- School of Civil Engineering
- School of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Electrical Engineering
- School of Transportation and Logistics
- School of Information Science and Technology
- School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence
- School of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering
- School of Architecture
- School of Design
- School of Economics and Management
- School of Mathematics
- School of Foreign Languages
SWJTU says it has educated more than 400,000 graduates, including 38 national engineering survey and design masters and more than ten academicians in rail transit since the late 1970s.
Student life
Most students live on the big, green Xipu campus in Chengdu's Pidu district, with a lake, a clock pavilion and the 'Si Shi Yang Hua' wall named after a 1916 honour; the older Jiuli campus is closer to the city centre. International students have their own International Student Union, set up in 2019, and the School of International Education runs language and culture programmes, local culture events and 'Experiencing China' activities. The university celebrates its anniversary each year on May 15. Canteens on Xipu and Jiuli offer a wide range of food, including Muslim meals.
- University anniversary on May 15 each year.
- International Student Union, founded in October 2019.
- Four campuses: Jiuli, Xipu, Eastern (International) and Emei.
- SWJTU-Leeds Joint School, run with the University of Leeds.
Housing. International students can live on campus at Xipu or Jiuli, from CNY 365 per month for a bunk bed to CNY 1,000 per month for a Xipu Apartment Suite 1 room.
Location
Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, is a historic and cultural city, a national central city and a core city of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic region in western China. SWJTU's Xipu campus is in suburban Pidu District, the older Jiuli campus is on the Second Ring Road inside the city, the Eastern (International) campus is in Chengdu's new eastern district, and the Emei campus is in Emeishan city.
Nearest airport: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU); Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU)
Notable alumni
- MY Mao YishengBridge engineer who designed the Qiantang River Bridge near Hangzhou; civil engineering graduate (1916) of the Tangshan Engineering College
- TY T. Y. LinStructural engineer who pioneered standardised prestressed concrete; civil engineering graduate (1931)
- HW Huang WanliHydraulic engineer persecuted for criticising the Sanmenxia Dam on the Yellow River; graduated from Tangshan Jiaotong University in 1932
- LH Liu HuixianStructural engineer called the father of earthquake engineering in China; graduated in 1933
- CN Chen NengkuanMetallurgist and one of the 23 founders honoured for China's Two Bombs, One Satellite programme; mining and metallurgy graduate (1946)
- YT Yao TongbinMetallurgist of China's Two Bombs, One Satellite programme; metallurgy graduate (1945)
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at Southwest Jiaotong University for international students?
For undergraduates, CNY 18,000 a year for economics, management and liberal arts, CNY 23,000 for science and engineering and CNY 25,000 for art and architecture, plus CNY 1,000 a year for compulsory insurance.
Does SWJTU offer bachelor's degrees in English?
Yes. The School of Transportation and Logistics teaches Transportation, Traffic Engineering, Logistics Engineering, Logistics Management and Safety Engineering in English. You need IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 80 or equivalent proof.
Do I need the CSCA to apply to SWJTU?
Yes. All international bachelor's applicants must take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment and submit the original score report.
When is the SWJTU application deadline?
For the 2026 intake, Presidential Scholarship applications closed June 1, 2026 and self-supported applications June 30, 2026. Guides for 2027 were not yet published as of September 2026.
What is Southwest Jiaotong University known for?
Railway and transport engineering: founded in 1896 as China's first engineering college, it is known as the cradle of China's railway engineers, and its Transportation Engineering discipline is rated first in 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.
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