Tongji University
同济大学
Shanghai's engineering and architecture powerhouse, founded as a German medical school in 1907.
- Students
- 41,575
- 18,920 undergraduates
- International
- 10%
- of students
- Tuition
- CN¥20,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1907
About Tongji
Tongji traces its history to 1907, when the German doctor Erich Paulun founded the Tongji German Medical School in Shanghai. It became a university in 1923 and a national university in 1927. After China's 1952 reorganisation of higher education it became the country's largest and most complete university for civil engineering and architecture, then broadened after 1978 into a comprehensive research university. It still keeps a strong German connection, including the Sino-German College, and has partnership institutes with France, Italy, Finland and Spain.
Today Tongji has 33 schools, 12 affiliated hospitals and four main campuses: Siping Road, Jiading, Huxi and Hubei. In May 2026 it had 18,920 full-time undergraduates, 12,713 master's students, 9,942 doctoral students and 4,426 international students. Architecture, urban planning and civil engineering are taught mainly at Siping Road. Automotive, transport, software and mechanical engineering are concentrated at Jiading, near Shanghai International Automobile City.
International undergraduates can choose from about 70 Chinese-taught majors or three English-taught ones: Architecture (International Class), Civil Engineering (International Class) and Clinical Medicine (MBBS). Every applicant, whatever the teaching language, must first take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA). Chinese-taught programs also require HSK 5 with 180 points. Tongji suits students aiming for architecture, civil or automotive engineering who want to study in Shanghai.
同舟共济
“Crossing the river in the same boat (working together through difficulty)” — university motto
Why students choose Tongji
Three English-taught bachelor's programs, including Architecture (International Class) and an MBBS, alongside around 70 Chinese-taught majors.
Tongji's architecture school produced Pritzker Prize winner Wang Shu (PhD 2000), and civil engineering is its historic core discipline.
The Tongji University International Student Excellence Scholarship is reserved for English-taught undergraduate programs, and Chinese-taught applicants can seek Chinese Government or Shanghai Municipal Government scholarships.
Tongji reports that 98.07% of its 2025 graduates had confirmed employment or further study.
Admissions
2027 entry (September intake). Details from the 2026 guide.
Selectivity
Tongji does not publish acceptance rates for international undergraduates. Admission is by document review plus an academic evaluation (online interview) run by each school.
Typical entry requirements
| Eligibility | Non-Chinese citizens with a high school diploma; self-funded applicants aged 18-35, scholarship applicants 18-25; applicants under 18 need a guardian in mainland China |
|---|---|
| Chinese-taught programs | HSK 5 with at least 180 points (valid 2 years), or proof of Chinese-medium high school; Chinese Language majors accept HSK 4 (180+) |
| CSCA | Required for all undergraduate applicants; subjects set per major |
| Architecture / Design | Applicants to the College of Architecture and Urban Planning and the College of Design and Innovation upload a portfolio |
| English language | The 2026 Chinese-taught guide sets no English requirement. English-taught applicants must write their personal statement in English; the English-taught program guide was not accessible when checked, so check program pages for any English test requirement. |
Deadlines
- Bachelor's degree programs, Fall 2026 (for reference) Non-binding PassedMarch 31, 2026
The Fall 2026 window for self-funded and Shanghai Municipal Government Scholarship applicants ran January 10 (guide: January 20) to March 31, 2026.
- Bachelor's degree programs, Fall 2027 Non-bindingNot yet announced
Expect a similar January-March 2027 window; the 2026 guide was posted on October 30, 2025.
The Fall 2027 undergraduate guide had not been published when checked on September 29, 2026 (Tongji's application timeline page lists only Spring 2027 non-degree and exchange deadlines). The dates above are from the 2026 cycle. Chinese Government Scholarship (bilateral) deadlines are set by each country's Chinese embassy, usually between November and March.
How to apply
Take the CSCA, then apply online through the Tongji application system (study-info.tongji.edu.cn), choosing one major. Upload your passport (valid past March 1, 2027 for the 2026 cycle), high school diploma or expected-graduation certificate, transcripts, CSCA score report, HSK certificate (Chinese-taught), a personal statement on Tongji's template in the program's teaching language, a foreigner physical examination form and proof of paying the registration fee. Shortlisted applicants have an online interview with the school. Once pre-admitted, you pay the first year's tuition within two weeks to confirm your place.
What admissions looks for
- Academic ability shown through CSCA results and high school transcripts, with optional international exam results.
- Language, academic and overall ability, assessed by the school in an online interview.
- For architecture and design majors, a portfolio.
- A personal statement, written in the program's teaching language.
Tips for applying to Tongji
- 1 Register for the CSCA early and check which subjects your major needs; Tongji's major catalog lists them, and they differ even within engineering.
- 2 Tick 'accept adjustment' if you want a fallback: applicants who fail a major's academic review can be moved to Chinese Language or preparatory study instead of being rejected.
- 3 Budget for paying a full year's tuition within two weeks of pre-admission.
- 4 Pass your first year: international undergraduates who don't earn 25 credits or meet their school's first-year requirements are not allowed to continue.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
Chinese-taught undergraduate applicants can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship (bilateral and Silk Road programs, via Chinese embassies and the China Scholarship Council) and the Shanghai Municipal Government Scholarship. The Tongji University International Student Excellence Scholarship is open only to English-taught undergraduate programs. Insurance costs CNY 800 a year.
- CNY 800 per year
- Insurance
- Chinese Government (bilateral, Silk Road), Shanghai Municipal Government
- Scholarships for Chinese-taught programs
- Tongji International Student Excellence Scholarship
- Scholarship for English-taught programs
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (September intake)
Architecture (International Class, English-taught)
A four-year English-taught program at CNY 33,800 a year in the school that produced Pritzker laureate Wang Shu.
Civil Engineering (International Class, English-taught)
Tongji's historic core discipline; after 1952 it became China's largest and most complete civil engineering university.
Clinical Medicine (MBBS, English-taught)
A six-year English-taught medical degree at CNY 45,000 a year, rooted in Tongji's 1907 origins as a German medical school.
Urban Planning and Landscape Studies
Taught in the College of Architecture and Urban Planning on the Siping Road campus.
Vehicle Engineering
Offered by both the School of Automotive Studies and the College of Transportation Engineering at the Jiading campus, near Shanghai International Automobile City.
Industrial Design
From the College of Design and Innovation, with a portfolio required.
Research
- Tongji operates what it describes as the world's largest multi-function shaking table test centre, and China's first ground-vehicle wind tunnel centre and urban rail transit test platform.
- 6 national key laboratories and 124 provincial-level or higher research platforms, as of May 2026.
- Landmark work on long-span bridges, seismic engineering, new-energy vehicles, ocean drilling and urban wastewater treatment.
- Research centres with multinational companies including Volkswagen, Siemens, Bayer and IBM.
Schools & faculties
- College of Architecture and Urban Planning
- College of Civil Engineering
- College of Transportation Engineering
- School of Automotive Studies
- School of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering
- School of Computer Science and Technology
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering
- School of Economics and Management
- School of Medicine
- College of Design and Innovation
- School of Ocean and Earth Science
98.07% of 2025 graduates had confirmed employment or further study (Tongji statistical overview, May 2026).
Student life
Tongji had more than 1,700 new international students from over 130 countries and regions in fall 2025, according to its International Students Office. The office organises orientation, New Year shows and 'Experiencing China' study trips, for example to Huangshan. Accommodation is arranged through the International Students Office, but on-campus rooms are limited, and even full-scholarship students may need to find their own housing if dorms are full. Life is split across the Siping Road campus in Yangpu District and the Jiading campus in suburban Shanghai.
- More than 1,700 international freshmen from over 130 countries and regions joined in fall 2025.
- 'Experiencing China' study trips, including the Huangshan base opened in 2025.
- Historic Siping Road campus buildings such as the Wenyuan Building.
- Nine football pitches across campuses and a university museum.
Housing. International student apartments are allocated through the International Students Office; on-campus places are limited, so some students (including full-scholarship holders) arrange their own housing.
Location
Tongji's main Siping Road campus is at 1239 Siping Road in Yangpu District, northeast Shanghai, next to Tongji University metro station. The Jiading campus is in Shanghai's northwestern suburbs near the automobile industry cluster. Studying here means living in China's largest international city, with the Siping Road campus directly on the metro.
Nearest airport: Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) / Hongqiao (SHA)
Notable alumni
- WS Wang Shu2012 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate; PhD in architecture (2000)
- WM Wu MengchaoFounder of Chinese hepatobiliary surgery, State Preeminent Science and Technology Award 2005; medical graduate 1949
- PY Pan YunheComputer scientist, former president of Zhejiang University and vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
- QX Qian XinzhongFormer Minister of Health of the People's Republic of China
- WG Wang GuangtaoFormer Minister of Construction of China; construction graduate (entered 1960)
- TD Tang DengjieCommunist Party Secretary of Shanxi and former Minister of Civil Affairs of China (2022-2023); studied mechanical engineering from 1981
Frequently asked questions
Does Tongji University offer undergraduate programs in English?
Yes, three: Architecture (International Class), Civil Engineering (International Class) and Clinical Medicine (MBBS). All other undergraduate majors are taught in Chinese.
What HSK level does Tongji require?
Chinese-taught undergraduate programs require HSK 5 with at least 180 points (or Chinese-medium high school). The Chinese Language majors accept HSK 4 with 180+.
Do I need the CSCA to apply to Tongji?
Yes. All undergraduate applicants, including scholarship and English-taught applicants, must take the CSCA and upload the score report with the application. Subjects vary by major.
How much is Tongji tuition for international students?
In the 2026 catalog, Chinese-taught majors cost CNY 20,000-28,700 a year. English-taught Architecture is CNY 33,800, Civil Engineering CNY 35,000 and the MBBS CNY 45,000.
When does Tongji accept undergraduate applications?
For Fall 2026 the window closed on March 31, 2026. The Fall 2027 dates had not been published as of September 2026, but a similar January-March 2027 window is likely.
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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