#14 in the world · QS 2027

Tsinghua University

清华大学

China's engineering and technology powerhouse in Beijing, with a growing set of English-taught undergraduate colleges.

Beijing, Haidian District, China Public research university Founded 1911 Official website

See my chances at Tsinghua Admissions office

Photo: 清華匿名學生 · CC0

Students: 63,132; 16,526 undergraduates
International: 4%; of students
Tuition: CN¥26,000; From · 2027-28
Founded: 1911

About Tsinghua

Tsinghua University was founded in 1911 in a former imperial garden in north-west Beijing and is best known as China's leading university for engineering, computer science and architecture. It has grown into a comprehensive university: at the end of 2025 it had 33 schools, 54 departments and 16 undergraduate colleges, 93 undergraduate majors, and 63,132 students, 16,526 of them undergraduates.

Undergraduate education combines general education with specialisation, and students are organised into academic colleges such as Shuimu, Xinya, Rixin, Zhishan and Zijing alongside the professional schools. The Tsinghua Xuetang Talents Program includes elite tracks in mathematics, physics, chemistry, life sciences and computer science, including the Yao Class founded in 2005 by Turing Award winner Andrew Chi-Chih Yao. Most undergraduate programmes for international students are taught in Chinese and English together, and Tsinghua now also runs fully English-taught programmes in Zijing College and Zhishan College.

International undergraduates apply directly to Tsinghua, not through the gaokao, and are judged on transcripts, national exam results or international tests, Olympiad awards and a Comprehensive Assessment. The university suits applicants with very strong mathematics and science who want to build things, and who are ready for an intense, competitive academic culture alongside some of China's highest-scoring students.

自强不息，厚德载物

“Self-Discipline and Social Commitment” — university motto

Why students choose Tsinghua

Fully English-taught undergraduate programmes: Zijing College's Global Talents in Science and Engineering and Urban Regeneration and Design, and Zhishan College's Politics, Economics and Sociology programme.

The Tsinghua Xuetang Talents Program includes the Yao Class in computer science, with tracks in computer science, artificial intelligence and quantum information.

Innovation spaces such as the x-lab, iCenter and Future Laboratory support student startups and cross-disciplinary projects.

About 45% of international freshmen received the Tsinghua International Undergraduate Freshman Scholarship in 2026, ranging from partial to full tuition.

Admissions

Entry in September 2027 (international undergraduate admissions 2027)

Selectivity

Tsinghua does not publish international admit rates. Chinese citizens are admitted through the gaokao and special schemes (Strong Base Plan, recommended admission, mathematics and physics talent programmes); international students apply directly with a document review and Comprehensive Assessment; Hong Kong students can apply with HKDSE results under a dedicated scheme.

Testing No single required test. Applicants submit national matriculation results (e.g. A-level, Abitur, BAC, CSAT, ATAR) and/or international tests such as SAT, ACT, AP, IB or the CSCA, plus Olympiad awards if any.

Grades Tsinghua publishes no minimum scores; decisions are holistic, based on academic performance, language proficiency, supporting materials and the Comprehensive Assessment.

Typical entry requirements

Gaokao (PRC citizens)	Admission via the National College Entrance Examination and special programmes; historic provincial cut-offs are published on join-tsinghua.edu.cn
HKDSE (Hong Kong students)	Dedicated Tsinghua scheme for HKDSE candidates; the Tsinghua-CUHK dual degree in Economics is also open to them
International: Chinese-English taught programmes	Outstanding school record and exam results, HSK 5 or above with 60+ in Listening, Reading and Writing, plus English test results for non-native speakers
International: English-taught programmes	Outstanding school record and exam results plus TOEFL/IELTS or equivalent; no Chinese required
English language	Tsinghua requires official English test results (TOEFL, IELTS or others) from non-native English speakers for both English-taught and Chinese-English programmes but does not publish a minimum score. Chinese-English programmes also require HSK 5 or above.

Deadlines

First Round Non-binding Next deadline · In 45 days

20 November 2026, 5:00 PM Beijing time

Opens 30 September 2026; results by January 2027. Design and Fine Arts programmes in the Arts Division are open only in this round.
Second Round Non-binding In ~5 months

28 February 2027, 5:00 PM Beijing time

Opens 21 November 2026; results by early May 2027. The Tsinghua-CUHK dual degree in Economics is open only in this round.

Dates from Tsinghua's international undergraduate admissions schedule for 2027 entry, checked 28 September 2026. English-taught programmes accept applications in both rounds.

How to apply

Apply online at apply.join-tsinghua.edu.cn/international: complete the form, upload transcripts, exam results, test scores, awards and nationality documents, and pay the non-refundable 800 RMB fee. Shortlisted applicants take a Comprehensive Assessment; Architecture and Arts applicants also submit a portfolio.

What admissions looks for

Outstanding academic performance shown through transcripts, national matriculation exams and international test results.
Olympiad awards in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology or informatics where applicable.
Language proficiency suited to the programme: HSK 5+ and strong English for Chinese-English programmes, strong English for English-taught ones.
Performance in the Comprehensive Assessment, plus a portfolio for Architecture and Arts.

Tips for applying to Tsinghua

1 Apply in the First Round (by 20 November 2026) if you can: results come out in January, and Arts Division design programmes are only open then.
2 If you are aiming for the Chinese Government Scholarship, contact your local Chinese embassy early (applications usually run November 2026 to April 2027) and list Tsinghua as your first choice.
3 Check the nationality-status rules and document list before you apply; ineligible nationality paperwork ends the application.
4 Upload Olympiad certificates if you have them: Tsinghua lists them explicitly as evidence of academic strength.

Costs & financial aid

2027-28 · figures in CNY

Chinese undergraduates (2025 admissions charter): 5,000 per year; 10,000 for fine arts and design majors Tuition CN¥5,000 – CN¥10,000

International undergraduates: 26,000 (economics, law, humanities colleges), 30,000 (engineering and science), 40,000 (Arts), 100,000 (English-taught Zijing College programmes) Tuition CN¥26,000 – CN¥100,000

Financial aid

International freshmen can apply for the Tsinghua University International Undergraduate Freshman Scholarship (full, half or partial tuition for the first year; about 45% of 2026 international freshmen received it) and the Chinese Government Scholarship via their local Chinese embassy. From the second year students can apply for other awards, including the Beijing Government Scholarship.

About 45%
International freshmen awarded the Freshman Scholarship (2026): 800 CNY
Application fee: 40,000 / 60,000 / 70,000 CNY per year by stage
Clinical Medicine (8-year MD) tuition

Academics

Academic calendar: Semesters

Tsinghua Xuetang Computer Science Program (Yao Class)

Founded in 2005 by Andrew Chi-Chih Yao, with tracks in computer science, AI and quantum information chosen after year one.

Zijing College: Global Talents in Science and Engineering (English-taught)

Covers fields from electrical and mechanical engineering to civil engineering, architecture and urban planning, fully in English.

Zhishan College: Politics, Economics and Sociology for Global Leaders in Smart Society (English-taught)

A full English-taught social-science programme built around digital and intelligent society.

Architecture

A five-year programme in one of Tsinghua's historic strengths; applicants submit a portfolio.

Tsinghua-CUHK Dual Undergraduate Degree in Economics

Students earn degrees from both Tsinghua and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Clinical Medicine (8-year MD)

Leads directly to a Doctor of Medicine degree, in partnership with Peking Union Medical College.

Research

One national research centre, 13 national key laboratories and 11 national engineering research centres (Tsinghua statistics, end of 2025).
Home of the Schwarzman Scholars programme and the Global Innovation eXchange (GIX) partnership.
Tsinghua ranks 18th in ARWU 2026, the highest of any university in Asia.

Schools & faculties

School of Architecture
School of Civil Engineering
School of Mechanical Engineering
School of Information Science and Technology
Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences
School of Economics and Management
School of Law
School of Humanities
School of Social Sciences
School of Public Policy and Management
Academy of Arts and Design
School of Medicine

Student life

Tsinghua's campus mixes early-20th-century landmarks such as the Second Gate, the Grand Auditorium and Tsinghua Xuetang with large modern teaching and lab buildings. Undergraduates live on campus, and Zijing College is a residential college with its own designated buildings. The university lists more than 200 student associations, and events such as the on-campus marathon, the international student Gala Night and the international cultural festival are fixtures of the year. The International Students and Scholars Center handles visas, residency and cultural activities.

More than 200 student associations and organisations
Annual on-campus marathon, talent show and international cultural festival
Zijing College runs as a residential college with designated campus housing
Historic landmarks: the Second Gate, the Grand Auditorium and Tsinghua Xuetang

Housing. International undergraduates live in university accommodation reserved online after admission; Zijing College students live in designated residential buildings.

Location

Tsinghua occupies a large, leafy campus in Haidian, Beijing's university district, next door to Peking University and close to the Old Summer Palace and the Zhongguancun tech hub. The subway connects the area to the rest of the city. Expect cold, dry winters and hot summers; everyday costs such as campus canteen meals are low compared with Western capitals.

Nearest airport: Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK); Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX)

Notable alumni

XJ
Xi Jinping

General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and President of China
HJ
Hu Jintao

Former President of China
ZR
Zhu Rongji

Former Premier of China
CY
Chen-Ning Yang

Physicist; 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics
SC
Shiing-Shen Chern

Mathematician; 1984 Wolf Prize
LS
Liang Sicheng

Architect and historian of Chinese architecture
QZ
Qian Zhongshu

Writer and scholar, author of Fortress Besieged
FX
Fei Xiaotong

Sociologist and anthropologist

Frequently asked questions

Does Tsinghua offer undergraduate programmes taught in English?

Yes. For 2027 entry, Zijing College offers Global Talents in Science and Engineering and Urban Regeneration and Design, and Zhishan College offers Politics, Economics and Sociology, all fully in English with no Chinese requirement.

What HSK level do you need for Tsinghua?

Chinese-English taught programmes require HSK 5 or above with at least 60 in Listening, Reading and Writing; native Chinese speakers or graduates of Chinese-medium schools can request a waiver.

How much is Tsinghua tuition for international students?

Annual tuition is 26,000 CNY for economics, law and humanities colleges, 30,000 CNY for engineering and science, 40,000 CNY for Arts, and 100,000 CNY for the English-taught Zijing College programmes.

When is the Tsinghua international undergraduate deadline for 2027?

The First Round runs 30 September to 20 November 2026 (results by January 2027) and the Second Round 21 November 2026 to 28 February 2027 (results by early May 2027).

Does Tsinghua require the SAT?

No single test is required. Tsinghua accepts national exam results such as A-levels, Abitur or CSAT and international tests such as SAT, ACT, AP, IB or CSCA, then invites shortlisted applicants to a Comprehensive Assessment.

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.