University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
中国科学院大学
China's largest graduate school, run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with a small elite undergraduate college.
- Students
- 69,954
- 1,858 undergraduates
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Founded
- 1978
- QS World Ranking
- #360
- 2027 edition
About UCAS
The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) grew out of the graduate school the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) opened in Beijing in 1978, the first in China after graduate study resumed. It produced China's first doctorates in science and engineering, took its current name in 2012 and began admitting undergraduates in 2014. UCAS is deeply merged with more than 110 CAS research institutes nationwide, which act as its 'training units', and has four Beijing campuses (Yuquanlu, Zhongguancun, Olympic Village and Yanqihu) plus education centres in Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Lanzhou.
Its scale is almost entirely graduate. At the end of 2025 UCAS had 68,096 graduate students, nearly half of them PhD candidates, but only 1,858 undergraduates across 15 bachelor's programs. About 500 undergraduates a year are admitted, through China's national entrance exam, into small classes with academician tutors and a 'three-phase' system that lets them re-choose a major after a year and a half of foundations.
For international students this matters: UCAS does not run an international bachelor's degree admission. Its 1,837 international students are master's and PhD candidates plus visiting students. An international undergraduate can come as a Regular Visiting Student for one or two semesters after completing at least a year at their home university, or join summer sessions, and then return for a master's or PhD. UCAS suits research-minded students who want direct access to CAS laboratories.
Why students choose UCAS
Research is done inside CAS institutes, which UCAS says gives access to 25 large research infrastructures, 2 national research centres and 100 state key laboratories.
UCAS ranks 5th among global universities in the 2026 Nature Index, according to the university.
Undergraduates at home university can spend one or two semesters at UCAS as Regular Visiting Students, applying at any time of year.
International master's and PhD students can win full funding through the CAS-ANSO Scholarship, the Chinese Government Scholarship or the UCAS International Student Scholarship.
Admissions
International students: Regular Visiting Student program (year-round) and graduate intake; no international bachelor's degree admission
Selectivity
UCAS publishes no admission rate. Its bachelor's programs admit about 500 students a year through China's national entrance exam; the pages checked list no bachelor's degree route for international students. Visiting students are admitted after review of their documents with comments from the host college or institute.
Typical entry requirements
| Regular Visiting Student (non-degree) | Non-Chinese citizen with at least one year of undergraduate study at a home university, taking courses at a UCAS college or CAS institute for one or two semesters |
|---|---|
| Senior Visiting Student (non-degree) | Master's or doctoral degree, for joint PhD work or research |
| Master's degree programs | A degree equivalent to a Chinese bachelor's degree; HSK 5 with 180+ for Chinese-taught programs |
| English language | English proficiency is required (IELTS, TOEFL or other proof; not needed for native English speakers), but UCAS sets no minimum score on the pages checked. Chinese-taught study needs at least HSK 5. |
Deadlines
- Master's/Doctoral degree programs (2026 intake, past cycle for reference) Non-binding PassedApril 15, 2026
Application window ran October 15, 2025 to April 15, 2026; scholarship applicants had earlier deadlines.
- Regular Visiting Student program Non-bindingRolling, at least three months before your intended start
Applications accepted all year for one or two semesters of non-degree study.
UCAS had not yet posted its 2027 international graduate call when checked; the 2026 call opened on October 15, 2025. There is no international undergraduate degree round.
How to apply
Apply online at is.ucas.ac.cn. Visiting students upload passport, photo, CV, highest degree certificate or enrolment proof and transcripts, a study plan, two reference letters from professors or associate professors, and the 450 CNY application fee receipt, at least three months before the intended start. Admission notices and visa forms (JW202) follow the final decision.
What admissions looks for
- At least one year of university study for Regular Visiting Students, with a clear study plan.
- Two reference letters from professors or associate professors who know your academic work.
- Good English, or HSK 5 if you want to take Chinese-taught courses.
- For graduate study, a supervisor's interest and a strong interview with the host college or institute.
Tips for applying to UCAS
- 1 If you are finishing high school, UCAS is not a direct option for a bachelor's degree; consider it for a visiting semester during your degree or for a master's or PhD later.
- 2 Submit visiting applications at least three months before you want to start, as UCAS requires.
- 3 Contact a potential supervisor before applying for graduate study; a signed Supervisor's Acceptance Form strengthens your file.
- 4 Check the separate deadlines of the CAS-ANSO Scholarship, Chinese Government Scholarship and UCAS International Student Scholarship, which fall before the general graduate deadline.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in CNY
Visiting students can apply for the UCAS Partial Scholarship for International Students (tuition and application fee waiver plus insurance, no stipend) or the Chinese Government Scholarship. Master's and PhD students can win the CAS-ANSO Scholarship, the Chinese Government Scholarship or the UCAS International Student Scholarship, all of which waive tuition.
- UCAS has no international undergraduate degree tuition; the fees below are for visiting and graduate study
- No international bachelor's route
- Regular Visiting Student 2,600 CNY per month; Senior Visiting Student 3,000 CNY per month
- Visiting student fees (non-degree)
- Master's programs 30,000 CNY; PhD 40,000 CNY a year (science and engineering) or 34,000 CNY a year (liberal arts)
- International graduate tuition (2026 call)
- 900 CNY per month
- Visiting student accommodation (shared room)
- 800 CNY per year (400 CNY per half year)
- Insurance
- 450 CNY (visiting students); 600 CNY (degree programs)
- Application fee
Academics
Undergraduate science programs (for Chinese gaokao entrants)
About 500 students a year in small classes, with 400 research tutors from CAS institutes, including academicians.
Regular Visiting Student program
The route for international undergraduates: one or two semesters of courses at a UCAS college or CAS institute.
Doctoral programs
UCAS has 1,281 international doctoral students, which it says places it at the top among Chinese universities.
Sino-Danish College
Co-founded with the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science and eight Danish public universities.
Research
- Students work inside CAS training units, which include 23 major national science and technology infrastructures and 100 key laboratories (Chinese profile, December 2025).
- UCAS reports 5th place among global universities in the 2026 Nature Index.
- By December 2025 UCAS had awarded 250,780 master's and doctoral degrees and 2,895 bachelor's degrees.
Schools & faculties
- School of Mathematical Sciences
- School of Physics
- School of Astronomy and Space Science
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- College of Life Sciences
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences
- School of Computer Science and Technology
- School of Artificial Intelligence
- School of Electronic, Electric and Communication Engineering
- School of Economics and Management
- Sino-Danish College
- International College
Student life
UCAS's largest campus is Yanqihu in Huairou, a new campus in a valley below the mountains north of Beijing, while many graduate students spend most of their time at CAS institutes across the country. Undergraduates follow a small-class, tutor-led model, and a semester of study or research at a partner university abroad is arranged in the autumn of the fourth year. Lecture series such as the China Sciences and Humanities Forum and academicians' lectures bring leading scientists to students, alongside entrepreneurship competitions.
- Four Beijing campuses: Yuquanlu, Zhongguancun, Olympic Village and Yanqihu.
- Lecture series including the China Sciences and Humanities Forum, Lectures of Academicians and Ming-De Lectures.
- Undergraduates spend the autumn semester of their fourth year at a partner university or institute abroad.
- Asteroid 189018 Guokeda is named after the university.
Housing. Visiting students can live in shared university rooms at 900 CNY per month; degree students pay 30 CNY a day for a shared room or 60 CNY for a single.
Location
UCAS is spread across Beijing. Its registered address is the large Yanqihu campus beside Yanqi Lake in rural Huairou district, in the hills north of the city, while the Yuquanlu campus is in western Beijing and the Zhongguancun and Olympic Village campuses sit in the city's science and university districts. Many graduate students are based at CAS institutes in other cities.
Nearest airport: Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
Notable alumni
- YJ Yan JunjieCo-founder and CEO of AI company MiniMax; PhD from the CAS Institute of Automation
- LG Li GuojieComputer scientist and founder of Shuguang (Dawning) Information Industry; Master of Engineering (1981)
- XC Xiuxiong ChenStony Brook mathematician and Veblen Prize winner; master's from the CAS Graduate School
- GW Ge WangPioneer of medical imaging and editor of IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging; MS in remote sensing
- DY Dong YuSpeech recognition researcher at Tencent AI; master's in pattern recognition and intelligent control
- LJ Lü JunchangPalaeontologist who named dinosaurs and pterosaurs such as Darwinopterus; master's at the CAS Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology
Frequently asked questions
Can international students do a bachelor's degree at UCAS?
Not directly. UCAS admits about 500 undergraduates a year through China's national entrance exam, and its international admissions pages list only master's, doctoral and visiting-student programs.
How can an international undergraduate study at UCAS?
After at least one year at your home university you can apply as a Regular Visiting Student for one or two semesters, all year round, at least three months before you plan to start. Fees are 2,600 CNY a month plus a 450 CNY application fee.
Is UCAS the same as UCAS in the UK?
No. Here UCAS is the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, unrelated to the UK university admissions service with the same abbreviation.
How much is UCAS tuition for international master's students?
The 2026 call lists 30,000 CNY tuition for master's programs and 34,000 to 40,000 CNY a year for PhD programs; students with a CAS-ANSO, Chinese Government or UCAS International Student Scholarship pay no tuition.
When is the UCAS deadline for international graduate applications?
For the 2026 intake the window ran from October 15, 2025 to April 15, 2026, with earlier scholarship deadlines. The 2027 call had not been posted when checked.
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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