University of Macau
澳門大學 (Universidade de Macau)
An English-medium public university on a Hengqin Island campus under Macao law, built around ten residential colleges.
- Students
- 16,973
- 8,139 undergraduates
- Tuition
- MOP 122.6K
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1981
- QS World Ranking
- #267
- 2027 edition
About UM
The University of Macau began in 1981 as the private University of East Asia and was re-established as a public university by the Macao government in 1991. In 2014 it moved to a new campus of about one square kilometre on Hengqin Island in Guangdong, which the central government placed under Macao's jurisdiction; students reach it from Taipa through an underwater tunnel with no border check.
UM teaches mainly in English and recruits 80% of its faculty from outside Macao. It has over 16,900 students (16,973 degree students in March 2026, 8,139 of them undergraduates) across ten faculties: Arts and Humanities, Business Administration, Design, Education, Engineering, Information Science and Computing, Law, Medicine, Science and Social Sciences, plus an Honours College. It offers over 140 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Two features set it apart. Every new undergraduate lives for at least a year in one of ten residential colleges of 450 to 500 students, which run a whole-person education programme alongside the degree. And research is concentrated in three state key laboratories, in analog and mixed-signal chip design, Chinese medicine and Internet of Things for smart cities. It suits students who want an English-taught degree inside the Greater Bay Area, with a campus-college life closer to a British collegiate model than a typical Chinese university.
仁義禮知信
“Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom, Sincerity” — university motto
Why students choose UM
English is the main teaching language, and 80% of faculty come from outside Macao.
All first-year undergraduates live in one of ten residential colleges, each a staff-student community of 450 to 500 students.
International applicants are automatically considered for scholarships that waive 50% or 100% of tuition and college accommodation for the whole degree.
UM is ranked joint 145th in the THE World University Rankings 2026 and 267th in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
Admissions
2027/2028 academic year (entry autumn 2027)
Selectivity
UM does not publish an admission rate. International applicants are assessed on public examination results or the Joint Admission Examination and may be interviewed; mainland Chinese applicants are admitted on Gaokao scores (at or above their province's first-tier undergraduate line) and English score, with no interview.
Typical entry requirements
| GCE A Level / IAL | Minimum grade C in three A-level subjects (not counting English or Chinese) |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Minimum 28 points and the Diploma awarded |
| SAT or ACT with AP | Minimum SAT 1,190 or ACT 24, plus two AP subjects at grade 3 or above |
| Canadian provincial diploma | Average of 80% or above in five Grade 12 subjects (six for the Ontario OSSD) |
| Gaokao (Chinese mainland applicants) | At or above the province's first-tier undergraduate (or special-type) cut-off, with English at least 110 out of 150; up to three programme choices |
| Subject prerequisites | Physics for Civil, Electrical and Computer, and Electromechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics; Chemistry for Biomedical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bioinformatics and Chemistry |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 For English-taught programmes, applicants attend an English interview unless exempted by TOEFL iBT 80 (tests before 21 January 2026) or 4.5 out of 6 (tests from 21 January 2026), IELTS 6.0, or IGCSE English at grade C/5 or above. Scores are valid for two years. |
Deadlines
- Principals' Recommended Admission (Macao secondary school graduates only) Non-binding Next deadline · In 3 days9 October 2026
Window 23 September to 9 October 2026; interviews 14-15 November 2026.
- Admission Examination (local and non-local, not Chinese mainland) Non-binding In ~3 months20 January 2027
Window 6-20 January 2027. Joint Admission Examination 18-21 March 2027; UM Physics exam 20 March 2027.
- Direct Admission (local and non-local, not Chinese mainland) Non-binding In ~6 months8 April 2027
Window 3 February to 8 April 2027; main route for international students applying with A levels, IB, SAT/ACT and similar.
- Chinese mainland Gaokao admission Non-binding In ~9 months27 June 2027
Window 4 May to 27 June 2027; results in early to mid-July 2027. Applying to UM does not affect mainland university applications.
Dates are from the Registry's 2027/2028 application period page (updated 22 September 2026).
How to apply
Apply online on the Registry's system in the window for your channel, upload identity and academic documents, and pay the application fee (MOP 250 for the Admission Examination, MOP 300 for Direct Admission or mainland Gaokao applications). An interview may be required. Programme choices cannot be changed after the fee is paid, and Law applications are pooled and assessed after the Direct Admission deadline.
What admissions looks for
- A recognised school-leaving qualification at the published minimum, such as three A levels at C, IB 28 or SAT 1,190 with two APs.
- The subject prerequisites for your programme, such as Physics for engineering and computer science, and Chemistry for biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.
- English good enough for English-medium teaching, shown by test scores or an interview.
- For mainland applicants, a Gaokao score above the first-tier line and strong English; admission follows score and preference order.
Tips for applying to UM
- 1 International students should use Direct Admission (3 February to 8 April 2027) unless they want to sit the Joint Admission Examination in Macau in March.
- 2 Send an IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL score with your application to skip the English interview.
- 3 There is no separate scholarship form for international students, but UM invites you to email a portfolio or statement of purpose to the Global Affairs Office to support your case.
- 4 Double-check your programme choices before paying the fee: they cannot be changed afterwards.
- 5 Mainland applicants should register before Gaokao scores come out, as the window closes on 27 June and late applications are not accepted.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in MOP
The International Student Scholarship for foreign passport holders gives a full (100%) or half (50%) waiver of tuition and residential college accommodation for the normal study period, renewed after an annual review; everyone is considered automatically, with priority for students schooled outside China. Mainland Gaokao students can win full scholarships covering first-year tuition and college fees, renewable to four years with a GPA of 3.3 or above. Macao students have separate awards such as the Lotus Scholarship and STEM scholarships.
- MOP 16,500 per academic year (about 10 months, double room)
- Residential college accommodation
- MOP 250 (Admission Examination) or MOP 300 (Direct Admission, Gaokao)
- Application fee
- 100% or 50% waiver of tuition and college accommodation for the normal study period
- International Student Scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (two per academic year)
Electrical and Computer Engineering (BSc)
Linked to UM's State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI; 15 UM papers were accepted at the 2023 International Solid-State Circuits Conference.
Computer Science (BSc)
Taught by the Faculty of Information Science and Computing; UM places Computer Science in the top 0.1% of ESI fields.
Business Administration
The Faculty of Business Administration holds EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA accreditation.
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology (BSc)
Connected to the State Key Laboratory of Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine, whose herb standards are used in the US, European and Chinese pharmacopoeias.
Law
Part of UM's commitment to training Chinese-Portuguese bilingual professionals; UM ranks 1st among universities in the Association of Portuguese Speaking Universities (AULP).
Research
- Three state key laboratories: Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI; Mechanism and Quality of Chinese Medicine; and Internet of Things for Smart City.
- UM has set quality standards for more than 20 Chinese medicinal herbs, now referenced in the US, European and Chinese pharmacopoeias.
- Seven joint laboratories with Chinese Academy of Sciences institutes, and a national co-working space that has incubated over 80 start-ups.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Faculty of Business Administration
- Faculty of Design
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Information Science and Computing
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Honours College
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences
Student life
Life at UM revolves around its ten residential colleges, such as Cheng Yu Tung College and Stanley Ho East Asia College. Each houses 450 to 500 students with a college master and staff, and runs activities aimed at seven competencies, from citizenship and teamwork to a healthy lifestyle. All new undergraduates live in a college for their first year; after that they can apply to stay. The campus has a library, University Hall, Museum of Art, swimming pool, sports complex, archery range and climbing walls, and sits against Hengqin Hill.
- Ten residential colleges of 450 to 500 students each.
- Exchange programmes with more than 200 partner institutions in over 30 countries and regions.
- Campus sports facilities include a swimming pool, sports complex, archery range and climbing walls.
- The campus is reached from Taipa via an underwater tunnel with no border control.
Housing. All new undergraduates live in a residential college for their first year (MOP 16,500 for the year in a double room); later years require readmission by the college.
Location
Macau is a compact special administrative region on the south China coast with a mix of Chinese and Portuguese heritage. UM's campus is on Hengqin Island, across the river from Taipa and linked to it by a tunnel, so students live under Macao law while Zhuhai and the rest of the Greater Bay Area are close by. The campus itself is spacious and green, set against Hengqin Hill.
Nearest airport: Macau International Airport (MFM)
Notable alumni
- FD Francisco D'SouzaCo-founder and former CEO of Cognizant; BBA from the University of East Asia, UM's predecessor
- FT Francis TamMacau's Secretary for Economy and Finance (1999-2014); business administration graduate of the University of East Asia
- CW Cheong Weng ChonPresident of the Legislative Assembly of Macau; law degree from UM
- AL Agnes LamPoet, journalist and former Macau legislator; journalism graduate (1991)
- MH Maria Helena de Senna FernandesDirector of the Macao Government Tourism Office; business administration graduate (1987)
- HT Hean Tat KehMarketing professor at Monash University; BBA Honours from UM
- CM Chao Man HouSwimmer who competed at the World Aquatics Championships and was Macau's flag bearer at the 2014 Asian Games; UM graduate (2018)
Frequently asked questions
Is the University of Macau taught in English?
Mostly. English is the primary medium of instruction. Applicants to English-taught programmes are interviewed on their English unless they have IELTS 6.0, a TOEFL iBT score of 80 (or 4.5 on the new scale), or IGCSE English at C/5 or above.
What is the University of Macau application deadline for 2027 entry?
For international students, Direct Admission runs from 3 February to 8 April 2027, and the Admission Examination route from 6 to 20 January 2027. Mainland Gaokao applicants apply from 4 May to 27 June 2027.
How much does the University of Macau cost for international students?
Non-local students pay MOP 61,300 per semester (MOP 490,400 for a four-year degree), plus MOP 16,500 a year for a double room in a residential college.
Does the University of Macau offer scholarships to international students?
Yes. The International Student Scholarship waives 100% or 50% of tuition and college accommodation for the whole degree, subject to annual review. All eligible applicants are considered automatically.
What grades do I need for the University of Macau?
The published minimums are three A levels at grade C, IB 28 points, or SAT 1,190 (or ACT 24) with two AP subjects at 3 or above. Some programmes also require Physics or Chemistry.
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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