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Central South University

China China

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Overview

Overview

Central South University (CSU) is a large university based in the city of Changsha, Hunan Province, in the People’s Republic of China. CSU offers a lot of different courses and programmes across several modern, well-equipped campus locations. There are about 58,000 students studying at the university in total each year, while about 2,000 tutors and lecturers care for student needs and deliver a high-quality learning experience across all faculties and departments.

 

Potential future students can choose between 83 bachelor’s programmes, 282 master’s programmes and 142 doctoral programmes. Courses on offer cover 31 different academic schools and subjects from arts to medicine, so almost any student can find the right course for them at CSU. Most courses are delivered in Mandarin Chinese, but there are English language options available too, perfect for international students who don’t speak Mandarin but would love to study in China.

 

CSU welcomes around 1,000 international students into its community each year, and there are usually students from over 100 different countries on the diverse, friendly campuses. Domestic and international students alike are attracted to the university for its reasonable tuition fees, high-quality courses and reputation for research excellence.

 

On the topic of research, CSU is a part of many research schemes managed by the Chinese Ministry of Education, and it’s a Rank A Double First Class University (considered one of the best public universities in all of China). CSU is also part of some innovative teaching schemes like Project 211 and Project 985, and it has recently become one of the top 500 universities in the world according to the QS World University Rankings.

 

CSU is based in the large city of Changsha, a place with over 2,400 years of history and a lot of fun extracurricular and nightlife options. CSU helps international students to get to know Chinese culture and get the best out of the city when they arrive, and there’s a full international affairs office available to them to help them with everything from study permits to accommodation.

 

Teaching Quality

 

CSU is proud of its high-quality teaching. Directly administered by the Chinese Ministry of Education, CSU is enrolled on lots of teaching quality initiatives and schemes to keep standards high in all faculties and across all courses. These include Project 211, Project 985, Plan 2011 and the eight-year education plan for the doctor of medicine programme. The State Council also recently named CSU a Rank A Double First Class university, making it one of the best academic institutions in the country. 

 

Ranked as the 499th best university in the world and the 170th best in Asia by the QS World University Rankings, it’s clear that CSU is an excellent institution still making important improvements to maintain quality teaching and keep learning standards current.

 

The university has come a long way since 2000, winning 91 national awards for science and technology in under three decades, including 14 first prizes. Plus, nine CSU projects have been named Major Scientific and Technological Progresses.

 

CSU staff are also award-winning and very successful, regularly publishing their research in respected journals. Several lecturers are academics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences or the Chinese Academy of Engineering (both world-leading research organisations), and tutors have been selected for the Plan for Ten Thousand People, Programme 973 and the Chang Jiang Scholars Programme.

 

Entry Requirements

 

CSU welcomes international students who want to enrol on one of the high-quality courses available at the university. To make sure applicants can handle the demands of their programme/to make sure applicants are eligible to live and study in China, the university has some key entry requirements in place. CSU has published a full list of the university entry requirements for international students on the international section of its website, and this full list will tell a student whether or not they’re eligible.

 

As a rough guide, undergraduate international applicants must have their country’s equivalent of a high school diploma and be aged between 18 and 25. Applicants under 18 but over 16 are eligible to apply if they have a legal guardian in China. There are no minimum grades requested, but better qualifications will, of course, improve the chances of being accepted.

 

For postgraduate students, previous university qualifications in relevant fields are a must, and so are proven research skills. Students applying for a master’s will need at least a previous bachelor’s degree or the equivalent, and they should be under 35 years old. Doctoral students will need a master’s degree or the equivalent, and they should be under 40 years old.

 

Individual programmes may have higher entry requirements than the general requirements explained, so potential future students should do their research thoroughly before submitting an official application.

 

Applicants will also have to provide a record of physical examination and a stamped non-criminal record to meet university entry requirements and get approved for a period of overseas study in China. Plus, applicants to English-speaking programmes will need to prove their language proficiency in English, while applicants to Mandarin-speaking programmes will need to prove their language proficiency in Mandarin.

 

English Score Required

 

Mandarin Chinese is the primary language of instruction at CSU, and all bachelor’s programmes are delivered in Chinese. There are some postgraduate programmes, however, which are instructed and assessed entirely in English.

 

Students must prove they have good skills in whichever language their programme is being delivered in. If students received their previous qualifications in this language, they are considered to have adequate language skills for their course at CSU. If they do not, and don’t speak the language as their first language, they will have to provide a proficiency test with a minimum score in order to be eligible for student admission.

 

For courses delivered in Chinese, applicants will need to complete an HSK4 test. The scores required depend on the major applied for. At both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, the minimum scores demanded are 200 for Chinese language and literature subjects, 220 for science and engineering subjects and 260 for medical degrees and other art subjects.

 

If students do not meet the minimum standard for Chinese, CSU provides a preparatory Chinese language course. This takes one year. If students score adequately on their HSK4 test after they’ve completed this preparatory course, they can move on to regular studies at the university.

 

For courses delivered in English, applicants can complete one of a few accepted proficiency tests, including the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). CSU asks for applicants to achieve a minimum overall IELTS band score of 6 (or a TOEFL online score of at least 85).

 

Admission

 

To be considered for a place at CSU, students have to go through the official university admission process. The university offers applicants clear guidance about its admission requirements on the CSU website, along with advice on how to apply for several scholarships. Currently, the CSU student admission process all happens online. Applications are made through CSU’s online admission portal, and applicants should submit copies of the following documents with their applications: 

 

  • Their passport
  • Their physical record
  • Their highest educational certificate
  • Their academic transcripts
  • Their stamped non-criminal record
  • Their language test transcript

 

Applicants may have to submit additional documents depending on their circumstances, their country of origin, and the course and study level they are applying for. Undergraduate applicants will need to upload a one-minute introductory video with their application, and postgraduate applicants will need to provide two recommendation letters from previous professors or associate professors, with contact details, as well as study plans for their programme.

 

All documents provided should be in English or Chinese. Translations are acceptable as long as they are officially notarised with a visible stamp. Once applicants have submitted their applications and supporting documents, CSU will do a preliminary review to make sure they are eligible to study at the university. This should take two to four weeks.

 

If an applicant has passed the review, CSU will then get in touch to request that they pay the application fee (RMB 500 in 2022) within 14 days. Once this is paid, applicants will be fully considered for a position on their chosen course. If they are successful, applicants will be sent an admission letter and visa application form.

 

Scholarships & Funding

 

Students have to pay some fees to study at CSU, as these fees help to pay for the running of facilities/the payment of faculty and support staff. Still, the fees at CSU are very reasonable compared to other universities around the world. The exact cost a student will need to cover will depend on their course level and course type, and there’s some helpful fee guidance on the website about the costs of each course and the added costs of things like accommodation and administration.

 

This should help potential applicants to figure out whether they can cover the required amount of funding. Course fees start at RMB 16,000 annually for bachelor’s students, RMB 20,000 annually for master’s students, and RMB 26,000 annually for doctoral students.

 

CSU knows that covering the costs of student life, especially overseas, isn’t always cheap (even if the tuition fees are reasonable). To support high-performing students at the university, there are multiple scholarships that reduce costs and decrease financial stress. There are actually five university scholarships on offer in total for international students at CSU. They are primarily awarded based on academic merit, including performance in previous studies.

 

Most of the eligibility criteria for these scholarships are similar to the eligibility criteria for the wider university (language proficiency, good physical health, no criminal record). Award amounts differ, but these scholarships can be very generous, potentially funding all of a student’s tuition fees and accommodation costs while covering medical insurance and providing a monthly allowance.

 

There are also several university scholarships on offer at CSU from other organisations. Plus, there are some other funding support options, like bursaries for moments of financial hardship. Learners from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences can access high-quality education at CSU thanks to the university’s courses being great value for money and the university’s scholarships providing some extra support.

 

University Structure

 

CSU is a huge university delivering courses in lots of different subject areas. There are approximately 18,000 academic staff in total, including professors and recognised experts. To make sure staff can effectively deliver courses and do their research, there is a strong structure in place that coordinates university activity across six different campuses.

 

Programmes are delivered by one of 31 schools at the university. Each of these schools is staffed by experts in the field and delivers several courses directly connected to lecturer experience. The disciplines on offer include everything from literature to medicine to engineering.

 

CSU is also an important research and innovation centre. The Chinese government actively manages the university and funds the construction of exciting, modern facilities as part of several schemes. There are many nationally important research facilities and institutes at CSU, including:

 

  • Three national laboratories
  • Four national engineering research centres
  • Two national engineering and techniques research centres
  • One national engineering laboratory
  • One national clinical medical research centre
  • Two centres for collaborative innovation

 

There are also three hospitals overseen by the university. These are fully functional, with several thousand members of staff and many patients. These offer students at CSU’s medical schools an excellent chance to learn hands-on and develop their skills in practice. Research is also conducted in these hospitals, with CSU’s Xiangya Hospital ranking 73rd in the world for high-quality research.

 

Facilities

 

Thanks to lots of investment from the Chinese government, CSU has excellent modern facilities and student recreation centres. Students can expect to find everything they need to succeed on the university’s handful of amazing campuses. CSU’s library, a student activity centre for individual and group study on campus, contains a collection of over four million items!

 

All the lecture theatres are well-equipped for classes, with comfortable seating and the latest technology installed. All the other teaching facilities are also great, from classrooms to laboratories and research centres. Students studying programmes in medicine even have access to three fully functional teaching hospitals, each employing thousands of staff and caring for lots of patients.

 

When class is over, CSU is also a student life centre for extracurricular fun. There are lots of recreational and cultural activities to enjoy on campus and off campus in the city of Changsha, and the New Campus has a huge stadium for students who want to practice or compete in sports, from athletics to basketball.

 

There’s lots of dormitory housing on campus, close to all the facilities a student could need and very convenient for tired students with early morning classes. Every person can get a lot out of CSU campus life.

 

Accommodation

 

CSU has lots of accommodation available to international students. The university has 10 dedicated international student apartment buildings across four of its six campuses, with a total of 1,621 beds available. This university accommodation is within easy reach of teaching facilities and has many convenient features, including parking for motor vehicles and bicycles. Campus culture is strong in China, with many students eating and sleeping entirely on site.

 

Each CSU accommodation building contains a collection of apartments. These share common facilities like laundry rooms and kitchens, but individual rooms are well-equipped, too, with separate toilets and air conditioning. They come furnished, and Wi-Fi is covered in the cost of the rent. Fees for student accommodation on campus start at RMB 5,000 per academic year in a single room (around USD 720).

 

It is also possible to find a shared student house rental or private student accommodation in Changsha, but it can be difficult. Students unfamiliar with life in China are strongly advised to choose CSU’s international student apartments as their option for university accommodation, as this will decrease their stress and ensure they end up in a safe, convenient space close to all the amenities they’ll need.

 

Student Support

 

CSU cares about providing students with a good quality of life and all the student support they need. Student guides are there to help international students adjust to a new country, special orientation programmes are offered, and the campus-based culture helps everyone to feel at home quickly and easily. There are on-site dormitories, supermarkets, canteens and dining halls, so students never need to go further than they want to (though they are welcome to explore the exciting city of Changsha).

 

There’s a full student support programme at CSU that covers everything from academic worries and financial issues to health concerns (mental and physical). There are even more student support services available beyond the university in Changsha, like counselling centres where students can speak to a trusted professional, either one-on-one or in a safe group setting.

 

CSU is always quick to respond to student queries, and even if a department at the university can’t help, they will always point a person in the direction of the right student services for their situation. This is a university that understands the difference good student support services can make for domestic and international students alike.

 

Graduate Outcomes

 

Most people go to university to improve their job prospects, as having a degree can increase the amount a person earns, and it can open up their career options a lot. So, it makes sense that lots of potential future CSU students want to know how well the alumni are doing and what they can expect for their own post-graduation experience.

 

CSU is one of the most career-focused universities in China, and has a wide range of employment services available, including one-to-ones with a career guide and employability workshops. CSU was included in the list of China’s first model universities experienced in the field of Graduate Employment, and it has an excellent reputation with global and local employers.

 

Whether students are aiming for a career in their industry or a career in academia, what they learn and how they grow at CSU will prepare them well. CSU has a great reputation for research quality, ranking in the top one percent of citations in several fields according to Essential Science Indicators. Graduates can expect to benefit from this reputation and the university’s employment services when seeking careers that require a research background.

 

CSU graduates have gone on to have teaching and research careers in some of the most prestigious institutions in the world, including Temple University, Yale, and the University of Hong Kong, but they’ve also gone on to become leaders in important fields working for large, important companies.

 

CSU is proud to say goodbye to prepared, professional graduates, and it uses its links to industry and major companies well to help these graduates pursue whichever careers they want. Wherever students come from and whatever their backgrounds, if they choose to travel to China and study at CSU, they will be setting themselves up for career success. The high standards, career services and industry links mix perfectly, and they all pay off for international students after graduation. 

Subjects you can study at Central South University

  • Applied and Pure Sciences Applied and Pure Sciences
  • Computer Science and IT Computer Science and IT
  • Engineering Engineering
  • Health and Medicine Health and Medicine
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Key facts and figures at Central South University

Rankings

QS World University Rankings 2025
Source: QS

431

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024
Source: ARWU

94

Student life in numbers

COSTS PER YEAR
LIVING COSTS

¥53,400

CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION

¥8,000

AVERAGE TUITION FEE PER YEAR

POSTGRADUATE

¥34,750

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