Shandong University (SDU), founded in 1901, is one of China’s most famous universities. Over the last 100 years, SDU hasn’t stopped growing and developing, which has turned it into one of the best universities on the mainland. The teaching quality is high, the research facilities are amazing and the student experience is excellent.
SDU is in Eastern China along the lower part of the Yellow River, and it has three busy campuses in the cities of Jinan, Qingdao and Weihai. Each city is a centre of scientific research and a hub for lots of important industries, so each campus is ideally placed to give students great links to potential future employers. Job prospects are good for international and domestic SDU students, especially if they plan to start a career in the area after graduation.
There are currently over 43,000 students enrolled at SDU. Over 1,600 of these students are international, and every student, no matter their background, is made to feel welcome at the institution. There are some amazing courses and programmes taught at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels (as well as some select non-degree programmes), and the quality of education never drops.
Some of the best tutors and lecturers in China teach at SDU, drawing on research and industry experience to help students achieve as much as possible (and offering them plenty of support and career guidance along the way).
Combined, the SDU libraries contain millions of books, archives and databases. There are also several nationally important research centres and institutes at SDU, and the university has a very successful global research network. Students never run out of resources or learning opportunities on the SDU campuses.
International students can access lots of support, as mentioned, and they are also eligible for some scholarships, awards and bursaries that might help them cover their tuition costs. Plus, the alumni network is one of the best in China, with associations in over 100 countries worldwide. SDU is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy an amazing student experience in China and some strong post-graduation employment prospects.
As one of the oldest and most respected universities in China, SDU’s reputation for teaching quality is very good. The QS World University Rankings 2022 placed the university in the global top 400, and its scientific research facilities help lecturers to give students a theoretical education and important practical skills.
Many students from the university have won the famous Future Science Prize, one of China’s biggest awards, after being improved and developed through teaching from some of the country’s leading academics. Lecturers always put student learning and student needs first, and this is a big part of the university’s ability to keep up quality teaching across every subject area.
On the topic of lecturers, faculty at SDU have also won some internationally recognised prizes. For example, Wu Chaunsong, a professor in the School of Material Science and Engineering, won the International Meritorious Certificate Award in 2021.
SDU is well-known for its excellent research in fields from crystal materials to Chinese classical studies. In 2021, five subjects taught at SDU were listed in the top one per cent by Essential Science Indicators. Some of the best scientific minds in the world teach at SDU, and high-quality teaching is the standard across the entire university, from science to history to law.
Entry Requirements
The entry requirements to study at SDU change between courses and levels of study. Still, there are some general university requirements that all international undergraduate students will need to meet. They should:
University requirements for international postgraduate applicants are similar, though they will need previous university qualifications (at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to their chosen postgraduate course) and often, higher levels of Mandarin/English language proficiency. All SDU applicants are advised by the university to check the requirements for their specific course of study before applying for admission.
Courses at SDU are taught in both English and Chinese. Students should always make sure they know what the language of instruction is on the course they want to study before applying (and that they meet the minimum proficiency requirements for this language).
Applicants aiming to study English-taught undergraduate programmes don’t need to provide proof of English understanding if it’s their first language, but most applicants (domestic and international) who don’t speak English as a first language will need to show their proficiency through an English test. Two of the most commonly accepted testing methods (at SDU and across the globe) are the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
At both levels of study, applicants will need an overall IELTS band score of 6 or a minimum TOEFL score of 80. Postgraduate applicants to English-taught courses will also need a minimum MyBest score of 80 and a minimum score of 8 on an Essentials test.
For programmes taught in Mandarin Chinese, undergraduate applicants will need to take an HSK 4 Test and get a result of at least 210 points. Postgraduate applicants will need to take an HSK 5 Test and get a result of at least 180 points. Applicants won’t need to prove Mandarin proficiency if they have studied for a previous degree at a university where the main language of instruction was Mandarin.
Tuition fees for international students studying bachelor’s courses at SDU range from RMB 18,000 to 87,000 per year. The university offers courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and at any level, the student admission process asks overseas applicants to log in via the SDU Online Application System for International Students.
Students cannot apply by sending paper applications through the post, they must apply online. The university admission process for domestic students is very similar, and the biggest difference is that international applicants have to provide more supporting documents. These documents include:
Admission to some courses at SDU, especially master’s courses, includes a video interview stage. All international applicants are required to pay a fee of RMB 400 when they apply for admission (unless they’ve been awarded the Chinese Government Scholarship). Once international students are admitted, they need to apply for a study visa at the Chinese embassy in their home country.
There are three excellent scholarships offered to international students studying at SDU: the Government Scholarship, the Shandong University Scholarship for International Students, and the SDU Freshman Scholarship for International Students. All of them cover different amounts of fees and funding. They are open to students who are studying both Chinese and English-taught courses, though the entry requirements are different for either option.
The Government Scholarship is open to bachelor’s students studying Chinese-taught courses, and master’s and doctoral students studying either Chinese-taught or English-taught courses. It covers tuition fees and the application fee in monthly stipends. Undergraduates get RMB 2,500 monthly, master’s students get RMB 3,000 monthly, and doctoral students get RMB 3,500 monthly. Health insurance coverage of RMB 800 per student per year is also included.
The Shandong University Scholarship for International Students aims to help support high academic achievers from outside of China. It lasts for a student’s full period of study and is awarded across three different classes based on academic ability.
Students in the first class get their tuition fees covered and receive monthly stipends (RMB 700 for bachelor’s and master’s students, RMB 1,000 for doctoral students). Students in the second class get a yearly reduction of 50 per cent in their tuition fees. Students in the third class get a yearly reduction of 20 per cent in their tuition fees.
The final option, in terms of university scholarships and overseas student funding support, is the SDU Freshman Scholarship for International Students. This is awarded in the same structure as the Shandong University Scholarship to students in good academic standing and good physical health, with fee coverage ranging from RMB 9,000 to 40,000.
SDU is split across eight campuses. There are six sites in Jinan (including the Central Campus), one in Weihai and one in Qingdao. Across these eight campuses, there are a total of 12 academic disciplines studied at the university:
These 12 academic disciplines break down, in more detail, into 70 different academic schools and areas. On the Central Campus, there are 10 schools (including subjects from literature and journalism to physics and mathematics), four research institutes, the College of International Education and the Centre for Economic Research.
On the Hongjialou Campus, students will find the Fine Arts School and the School of Foreign Languages and Literature. On the Baotuquan Campus, there are seven schools (including a wide range of medical and healthcare subjects, from nursing and rehabilitation to stomatology). On the Qianfoshan Campus, there are seven engineering schools (from electrical engineering to materials science and engineering), as well as the School of Physical Education and the College of Physical Education.
On the Software Park Campus, students will find general student programmes, the Joint SDU-NTU Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (C-FAIR), the School of Software and the School of Microelectronics. On the Xinglongshan Campus, there are seven schools (including a range of engineering and construction subjects from transportation to civil engineering).
On the Weihai Campus, there are nine schools (including subjects from space science and oceanography to translation studies and mathematics and statistics), as well as the SDU-ANU Joint Science College, the Art College, the Business School and the Sports Department.
Finally, on the Qingdao Campus, there are eight schools (including subjects from political science and public administration to cyber science and technology), four institutes, the State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology/Microbial Technology Institute and the Research Centre for Mathematics and Interdisciplinary Sciences.
SDU wouldn’t have a great reputation if it didn’t also have some of the best research centres and institutes in China. It’s home to several national research centres and engineering labs, as well as some Ministry of Education Key Labs. SDU is an important research institution for many industries in China, and its structure works well for its academics and its students.
SDU wants to ensure all its students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels have what they need in their academic lives and their social lives. There are great academic facilities, but there are also some great student activity centres for relaxing and socialising after class.
Academically, there are many well-designed and modern teaching rooms across the eight campus sites. The SDU Jinan Lecture Hall is a perfect example of a lecture theatre that provides an ideal working environment for students.
The Library, originally one of the earliest modern libraries in China, has a location on every campus. Each location is a student life centre for studying and research, and there are over four million physical resources across the SDU library sites. The university even has its own museum, home to over 40,000 individual items.
There are lots of food and drink options and restaurants around the SDU campuses. One of the most popular is the No. 3 Food and Beverage Department in Jinan. SDU also regularly organises sports, exercise activities and competitions, so students can stay healthy and socialise in a range of student recreation centres. Plus, there are some ideal affordable accommodation options for students, domestic and international.
There are on-campus and off-campus accommodation options at SDU. For international students, the best university accommodation options will probably be the international student apartment complexes at the Central Campus and the Baotuquan Campus. Living in international apartment buildings is a great way for students from all over the globe to experience student life together at SDU. They can adapt together in their student houses, mixing with different communities and creating strong peer connections.
Rooms in these complexes are quiet and peaceful, perfect for studying. Plus, rooms come fully furnished, making the change from life in an applicant’s home country to student life in China much simpler and easier. Each apartment floor also has access to full kitchens and laundry services, and the smaller apartments have access to study rooms.
Room prices at SDU vary depending on the room type and the chosen student accommodation building. For example, a single room in the No. 1 Building on the Central Campus costs RMB 5,200 per semester, while a double room in the same building costs RMB 3,250 per semester. Meanwhile, a single room in an international students’ apartment complex at Hao Yuan costs RMB 600. And a double room at the International Student’s Dormitory on Qingdao Campus is either RMB 40 or 50 per person per day.
There are also off-campus accommodation options available in the form of private rentals, though these are less popular with first years. Students who want to explore off-campus non-university options can still speak to SDU support staff if they need advice and help during the housing sourcing process.
SDU tutors and lecturers work hard to make sure that students get all the academic student support services they need. As well as scholarships and in-person student support programmes focused on improving learning quality, there is also a respected and impressive online learning programme that lets students get a good education without being on the SDU campus.
There are also a lot of emotional and financial student services available. Plus, in partnership with the Department of International Affairs, SDU gives specialist student support to international applicants from the moment they apply until long after they arrive in China. Help is available with issues like immigration, visa requirements and adjusting to life in a new country.
The Alumni Association of Shandong also assists everyone enrolled at SDU, connecting them with student guides who can help them develop, increase their employability and network in the professional world. This, combined with career services at SDU, makes graduates of the university great hires for local, national and international employers.
With a focus on science-based research and practical learning in industries like engineering, SDU’s graduate outcomes are amazing. Job prospects for people who once studied at the university are great, and a million career options are open to them thanks to all the skills they’ve learned during their degree programme. SDU has had a strong employer reputation for years, especially in China, and employers are usually very happy with the students they hire from the university.
The Alumni Association of Shandong has set up 138 alumni groups across the globe. Each group connects former students in a different place, helping them to use their skills, develop their careers and develop the careers of other past SDU students. SDU also uses its alumni network to show the social impact that the university has on its students.
There is also a range of employment services offered at SDU, including career counselling with a dedicated career guide, networking events and employability skills workshops. Plus, the high standards in every SDU classroom and lecture theatre prepare students very well for the high standards of the working world.
SDU’s career services and strong graduate outcomes have helped to make it one of the most important universities in China. SDU is focused on giving students everything they need to enjoy a bright academic or professional future, whichever they choose. For international applicants searching for a university with a global impact and the chance to learn in beautiful China, SDU is the perfect option.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
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I think best unveristy in china because of its ranking and facilities and teacher i think best teacher community panel teach us student and i will be happy i got scholarship in this unveristy beacuse i think is best for gethering a knowledge
I think best unveristy in china because of its ranking and facilities and teacher i think best teacher community panel teach us student and i will be happy i got scholarship in this unveristy beacuse i think is best for gethering a knowledge