Public university in Tianjin, China

Nankai University Admission Requirements 2027 for International Students

Nankai University is a national research university in Tianjin under the Ministry of Education, known for its programmes in mathematics, chemistry and economics. Its undergraduate programmes for international students are taught in Chinese and entered through the School of International Education, while a smaller set of English taught programmes sits at master's level.

Verified 7 Sep 2026 Sources Official site
Next deadline
Not listed
No verified deadline yet
Tuition
¥20,000 to ¥35,000
per year
English test
IELTS 6
TOEFL 85, waiver possible
Acceptance rate
Not published
Application fee
¥400

Requirements

Bachelor's degree

Applicants must hold a valid foreign passport, be a secondary school graduate, and be in good health. Chinese taught programmes ask for an HSK Level 4 certificate with a score of at least 180 at the point of application; students below this level can apply for the one year preparatory Chinese language programme first. Business Economics and Business Administration accept first choice applicants only, while other majors allow a second choice.

Master's and PhD

Each school sets its own academic and language requirement. English taught master's programmes, including Chinese Philosophy, Chinese Economy, Finance, the IMBA, the IMPA and Law, ask for IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 85 from applicants whose prior education was not in English. Chinese taught graduate programmes ask for HSK Level 4 or above, and doctoral applicants normally need a master's degree and, for research fields, a supervisor's agreement before applying.

Documents

Passport copy, secondary school diploma or a letter confirming expected graduation, academic transcripts, an HSK certificate or proof of Chinese ability, a personal statement, and a physical examination form. Graduate applicants add a research plan or study plan, degree certificates for the qualification the application is based on, and recommendation letters. Documents not already in Chinese or English need a certified translation.

How to apply

  1. Register on Nankai University's International Student Service Platform (nankai.at0086.cn) and choose a programme.
  2. Complete the online form and upload the required documents before the application window closes.
  3. Pay the 400 CNY application fee, which is not refunded if the offer is declined.
  4. Wait for the School of International Education, or the relevant graduate school, to review the application; some programmes call applicants for an interview or test.
  5. Accepted applicants without a sufficient HSK score start with the one year preparatory Chinese language programme before their degree begins.
  6. Apply for the JW202 form and a student visa once admitted.

English test waiver

Nankai's undergraduate programmes for international students are taught in Chinese, so the entry requirement is an HSK Level 4 certificate with a score of at least 180, rather than an English test. The IELTS and TOEFL figures recorded here come from the graduate school's English taught master's programmes and are used as the university's representative English benchmark. Students admitted without a high enough HSK score take a preparatory Chinese language year before starting the degree, and Chinese taught programme students must reach HSK Level 6 before they graduate.

Sources, checked 7 September 2026
  1. https://ensie.nankai.edu.cn/DEGREE_PROGRAMS/UNDERGRADUATE.htm
  2. https://ensie.nankai.edu.cn/info/1089/1167.htm
  3. https://ensie.nankai.edu.cn/DEGREE_PROGRAMS/GRADUATE/ADMISSION.htm