57 Best universities for Aviation in China

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in China ranked based on their research performance in Aviation. A graph of 86.8K citations received by 10.4K academic papers made by 57 universities in China was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Beihang University

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#1 in Asia

#2 in the World

Founded: 1952

2. Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

For Aviation

#2 in Asia

#4 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1952

3. Civil Aviation University of China

China | Tianjin

For Aviation

#3 in Asia

#6 in the World

Enrollment: 28,000
Founded: 1951

4. Northwestern Polytechnical University

For Aviation

#4 in Asia

#14 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1938

5. Civil Aviation Flight University of China

China | Guanghan

For Aviation

#5 in Asia

#20 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1956

6. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#7 in Asia

#33 in the World

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

7. Hong Kong Polytechnic University

China | Hong Kong

For Aviation

#8 in Asia

#47 in the World

Founded: 1937

8. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Aviation

#10 in Asia

#58 in the World

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

9. National University of Defense Technology

China | Changsha

For Aviation

#11 in Asia

#60 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 1953

10. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Aviation

#14 in Asia

#78 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

11. Sichuan University

China | Chengdu

For Aviation

#18 in Asia

#83 in the World

Enrollment: 44,200
Founded: 1896

12. Beijing Jiaotong University

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#19 in Asia

#92 in the World

Founded: 1896

13. Tongji University

China | Shanghai

For Aviation

#20 in Asia

#111 in the World

Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1907

14. Harbin Institute of Technology

For Aviation

#21 in Asia

#112 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1920

15. Beijing Institute of Technology

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#24 in Asia

#135 in the World

Enrollment: 27,000
Founded: 1940

16. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

For Aviation

#26 in Asia

#155 in the World

Enrollment: 71,970
Founded: 1953

17. Shenyang Aerospace University

China | Shenyang

For Aviation

#28 in Asia

#159 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 21,000
Founded: 1952

18. City University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Aviation

#29 in Asia

#161 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Founded: 1984

19. Southeast University

China | Nanjing

For Aviation

#31 in Asia

#169 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 30,664
Founded: 1902

20. Harbin Engineering University

For Aviation

#34 in Asia

#209 in the World

Enrollment: 28,278
Founded: 1953

21. Dalian University of Technology

For Aviation

#38 in Asia

#228 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1949

22. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

China | Hong Kong

For Aviation

#40 in Asia

#230 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1991

23. Tianjin University

China | Tianjin

For Aviation

#42 in Asia

#234 in the World

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

24. University of Science and Technology of China

For Aviation

#43 in Asia

#235 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

25. University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

China | Chengdu

For Aviation

#45 in Asia

#239 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 39,000
Founded: 1956

26. Southwest Jiaotong University

China | Chengdu

For Aviation

#46 in Asia

#244 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 44,000
Founded: 1896

27. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Aviation

#48 in Asia

#258 in the World

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

28. Dalian Maritime University

For Aviation

#50 in Asia

#263 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1953

29. Shanghai University of Engineering Science

China | Shanghai

For Aviation

#51 in Asia

#270 in the World

Founded: 1978

30. Central South University

China | Changsha

For Aviation

#52 in Asia

#272 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1914

31. Xi'an Jiaotong University

For Aviation

#54 in Asia

#278 in the World

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

32. Chongqing University

China | Chongqing

For Aviation

#56 in Asia

#288 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1929

33. Chinese University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Aviation

#57 in Asia

#292 in the World

Founded: 1963

34. Fudan University

China | Shanghai

For Aviation

#58 in Asia

#293 in the World

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

35. Wuhan University of Technology

For Aviation

#60 in Asia

#296 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 540,000
Founded: 1946

36. Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics

China | Zhengzhou

For Aviation

#62 in Asia

#302 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 1949

37. Wuhan University

For Aviation

#69 in Asia

#330 in the World

Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1893

38. Nankai University

China | Tianjin

For Aviation

#71 in Asia

#337 in the World

Enrollment: 26,568
Founded: 1919

39. University of International Business and Economics

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#72 in Asia

#339 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 16,000
Founded: 1951

40. Chang'an University

For Aviation

#74 in Asia

#349 in the World

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 2000

41. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#75 in Asia

#350 in the World

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

42. University of Nottingham Ningbo, China

For Aviation

#76 in Asia

#356 in the World

Enrollment: 8,000
Founded: 2004

43. Beijing University of Technology

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#78 in Asia

#360 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 24,442
Founded: 1960

44. Xiamen University

For Aviation

#80 in Asia

#367 in the World

Enrollment: 40,302
Male:Female: 49:51
Founded: 1921

45. Xidian University

For Aviation

#87 in Asia

#390 in the World

Enrollment: 35,277
Founded: 1931

46. Northeastern University, China

China | Shenyang

For Aviation

#88 in Asia

#392 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 46,000
Founded: 1923

47. Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications

China | Nanjing

For Aviation

#91 in Asia

#402 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1958

48. University of Science and Technology Beijing

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#93 in Asia

#407 in the World

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1952

49. Beijing Normal University

China | Beijing

For Aviation

#96 in Asia

#415 in the World

Enrollment: 36,482
Founded: 1902

50. Shandong University

For Aviation

#99 in Asia

#431 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1901

51. Nanjing University of Science and Technology

China | Nanjing

For Aviation

#101 in Asia

#438 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1953

52. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Aviation

#103 in Asia

#454 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 68,000
Founded: 1946

53. South China University of Technology

China | Guangzhou

For Aviation

#107 in Asia

#471 in the World

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

54. South China Agricultural University

China | Guangzhou

For Aviation

#108 in Asia

#473 in the World

Enrollment: 60,588
Founded: 1909

55. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Aviation

#111 in Asia

#496 in the World

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

56. Shaanxi Normal University

For Aviation

#112 in Asia

#498 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 38,000
Founded: 1944

57. Nanchang HangKong University

China | Nanchang

For Aviation

#118 in Asia

#511 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 23,000
Founded: 1952

The best cities to study Aviation in China based on the number of universities and their ranks are Beijing, Baixia, Tianjin, and Xi'an.

Engineering subfields in China

Acoustical Engineering521

Aerospace Engineering517

Agricultural Engineering135

Applied/Engineering Physics260

Architectural Engineering311

Architecture202

Automation and Control engineering321

Automotive Engineering334

Biochemical Engineering216

Biomedical Engineering242

Biotechnology378

Chemical Engineering499

Civil Engineering458

Computer Engineering360

Computer Networking525

Construction Management213

Electrical Engineering525

Electronic Engineering471

Engineering Management405

Environmental Engineering396

Firefighting and Fire Science191

Geotechnical Engineering434

Human-Computer Interaction453

Industrial Engineering179

Landscape Architecture267

Marine Engineering185

Materials Science541

Mechanical Engineering537

Metallurgical Engineering512

Mining Engineering180

Nanotechnology486

Nuclear Engineering145

Operations Research366

Optical Engineering529

Petroleum Engineering231

Polymer science and Plastics engineering148

Product and Industrial Design169

Reliability and Quality Engineering347

Remote Sensing365

Renewable Energy Engineering285

Structural Engineering485

Systems Engineering451

Technical Drawing252

Telecommunications522

Transportation Engineering295