List of 100 best universities in China

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Top 100 universities in China ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 268M citations received by 15.3M academic publications made by 960 universities from China, the popularity of 2,376 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. Tsinghua University

#3 in Asia

#60 in the World

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

2. Peking University

#4 in Asia

#70 in the World

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

3. University of Hong Kong

#7 in Asia

#89 in the World

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

4. Zhejiang University

#10 in Asia

#124 in the World

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

5. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

#11 in Asia

#130 in the World

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

6. Chinese University of Hong Kong

#13 in Asia

#151 in the World

Founded: 1963

7. Fudan University

#20 in Asia

#189 in the World

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

8. University of Science and Technology of China

#22 in Asia

#204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

9. Wuhan University

#24 in Asia

#232 in the World

Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1893

10. Nanjing University

#25 in Asia

#241 in the World

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

11. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

#27 in Asia

#261 in the World

Enrollment: 71,970
Founded: 1953

12. Hong Kong Polytechnic University

#28 in Asia

#263 in the World

Founded: 1937

13. Sun Yat - Sen University

#30 in Asia

#271 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 65,638
Founded: 1924

14. City University of Hong Kong

#33 in Asia

#308 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Founded: 1984

15. Harbin Institute of Technology

#34 in Asia

#314 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1920

16. Shandong University

#36 in Asia

#336 in the World

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

17. Xi'an Jiaotong University

#37 in Asia

#338 in the World

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

18. Tongji University

#38 in Asia

#344 in the World

Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1907

19. Sichuan University

#39 in Asia

#345 in the World

Enrollment: 44,200
Founded: 1896

20. Beijing Normal University

#44 in Asia

#381 in the World

Enrollment: 36,482
Founded: 1902

21. Jilin University

#46 in Asia

#386 in the World

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

22. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

#50 in Asia

#412 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1991

23. Central South University

#51 in Asia

#415 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1914

24. Southeast University

#54 in Asia

#426 in the World

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

25. Nankai University

#55 in Asia

#429 in the World

Enrollment: 26,568
Founded: 1919

26. Beihang University

#56 in Asia

#435 in the World

Founded: 1952

27. Xiamen University

#58 in Asia

#437 in the World

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

28. Tianjin University

#59 in Asia

#440 in the World

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

29. Dalian University of Technology

#71 in Asia

#495 in the World

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

30. South China University of Technology

#73 in Asia

#500 in the World

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

31. Beijing Institute of Technology

#74 in Asia

#501 in the World

Enrollment: 27,000
Founded: 1940

32. Chongqing University

#79 in Asia

#530 in the World

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

33. University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

#84 in Asia

#557 in the World

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

34. East China Normal University

#86 in Asia

#559 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 36,026
Founded: 1951

35. Northwestern Polytechnical University

#88 in Asia

#562 in the World

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

36. Hong Kong Baptist University

#95 in Asia

#594 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1956

37. Renmin University of China

#96 in Asia

#603 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 24,201
Founded: 1937

38. Lanzhou University

#99 in Asia

#614 in the World

Founded: 1909

39. Soochow University

#100 in Asia

#615 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 48,901
Founded: 1899

40. China Agricultural University

#101 in Asia

#618 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 1905

41. Hunan University

#110 in Asia

#663 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 36,000
Founded: 1926

42. Shanghai University

#112 in Asia

#670 in the World

Enrollment: 36,000
Founded: 1994

43. University of Science and Technology Beijing

#113 in Asia

#674 in the World

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1952

44. Zhengzhou University

#116 in Asia

#699 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1956

45. Shenzhen University

#118 in Asia

#701 in the World

Enrollment: 34,156
Founded: 1983

46. Northeastern University, China

#124 in Asia

#735 in the World

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

47. Xidian University

#126 in Asia

#747 in the World

Enrollment: 35,277
Founded: 1931

48. Jinan University

#127 in Asia

#748 in the World

Enrollment: 37,918
Founded: 1906

49. Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

#128 in Asia

#749 in the World

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

50. Beijing Jiaotong University

#134 in Asia

#762 in the World

Founded: 1896

51. East China University of Science and Technology

#142 in Asia

#799 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 26,000
Founded: 1952

52. Nanjing University of Science and Technology

#156 in Asia

#850 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1953

53. Southwest Jiaotong University

#162 in Asia

#866 in the World

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

54. Southwest University

#163 in Asia

#867 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 2005

55. Wuhan University of Technology

#170 in Asia

#884 in the World

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

56. University of Macau

#173 in Asia

#891 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Enrollment: 10,000

57. Ocean University of China

#174 in Asia

#892 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 26,000
Founded: 1924

58. Nanjing Agricultural University

#176 in Asia

#898 in the World

Founded: 1952

59. Northwest A&F University

#179 in Asia

#909 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1934

60. Central China Normal University

#182 in Asia

#913 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 32,000
Founded: 1903

61. Nanchang University

#188 in Asia

#931 in the World

Enrollment: 52,000
Founded: 1958

62. China University of Mining and Technology

#190 in Asia

#944 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1909

63. Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications

#192 in Asia

#946 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1955

64. Peking Union Medical College

#193 in Asia

#951 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Founded: 1917

65. Huazhong Agricultural University

#196 in Asia

#963 in the World

Enrollment: 26,196
Founded: 1898

66. National University of Defense Technology

#197 in Asia

#965 in the World

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

67. Donghua University

#198 in Asia

#969 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1951

68. South China Normal University

#200 in Asia

#972 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1933

69. Northeast Normal University

#207 in Asia

#987 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 28,024
Founded: 1946

70. Hefei University of Technology

#210 in Asia

#991 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 1945

71. Jiangsu University

#224 in Asia

#1025 in the World

Enrollment: 37,600
Founded: 1902

72. Nanjing Normal University

#225 in Asia

#1032 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1952

73. Hohai University

#231 in Asia

#1045 in the World

Founded: 1915

74. Henan University

#232 in Asia

#1046 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1912

75. Capital Medical University

#241 in Asia

#1072 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1960

76. Harbin Engineering University

#242 in Asia

#1073 in the World

Enrollment: 28,278
Founded: 1953

77. Jiangnan University

#248 in Asia

#1092 in the World

Enrollment: 28,000
Founded: 2001

78. Guangxi University

#252 in Asia

#1107 in the World

Founded: 1928

79. Beijing University of Chemical Technology

#253 in Asia

#1108 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1958

80. Qingdao University

#263 in Asia

#1131 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 46,000
Founded: 1985

81. South China Agricultural University

#264 in Asia

#1140 in the World

Enrollment: 60,588
Founded: 1909

82. Beijing University of Technology

#266 in Asia

#1150 in the World

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

83. Northwest University, China

#270 in Asia

#1164 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1912

84. Shaanxi Normal University

#276 in Asia

#1186 in the World

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

85. Yunnan University

#292 in Asia

#1246 in the World

Enrollment: 30,443
Founded: 1923

86. Fuzhou University

#293 in Asia

#1247 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1958

87. North China Electric Power University

#294 in Asia

#1249 in the World

Founded: 1958

88. Guizhou University

#298 in Asia

#1259 in the World

Founded: 1902

89. Nanjing Medical University

#304 in Asia

#1277 in the World

Enrollment: 17,000
Founded: 1934

90. Nanjing Tech University

#307 in Asia

#1282 in the World

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1958

91. Yangzhou University

#323 in Asia

#1323 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1902

92. Hunan Normal University

#327 in Asia

#1332 in the World

Founded: 1938

93. Guangdong University of Technology

#336 in Asia

#1359 in the World

Founded: 1956

94. Anhui University

#340 in Asia

#1369 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1928

95. Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology

#344 in Asia

#1382 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1960

96. Wenzhou Medical University

#345 in Asia

#1385 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 17,155
Founded: 1958

97. Chang'an University

#346 in Asia

#1386 in the World

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 2000

98. Hangzhou Dianzi University

#347 in Asia

#1391 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1956

99. Zhejiang University of Technology

#351 in Asia

#1399 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1953

100. Shandong Normal University

#355 in Asia

#1404 in the World

Founded: 1950

The best cities to study in China based on the number of universities and their ranks are Beijing, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, and Shanghai.

Average cost of living for students in China is $380 + $38-270 for rent (depends on where to live: dormitory, renting with a roommate or solo).