Universities in Guangdong
19 universities in Guangdong, China for international students — compare tuition, scholarships and CSCA admission requirements.
What it costs to study in Guangdong
Tuition requires programme and intake verification; catalogue amounts do not establish an annual fee. City living reference: about CNY 2,005 per month, excluding tuition.
Guangdong — China's largest provincial economy (GDP about ¥14.2 trillion in 2024, No. 1 for over three decades) and its manufacturing, trade and tech powerhouse — anchors the Greater Bay Area alongside Hong Kong and Macau. Its university apex is two Project 985 flagships, Sun Yat-sen University and South China University of Technology (both in Guangzhou), joined by a fast-rising cluster in Shenzhen and several strong medical schools. For international students it offers a globally connected, business-driven environment and English-taught programs in tier-one Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Why study in Guangdong?
- It has two genuine Project 985 universities — Sun Yat-sen University (top comprehensive) and South China University of Technology (engineering), both in Guangzhou. Neither is a C9 member, but both are national elite.
- It's China's economic No. 1: the largest provincial GDP for over three decades (about ¥14.2 trillion in 2024) and the country's leading manufacturing, export and high-tech hub — exceptional for business, engineering and tech careers.
- Shenzhen is a magnet for ambitious students: home to fast-rising, well-funded universities like Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) and Shenzhen University, and to companies such as Tencent, Huawei and BYD.
- It anchors the Greater Bay Area with Hong Kong and Macau — a gateway region with strong international business links — and runs its own Guangdong Provincial Government Scholarship for international students.
- One honest caveat: Guangzhou and Shenzhen are tier-one cities, so costs run toward the higher end for the province, and the subtropical climate is hot and humid for much of the year.
Flagship universities for international students
Guangdong has two genuine Project 985 universities, plus a fast-rising Shenzhen cluster. Be precise about tiers — Guangdong runs a PROVINCIAL "high-level university" program that is not the national 211/985, and several strong schools are Double First-Class (or provincial-key) but not 211. Neither 985 here is a C9 member. Choose for the program.
Guangdong's top comprehensive university — full Project 985 + 211 + Double First-Class (though not a C9 member). Broad strength across medicine, sciences, business and the humanities. Note: its clinical medicine for international students is taught in Chinese, not English (Guangdong's English-taught MBBS is at Southern Medical, Jinan, Guangzhou Medical and Shantou).
Guangdong's second Project 985 + 211 + Double First-Class university (not C9) — an engineering and technology powerhouse, strong in materials, chemistry, light industry, architecture and business.
A young, well-funded research university in Shenzhen — Double First-Class (in Mathematics) but NOT 985 or 211 (it's too new for those legacy programs). A rising name for science and engineering with heavy English-medium teaching.
Not a 985/211 or Double First-Class school — but a richly funded Guangdong "high-level university" in Shenzhen, fast-rising and well-regarded, with strong ties to the city's tech industry.
A strong Guangzhou medical university — note it holds no national 985/211/Double First-Class label — but it is on the Ministry of Education's list to teach clinical medicine (MBBS) in English to international students (one of the larger intakes). Read our Study MBBS in China guide first — a Chinese MBBS is a degree, not a licence to practise back home.
Double First-Class in Chinese Medicine — but, like several specialists here, Double First-Class only, NEITHER 985 NOR 211. A leading choice if Chinese medicine is your field.
Cost of living & tuition
Guangdong's flagship cities — Guangzhou and Shenzhen — are tier-one, so costs run toward the higher end for the province. As rough planning figures (not official tariffs, varying by university and program): undergraduate tuition commonly runs about ¥20,000–45,000/year — at Sun Yat-sen University, for example, international undergraduate rates start around ¥26,000 for humanities and run higher for science, medicine and the arts — with English-taught MBBS higher (around ¥54,000/year at Southern Medical University). Living costs run roughly ¥2,500–6,000/month, with a frugal dorm-based budget often near ¥4,000–4,500/month. Always confirm exact tuition and dormitory fees with each university.
Scholarships in Guangdong
Beyond the national Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC), Guangdong runs its own Guangdong Provincial Government Scholarship for International Students (广东省政府来粤留学生奖学金), established in 2013 and administered by the provincial education department through its universities. Its published per-year amounts are around ¥10,000 for undergraduates, ¥20,000 for master's and ¥30,000 for doctoral students. Several Guangdong universities, and the city of Shenzhen, also run their own awards. Confirm current amounts and eligibility on each university's admissions page.
Admission & the CSCA
Guangdong's Chinese-Government-Scholarship universities — including Sun Yat-sen University, South China University of Technology and others — fall within the CSCA's scope: from the 2026/27 intake, international undergraduate applicants to these universities sit the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (expanding to all universities by 2028). It tests Academic Chinese plus Mathematics (compulsory) and optional Physics and Chemistry — and the maths and science papers can be taken in English. Chinese-taught undergraduate programs also typically require HSK 4; English-taught programs differ. Prepare the maths and science papers with CSCA practice.
Practice for the CSCA| University | City | Tuition | Bachelor programs | Scholarship | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College | Zhuhai | Check programme evidence | 4 | — | |
| Dongguan University of Technology | Dongguan | Check programme evidence | 1 | — | |
| Guangdong University of Finance & Economics | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 4 | — | |
| Guangdong University of Foreign Studies | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 3 | Yes | HSK-exempt |
| Guangdong University of Technology | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 4 | Yes | |
| Guangzhou Medical University | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 1 | — | |
| Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 1 | — | |
| Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen | Shenzhen | Check programme evidence | 19 | Yes | |
| Jinan University | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 60 | Yes | HSK-exempt |
| Lingnan Normal University | Zhanjiang | Check programme evidence | 13 | — | |
| Shantou University | Shantou | Check programme evidence | 3 | — | |
| Shantou University Medical College | Shantou | Check programme evidence | 4 | — | |
| Shenzhen University | Shenzhen | Check programme evidence | 10 | Yes | |
| South China Agricultural University | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | — | Yes | |
| South China Normal University | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 2 | — | |
| South China University of Technology | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 36 | — | |
| Southern Medical University | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 7 | — | |
| Southern University of Science and Technology | Shenzhen | Check programme evidence | 5 | — | |
| Sun Yat-sen University | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | 67 | — |
Admission to these universities runs through the CSCA exam
International undergraduate admission to universities in Guangdong generally requires taking the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) exam (Mathematics is compulsory; Physics and Chemistry may be required depending on your university and major). Start preparing for free.
Scholarships in Guangdong
Scholarships available at universities in Guangdong.
All Scholarships (1)
Guangdong's provincial scholarship — published amounts ~¥10,000 (bachelor) / ¥20,000 (master) / ¥30,000 (doctoral) per year.
Frequently asked questions
How many universities in Guangdong accept international students?
19 universities in Guangdong, China are listed for international undergraduate admission, across 6 cities. Most are admitted through the CSCA exam.
How much does it cost to study a bachelor in Guangdong?
Tuition requires programme and intake verification; catalogue amounts do not establish an annual fee. City living reference: about CNY 2,005 per month, excluding tuition.
Do I need the CSCA exam to study in Guangdong?
Yes — admission to most universities in Guangdong for international undergraduates runs through the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) exam. Mathematics is compulsory; Physics and Chemistry may be required depending on the university and major.
Which is the best university in Guangdong for international students?
Sun Yat-sen University and South China University of Technology are the two Project 985 flagships, both in Guangzhou (neither is a C9 member). In Shenzhen, Southern University of Science and Technology (Double First-Class) and Shenzhen University are fast-rising, well-funded options, and South China Normal (211) and several medical schools round out the field.
Are SUSTech and Shenzhen University 985 universities?
No. Southern University of Science and Technology is Double First-Class but not 985 or 211 (it's too new for those programs), and Shenzhen University holds no national 985/211/Double First-Class label — it's a Guangdong provincial "high-level" university. Both are well-funded and rising, but be wary of sources that imply national-project status. Note also that a "广东省211" label refers to a provincial program, not the national 211.
Can I study MBBS in English in Guangdong?
Yes — the Guangdong universities on the Ministry of Education's list to teach clinical medicine (MBBS) in English to international students are Southern Medical University, Jinan University, Guangzhou Medical University and Shantou University. (Sun Yat-sen University is NOT on the list — it teaches clinical medicine to international students in Chinese, not English, despite outdated agent-site listings.) The list is reissued annually, so confirm current status and seats with the university — and note a Chinese MBBS is a degree, not a licence to practise back home; read our Study MBBS in China guide.
Does Guangdong have a provincial scholarship?
Yes — the Guangdong Provincial Government Scholarship for International Students (广东省政府来粤留学生奖学金), with published amounts around ¥10,000/year for undergraduates, ¥20,000 for master's and ¥30,000 for doctoral students, alongside the national CSC and university- and city-level awards. Confirm current terms with each university.
Do I need to take the CSCA to study in Guangdong?
If you're applying for an undergraduate program at a Chinese-Government-Scholarship university like Sun Yat-sen University, then from the 2026/27 intake yes — the CSCA is required, expanding to all universities by 2028. It tests Academic Chinese plus Maths (compulsory) and optional Physics/Chemistry, with the science papers available in English.