Universities in Hunan
7 universities in Hunan, China for international students — compare tuition, scholarships and CSCA admission requirements.
What it costs to study in Hunan
Tuition requires programme and intake verification; catalogue amounts do not establish an annual fee. City living reference: about CNY 1,271 per month, excluding tuition.
Hunan — capital Changsha — quietly has one of China's densest concentrations of elite universities: three Project 985 institutions in one city (Central South University, Hunan University and the military National University of Defense Technology), the third-most of any Chinese city after Beijing and Shanghai. Of the three, only the military NUDT is closed to regular international students; the main gateway for internationals is Central South University, whose Xiangya medical school (founded 1914 with Yale) is one of China's two most storied — and Hunan University, home of the 1,000-year-old Yuelu Academy, is the province's second civilian 985. Changsha itself pairs this with the lowest house-price-to-income ratio of any major Chinese city and a 17-year streak as the country's "happiest city" — an unusually high education-to-cost ratio.
Why study in Hunan?
- Three Project 985 universities in one city — Central South University, Hunan University (built around the 1,000-year-old Yuelu Academy, founded 976 AD) and the National University of Defense Technology — the third-most of any Chinese city. None is a C9 member, and NUDT is a military academy that does not admit regular international students.
- Medicine with real heritage: Central South's Xiangya School of Medicine was founded in 1914 with the Yale-China Association — the "south Xiangya, north Union Medical" saying pairs it with Peking Union as China's historic top two. Note: its international undergraduate medicine is taught in CHINESE (HSK 5) — no Hunan school currently offers English-taught MBBS.
- China's cheapest big city to live in: Changsha repeatedly records the lowest house-price-to-income ratio among major Chinese cities and has been named the country's "happiest city" for 17 consecutive years; a realistic student budget is about ¥1,500–2,500/month.
- It's an industrial heavyweight in its niche: Changsha is China's construction-machinery capital (about 30% of national output; Sany and Zoomlion are global top-10), and its GDP passed ¥1.5 trillion in 2024.
- It runs its own Hunan Provincial International Student Scholarship (undergraduate ¥15,000/year), applied through your university.
Flagship universities for international students
Hunan's apex is Central South University (Xiangya medicine); Hunan University, home of the 1,000-year Yuelu Academy, is the province's second civilian 985; and the military NUDT does not admit regular international students. Below them sit a 211 and strong provincial specialists. Be precise about tiers: Xiangtan University is Double First-Class but NOT a 211. Choose for the program.
Hunan's flagship for international students — full Project 985 + 211 + Double First-Class (five disciplines including materials, metallurgy and mining; not a C9 member), with the storied Xiangya School of Medicine and 2,200+ international students. Its undergraduate medicine for internationals is Chinese-taught (HSK 5) — there is no English-taught MBBS in Hunan.
One of the province's three Project 985 universities — also Project 211 and Double First-Class in chemistry, mechanical and electrical engineering (not a C9 member). Its campus contains the Yuelu Academy, a working academy founded in 976 AD (the 'thousand-year academy'), and it is strong in engineering, business and design.
A Project 211 + Double First-Class university (its discipline is Foreign Languages and Literatures) — NOT a 985 — founded 1938, strong in languages, humanities and teacher education, and a popular host for CSC and Chinese-language students.
Double First-Class in Mathematics (added in the 2022 round) — but NOT a 211 or 985, a common inflation. Founded in 1958 at Mao Zedong's initiative and a 1978 national key university; strong in computational maths, law and materials. Note it is in Xiangtan city, ~45 minutes from Changsha.
A provincial key university (no national 985/211/Double First-Class label) with a strong employment niche: electric power, transportation/highway and civil engineering, formed from the historic transport and electric-power institutes.
A provincial key university in Xiangtan (its "double first-class" label is Hunan's PROVINCIAL scheme, not the national list) — known for mining and marine engineering: its Hainiu II seabed drilling rig set a 231-metre world record in 2021.
Cost of living & tuition
Hunan is one of the cheapest places in China to be a student in a major city. Official Central South University tuition (per year): humanities ¥20,000, science and engineering ¥23,000, medicine/arts ¥30,000 (Chinese-taught); dorms run about ¥3,500–8,000 per YEAR (roughly ¥300–700/month), and CSU's own printed living estimate is about ¥1,500/month. Provincial universities typically charge less (roughly ¥14,000–20,000/year — estimate; check each brochure). Changsha's overall cost advantage is real: the lowest house-price-to-income ratio among China's major cities. Always confirm exact fees with each university.
Scholarships in Hunan
Beyond the national Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC), Hunan runs the Hunan Provincial International Student Scholarship (湖南省国际学生奖学金, renamed in 2022 from the earlier "foreign student" scholarship): published amounts are ¥15,000/year for undergraduates, ¥20,000 for master's and ¥25,000 for doctoral students (with an associate-degree tier of ¥12,000 and a Belt-and-Road language-student tier of ¥15,000). Per-university quotas are small, selection is annual, applications go through your university, and it cannot be combined with the CSC scholarship. Confirm current terms on each university's admissions page.
Admission & the CSCA
Hunan's Chinese-Government-Scholarship universities — led by Central South University — 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 (CSU's medicine requires HSK 5); prepare the maths and science papers with CSCA practice.
Practice for the CSCA| University | City | Tuition | Bachelor programs | Scholarship | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central South University | Changsha | Check programme evidence | 79 | Yes | |
| Changsha University of Science & Technology | Changsha | Check programme evidence | — | — | |
| Huaihua University | Huaihua | Check programme evidence | 10 | — | |
| Hunan Normal University | Changsha | Check programme evidence | 17 | — | |
| Hunan University | Changsha | Check programme evidence | — | — | |
| Hunan University of Science and Technology | Xiangtan | Check programme evidence | 17 | — | |
| Xiangtan University | Xiangtan | Check programme evidence | — | — |
Admission to these universities runs through the CSCA exam
International undergraduate admission to universities in Hunan 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 Hunan
Scholarships available at universities in Hunan.
All Scholarships (2)
Xiangtan University Scholarship for Outstanding International Students
Xiangtan University Outstanding International Students Scholarship is designed to reward undergraduate, master's degree and doctoral students who have excelled in their studies at Xiangtan University. The number of Outstanding International Student Scholarships is 15% of the total number of international students enrolled in Xiangtan University in each academic year, and the award amount is 30% of the total number of international students enrolled in undergraduate...
Hunan's provincial scholarship — ¥15,000 (bachelor) / ¥20,000 (master) / ¥25,000 (doctoral) per year; small per-university quotas.
Frequently asked questions
How many universities in Hunan accept international students?
7 universities in Hunan, China are listed for international undergraduate admission, across 3 cities. Most are admitted through the CSCA exam.
How much does it cost to study a bachelor in Hunan?
Tuition requires programme and intake verification; catalogue amounts do not establish an annual fee. City living reference: about CNY 1,271 per month, excluding tuition.
Do I need the CSCA exam to study in Hunan?
Yes — admission to most universities in Hunan 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 Hunan for international students?
Central South University — a full Project 985 with the storied Xiangya School of Medicine and Hunan's main gateway for international students. Hunan University (the second civilian 985, home of the 1,000-year Yuelu Academy) and the military NUDT complete Changsha's three 985s, but NUDT does not admit regular international students. Below them, Hunan Normal (211, languages) and Xiangtan University (Double First-Class mathematics) lead the field.
Can I study MBBS in English in Hunan?
No — as of the most recent published MOE list (2023–24), NO Hunan university is authorised to teach clinical medicine (MBBS) in English to international students. Agent websites still advertising "Central South University English MBBS" are outdated: CSU's international undergraduate medicine is taught in Chinese and requires HSK 5. If English-taught MBBS is essential, look at provinces like Liaoning, Sichuan or Fujian — and read our Study MBBS in China guide first.
Is Changsha really that cheap to live in?
For a major city, yes — Changsha repeatedly records the lowest house-price-to-income ratio among China's big cities and has been named the country's "happiest city" for 17 straight years. A realistic student budget is about ¥1,500–2,500/month (CSU's own printed estimate is ¥1,500/month), with university dorms around ¥300–700/month.
Does Hunan have a provincial scholarship?
Yes — the Hunan Provincial International Student Scholarship: ¥15,000/year (undergraduate), ¥20,000 (master's), ¥25,000 (doctoral), applied through your university with small annual quotas, and not stackable with the CSC scholarship.
Do I need to take the CSCA to study in Hunan?
If you're applying for an undergraduate program at a Chinese-Government-Scholarship university like Central South 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.
Sources
- Central South University — international students (official)
- China MOE — Double First-Class (双一流) university list (2022)
- China MOE — English-taught MBBS list & quotas (2023–24 notice)
- Hunan Provincial International Student Scholarship rules (2022, via HNUCM)
- Yuelu Academy (Hunan provincial government)
- China Scholarship Council (CSC) — campuschina.org