Universities in Jilin
8 universities in Jilin, China for international students — compare tuition, scholarships and CSCA admission requirements.
What it costs to study in Jilin
Tuition requires programme and intake verification; catalogue amounts do not establish an annual fee. City living reference: about CNY 1,125 per month, excluding tuition.
Jilin — a north-eastern (Dongbei) province with its capital at Changchun — is anchored by Jilin University, a Project 985 university and one of the largest and most comprehensive in the country. Changchun is China's automotive heartland, home to the FAW Group and the Hongqi marque, and it pairs Jilin University with Northeast Normal University (a strong 211) and English-taught MBBS. For international students it offers 985-level breadth, a full provincial scholarship and low north-eastern costs.
Why study in Jilin?
- Jilin University is the flagship — a full Project 985 + 211 + Double First-Class university, and one of China's largest and most comprehensive (not a C9 member) — with a huge range of programs across the sciences, engineering, medicine and humanities.
- Changchun is China's automotive heartland — home to the FAW Group (maker of the Hongqi marque) and FAW-Volkswagen — with strong industry ties for engineering students.
- It teaches clinical medicine (MBBS) in English to international students at Jilin University (its Bethune medical schools) and Beihua University.
- It runs a genuinely generous provincial scholarship — the Jilin Provincial Government Scholarship, a full award averaging about ¥30,000/year with a monthly living stipend.
- It's affordable — undergraduate tuition runs roughly ¥19,000–25,000/year, with low north-eastern living costs (estimates).
Flagship universities for international students
Jilin is led by a Project 985 (Jilin University) over a strong 211 (Northeast Normal); the rest are provincial. Be precise about tiers, and don't confuse Jilin University with Jilin Normal University. Choose for the program.
The province's flagship — a full Project 985 + 211 + Double First-Class university (not a C9 member), and one of China's largest and most comprehensive. Its Bethune medical schools teach clinical medicine (MBBS) in English to international students.
A Project 211 + Double First-Class university (NOT a 985) — one of China's leading teacher-training universities, strong in education, ecology and the humanities, in Changchun.
A provincial comprehensive university in Jilin City (no national tier label) — but it is on the MOE list to teach clinical medicine (MBBS) in English to international students, making it a route into English-taught medicine outside the flagships.
A provincial TCM university (no national tier label) — a specialist choice for traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacy.
A provincial engineering university (no national tier label) — practical strengths in materials, mechanical and chemical engineering, fitting Changchun's manufacturing base.
A provincial teacher-training university (no national tier label), in Siping — note it is a different school from Jilin University and from Northeast Normal University.
Cost of living & tuition
Jilin is affordable. As rough planning figures (varying by university and program): standard undergraduate tuition runs roughly ¥19,000–25,000/year, with medicine (including English-taught MBBS) higher. Living costs run about ¥2,000–4,000/month depending on lifestyle — the north-eastern winter adds heating and clothing costs to budget for. These are estimates — always confirm exact tuition and dormitory fees with each university.
Scholarships in Jilin
Beyond the national Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC), Jilin runs its own Jilin Provincial Government Scholarship for Foreign Students (吉林省政府外国留学生奖学金) — a genuinely generous, largely full award reported to average around ¥30,000 per person per year (all-inclusive), of which the basic living allowance is about ¥1,700/month paid for ten months of the year. It is awarded through the province's universities; confirm current terms and quotas on each university's admissions page.
Admission & the CSCA
Jilin's Chinese-Government-Scholarship universities — including Jilin University and Northeast Normal 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; English-taught programs differ. Prepare the maths and science papers with CSCA practice.
Practice for the CSCA| University | City | Tuition | Bachelor programs | Scholarship | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beihua University | Jilin | Check programme evidence | 1 | — | |
| Changchun University | Changchun | Check programme evidence | — | — | |
| Changchun University of Chinese Medicine | Changchun | Check programme evidence | — | — | |
| Changchun University of Technology | Changchun | Check programme evidence | 12 | — | |
| Jilin Normal University | Siping | Check programme evidence | 1 | — | |
| Jilin University | Changchun | Check programme evidence | 3 | — | |
| Northeast Normal University | Changchun | Check programme evidence | 3 | — | |
| Yanbian University | Yanji | Check programme evidence | — | Yes |
Admission to these universities runs through the CSCA exam
International undergraduate admission to universities in Jilin 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 Jilin
Scholarships available at universities in Jilin.
All Scholarships (2)
Jilin University's "Golden Bean" International Student Scholarships
Scholarship Content:Jilin University "Jindou" International Student Scholarship is a scholarship for international students established by Jilin Jindou Group Company Limited, which aims to reward international students with good character and excellent academic performance. It aims to reward international students with good academic performance and encourage them to make contributions to the friendly relations between their home countries and China. The scholarship is for self-funded students of Jilin University...
Jilin's provincial scholarship — a largely full award averaging ~¥30,000/year, with a ~¥1,700/month living allowance (paid 10 months).
Frequently asked questions
How many universities in Jilin accept international students?
8 universities in Jilin, China are listed for international undergraduate admission, across 4 cities. Most are admitted through the CSCA exam.
How much does it cost to study a bachelor in Jilin?
Tuition requires programme and intake verification; catalogue amounts do not establish an annual fee. City living reference: about CNY 1,125 per month, excluding tuition.
Do I need the CSCA exam to study in Jilin?
Yes — admission to most universities in Jilin 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 Jilin for international students?
Jilin University is the flagship — a full Project 985 and one of China's largest, most comprehensive universities. Northeast Normal University is the strong 211 below it. For English-taught MBBS, both Jilin University (Bethune) and Beihua University are options. Choose for your field.
Can I study MBBS in English in Jilin?
Yes — Jilin University (through its Bethune medical schools) and Beihua University are both on the Ministry of Education's list to teach clinical medicine (MBBS) in English to international students. The list is reissued annually — 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.
Is studying in Jilin cheap?
Yes — undergraduate tuition runs roughly ¥19,000–25,000/year and living costs about ¥2,000–4,000/month, low by national standards (budget for winter heating and clothing). Treat these as estimates and confirm with each university.
Does Jilin have a provincial scholarship?
Yes — the Jilin Provincial Government Scholarship for Foreign Students, a largely full award reported to average around ¥30,000/year with a monthly living allowance of about ¥1,700 (paid ten months a year), alongside the national CSC. Confirm current terms with each university.
Do I need to take the CSCA to study in Jilin?
If you're applying for an undergraduate program at a Chinese-Government-Scholarship university like Jilin University or Northeast Normal, 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.