Project 985 Universities for International Students
The complete list of 39 Project 985 Universities admitting international students through the CSCA exam — compare tuition, scholarships and admission requirements.
What does this label mean?
Project 985 (985工程) is a 1998 national initiative that funded 39 universities to reach "world-class" status. The label was frozen years ago — no university can join or leave — which is exactly why employers and graduate schools still trust it as a shorthand for the top ~2% of Chinese higher education.
For international students the practical meaning is: hardest CSCA score bars, strongest scholarships (most 985s stack the provincial/CSC awards on top of university ones), and degrees with the highest name recognition back home. Note that a "branch campus" of a 985 is not automatically 985-funded — this list only tags the campuses that are.
| University | City | Tuition (intl. UG) | Tier | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beihang University | Beijing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Beijing Institute of Technology | Beijing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Beijing Normal University | Beijing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Central South University | Changsha | Check programme evidence | ||
| China Agricultural University | Beijing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Chongqing University | Chongqing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Dalian University of Technology | Dalian | Check programme evidence | ||
| East China Normal University | Shanghai | Check programme evidence | ||
| Fudan University | Shanghai | Check programme evidence | ||
| Harbin Institute of Technology | Harbin | Check programme evidence | HSK-exempt | |
| Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen | Shenzhen | Check programme evidence | ||
| Huazhong University of Science and Technology | Wuhan | Check programme evidence | HSK-exempt | |
| Hunan University | Changsha | Check programme evidence | ||
| Jilin University | Changchun | Check programme evidence | ||
| Lanzhou University | Lanzhou | Check programme evidence | ||
| MinZu University of China | Beijing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Nanjing University | Nanjing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Nankai University | Tianjin | Check programme evidence | ||
| Northeastern University | Shenyang | Check programme evidence | ||
| Northwest A&F University | Yangling | Check programme evidence | HSK-exempt | |
| Northwestern Polytechnical University | Xi'an | Check programme evidence | ||
| Ocean University of China | Qingdao | Check programme evidence | ||
| Peking University | Beijing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Renmin University of China | Beijing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Shandong University | Jinan | Check programme evidence | ||
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Shanghai | Check programme evidence | ||
| Sichuan University | Chengdu | Check programme evidence | ||
| South China University of Technology | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | ||
| Southeast University | Nanjing | Check programme evidence | ||
| Sun Yat-sen University | Guangzhou | Check programme evidence | ||
| Tianjin University | Tianjin | Check programme evidence | ||
| Tongji University | Shanghai | Check programme evidence | ||
| Tsinghua University | Beijing | Check programme evidence | ||
| University of Electronic Science and Technology of China | Chengdu | Check programme evidence | ||
| University of Science and Technology of China | Hefei | Check programme evidence | ||
| Wuhan University | Wuhan | Check programme evidence | HSK-exempt | |
| Xi'an Jiaotong University | Xi'an | Check programme evidence | ||
| Xiamen University | Xiamen | Check programme evidence | ||
| Zhejiang University | Hangzhou | Check programme evidence |
Admission runs through the CSCA exam
These universities admit international undergraduates via the CSCA. The higher the tier, the more the score matters — start practicing early.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is 985 admission through the CSCA?
The score bar varies by university and program, but 985s consistently sit at the top of the CSCA score distribution. Treat the math section as non-negotiable — most 985 STEM programs weight it heavily.
Are all 985 universities also 211 and Double First-Class?
Yes. 985 is a strict subset of 211, and every 985/211 university was carried into the Double First-Class scheme. The reverse is not true.