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Best universities in China 2024

Find out all about China’s top universities, and explore their world university ranking performance in 2024

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September 29 2023
Forbidden City, Beijing

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Top 10 universities in China 2024

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in China

China Ranking 2024 World University Ranking 2024 World University Ranking 2023 University Province/City
1 12 16 Tsinghua University Beijing
2 14 17 Peking University Beijing
3 43 52 Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai
4 44 51 Fudan University Shanghai
5 =55 67 Zhejiang University Hangzhou, Zhejiang
6 57 74 University of Science and Technology of China Hefei, Anhui
7 73  =95  Nanjing University Nanjing, Jiangsu
8 =150  =196  Sichuan University Chengdu, Sichuan
9 =158  =176  Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan, Hubei
10 =164 173 Wuhan University Harbin, Heilongjiang

Tsinghua University and Peking University are the top two universities in China this year, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024. Both institutions are based in China's capital city of Beijing. 

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Directives including Project 211, Project 985 and the Double First Class University Plan – which aim to improve the standards of the top 100 and top 40 Chinese universities – combined with huge national investment have seen China’s educational reputation rocket in recent years.

And who wouldn’t want to study in China? Home to almost 20 per cent of the people on Earth, China has one of the fastest developing economies. From cuisine to culture, China offers a unique experience.

The huge country boasts some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes on the planet, from the Rainbow Mountains in the Zhangye Danxia National Park to coastal fishing villages and vast cities that continue to expand. 

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5. Zhejiang University

Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China’s oldest and most selective universities. 

Research at the university covers 12 academic disciplines: agriculture, art, economics, education, engineering, history, law, literature, management, medicine, natural sciences and philosophy. 

A number of research centres are located on campus, including six national engineering research centres, three national key research centres of humanities and social sciences and 13 academies of independent studies. 

The university has strategic partnerships with more than 140 universities in 30 countries worldwide, including University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

4. Fudan University

Fudan University comprises four campuses in downtown Shanghai: Handan, Fenglin, Zhangjiang and Jiangwan.

The university takes a liberal arts approach to teaching, with a number of its courses taught in English.

Internationalisation is also a high priority at the institution with global connections and exchange programmes at almost 200 overseas universities including Sciences Po.

Students are also encouraged to go on international exchanges, with about 40 per cent electing to do this. 

The university is extremely selective, with fewer than 0.2 per cent of National College Entrance Examination (gao kao) takers being accepted. 

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3. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University is a major research university located in Shanghai, China. 

The university has 31 schools/departments, 31 research institutions, 13 affiliated hospitals, two affiliated medical research institutes, 20 directly affiliated units and five directly affiliated enterprises. 

Subjects taught at the university include mechanical engineering, physics, astronomy, humanities, media and design, international and public affairs and medicine among others. 

The university's International Student Union hosts a range of events, volunteering projects and activities to help international students connect with each other and the community. 

2. Peking University

Peking University is a member of the C9 league, which is similar to the Ivy League group in the US, and is generally one of the highest ranked institutions in China. 

It was the first modern national university in China, and since its founding in 1898, it has had a reputation as a leading educational institution.

The institution is renowned for its campuses in the Haidian district of northwest Beijing. It is home to some of the capital’s most prominent gardens and traditional architecture. Several gates lead in to campus, with the West Gate being the most well-known for the painted murals on its ceiling. 

The university has established joint degree programmes with The University of Tokyo to encourage international student exchanges. 

1. Tsinghua University

Tsinghua University is located in the Haidian district of northwest Beijing. It was established in 1911. 

Its 20 schools and 54 departments cover disciplines in art, economics, education, engineering, history, management, medicine, law, literature, philosophy and sciences.

It retains much of its traditional architecture, juxtaposed with many buildings built in a Western style, reflecting the historical American influence on the campus.

In terms of life outside of studying, the university has more than 110 student associations covering science and technology, sport, arts and public welfare. 

Many successful people in politics, academia and industry have graduated from Tsinghua University, including two Nobel prizewinners, physicists Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang.  

Top universities in China 2024

Click on each institution to see its full World University Rankings 2024 results.

China Ranking 2024 World University Ranking 2024 World University Ranking 2023 University Province/City
1 12 16 Tsinghua University Beijing
2 14 17 Peking University Beijing
3 43 52 Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai
4 44 51 Fudan University Shanghai
5 =55 67 Zhejiang University Hangzhou, Zhejiang
6 57 74 University of Science and Technology of China Hefei, Anhui
7 73  =95  Nanjing University Nanjing, Jiangsu
8 =150  =196  Sichuan University Chengdu, Sichuan
9 =158  =176  Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan, Hubei
10 =164 173 Wuhan University Harbin, Heilongjiang
11 =168  351–400  Harbin Institute of Technology Beijing
12 =177  251–300  Beijing Normal University Shanghai
13 =185  251–300  Tongji University Shenzhen, Guangdong
=14 201–250  =166  Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) Guangzhou, Guangdong
=14 201–250  251–300  Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou, Guangdong
=14 201–250  401–500  Tianjin University Tianjin
=17 251–300  501–600  Beijing Institute of Technology Beijing
=17 251–300  301–350  Nankai University Tianjin
=17 251–300  401–500  South China University of Technology Guangzhou, Guangdong
=17 251–300  501–600  Xi’an Jiaotong University Xi'an, Shaanxi
=21 301–350  501–600  Beihang University Beijing
=21 301–350  351–400  East China Normal University Shanghai
=21 301–350  501–600  Northwestern Polytechnical University Xi'an, Shaanxi
=21 301–350  401–500  Southeast University Nanjing, Jiangsu
=21 301–350  401–500  Xiamen University Xiamen, Fujian
=26 351–400  601–800  Chongqing University Chongqing
=26 351–400  401–500  University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, Sichuan
=26 351–400  401–500  Hunan University Guangzhou, Guangdong
=26 351–400  401–500  Shenzhen University Shenzhen, Guangdong
=26 351–400  401–500  Southern Medical University Guangzhou, Guangdong
31 401–500  601–800  Dalian University of Technology Dalian, Liaoning
=32 501–600  801–1000  China University of Petroleum, Beijing Beijing
=32 501–600  801–1000  Donghua University Shanghai
=32 501–600  601–800  Jinan University Guangzhou, Guangdong
=32 501–600  601–800  Shanghai University Suzhou, Jiangsu
=32 501–600  601–800  Soochow University, China Yangzhou, Jiangsu
=32 501–600  801–1000  Yangzhou University Beijing
=38 601–800  601–800  Capital Medical University Shanghai
=38 601–800  1001–1200  East China University of Science and Technology Guangzhou, Guangdong
=38 601–800  801–1000  Guangdong University of Technology Zhenjiang, Jiangsu
=38 601–800  601–800  Jiangsu University Nanjing, Jiangsu
=38 601–800  1001–1200  Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Nanjing, Jiangsu
=38 601–800  801–1000  Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing, Jiangsu
=38 601–800  801–1000  Nanjing Tech University Shenyang, Liaoning
=38 601–800  801–1000  Northeastern University, China Qingdao, Shandong
=38 601–800  601–800  Qingdao University Guangzhou, Guangdong
=38 601–800  801–1000  South China Normal University Suzhou, Jiangsu
=38 601–800  601–800  Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Xi'an, Shaanxi
=38 601–800  1001–1200  Xidian University Xi'an, Shaanxi
=38 601–800  501–600  Zhejiang Normal University Jinhua, Zhejiang
=38 601–800  601–800  Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou, Henan
=52 801–1000  501–600  Changsha University of Science and Technology Changsha, Hunan
=52 801–1000  801–1000  Chengdu University Chengdu, Sichuan
=52 801–1000  NR  China University of Petroleum (East China) Qingdao, Shandong
=52 801–1000  801–1000  Fuzhou University Fuzhou, Fujian
=52 801–1000  601–800  Guangzhou University Guangzhou, Guangdong
=52 801–1000  601–800  Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou, Guangdong
=52 801–1000  1201–1500  Harbin Engineering University Harbin, Heilongjiang
=52 801–1000  1001–1200  Jiangnan University Wuxi, Jiangsu
=52 801–1000  801–1000  Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Nanjing, Jiangsu
=52 801–1000  1001–1200  Nanjing Medical University Nanjing, Jiangsu
=52 801–1000  801–1000  Nanjing Normal University Nanjing, Jiangsu
=52 801–1000  1201–1500  North China Electric Power University Beijing
=52 801–1000  801–1000  Northeast Normal University Changchun, Jilin
=52 801–1000  801–1000  Shantou University Shantou, Guangdong
=52 801–1000  601–800  Wenzhou University Wenzhou, Zhejiang
=52 801–1000  801–1000  Wenzhou Medical University Wenzhou, Zhejiang
=52 801–1000  1001–1200  Zhejiang Gongshang University Hangzhou, Zhejiang
=69 1001–1200  1001–1200  China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing, Jiangsu
=69 1001–1200  1001–1200  Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou, Fujian
=69 1001–1200  1001–1200  Huaqiao University Quanzhou, Fujian
=69 1001–1200  1001–1200  Northwest University Xi'an, Shaanxi
=69 1001–1200  1001–1200  Shanghai Maritime University Shanghai
=69 1001–1200  801–1000  Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics Hangzhou, Zhejiang
=75 1201–1500  1001–1200  Jiangsu Normal University Xuzhou, Jiangsu
=75 1201–1500  1201–1500  University of Shanghai for Science and Technology Shanghai
=75 1201–1500  NR  University of South China Hengyang, Hunan
=75 1201–1500  NR  Southwest Petroleum University Chengdu, Sichuan
=75 1201–1500  1201–1500  Wuhan Textile University Wuhan, Hubei
=75 1201–1500  1201–1500  Xiangtan University Xiangtan, Hunan
=75 1201–1500  1201–1500  Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou, Jiangsu
=75 1201–1500  NR  Zhejiang Chinese Medical University Hangzhou, Zhejiang
=83 1501+  1501+  Communication University of China Beijing
=83 1501+  1201–1500  Jianghan University Wuhan, Hubei
=83 1501+  1501+  Sichuan University of Science and Engineering Zigong, Sichuan
=83 1501+  1501+  Yanshan University Qinhuangdao, Hebei

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