Nanjing University Admission Requirements 2027

Nanjing University is a national research university in Jiangsu province and a member of China's C9 League. Its international undergraduate programme is taught in Chinese, so most applicants need an HSK 5 certificate, while the university's English major instead asks for a modest IELTS or TOEFL score.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree

Applicants must be at least 18, hold a valid non-Chinese passport, be in good health, and hold a completed high school education or above. Almost all majors require an HSK Level 5 certificate with a score of at least 180; the English major instead requires IELTS 5.5 or above or TOEFL 70 or above. Architecture applicants also submit a portfolio of professional work.

Graduate

This record covers Nanjing University's undergraduate international programme, the clearest published international admission channel on the Institute for International Students' pages; graduate applicants apply through individual schools with their own requirements not detailed here.

Documents

Passport copy, high school graduation certificate and official score report, HSK Level 5 certificate with a score of at least 180 (or an IELTS or TOEFL result for the English major), a China Scholastic Competency Assessment report from the 2026-2027 cycle onward, two recommendation letters, a personal statement, and, for Architecture applicants, a portfolio of professional work.

How to apply

Prepare an HSK Level 5 certificate scoring at least 180, or an IELTS or TOEFL result if applying to the English major.
Sit the China Scholastic Competency Assessment, required for applicants from the 2026-2027 cycle onward.
Apply online within the published window, from March to May, with a 30 April deadline for the September intake.
Pay the 500 CNY registration fee and submit transcripts, recommendation letters and a personal statement.
Wait for the admission notice, issued between June and August.
Apply for the JW201 or JW202 form and an X1 student visa before travelling to China for September registration.

English test waiver

All undergraduate majors at Nanjing University are taught in Chinese except the English major, so most applicants need an HSK Level 5 certificate with a score of at least 180 rather than an IELTS or TOEFL result. The English major itself asks for IELTS 5.5 or above, or TOEFL 70 or above, which is the figure recorded here.