Universities

Beihang University (BUAA), formerly Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, was founded in 1952 as China's first university focused on aerospace technology. Since the 1950s it has been one of 16 key state universities. It has grown into a science and technology university with aerospace features, combining science, engineering, liberal arts, law, economics, management, and education. Doctoral programs in 49 fields, master's in 144 fields, bachelor's in 57 subjects. The university has 28 schools and about 130 professional laboratories, of which 35 are listed as state or ministry key laboratories. Campus is in western Beijing near Zhongguancun. International education began in the early 1990s. By the end of 2011, over 1,100 international students were enrolled, including over 700 degree students (doctoral, master, or bachelor).

Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) is a key university under the Ministry of Education of China. Founded in Yan’an in 1941, it was the first Chinese institution specialized in foreign language studies and has a long history among universities of this type. It offers a full range of degrees and programs and has a large number of foreign language programs. It is known for foreign language and literature teaching and research, and trains people for work in foreign languages, culture, diplomacy, journalism, and international business. BFSU has 13 schools, colleges, and institutes, 7 academic departments, and many research centers. Schools and institutes include the School of English and International Studies, School of English for Special Purposes, School of Russian Language, Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation, School of International Business, School of Chinese Language and Literature, School of International Relations and Diplomacy, Law School, School of Asian and African Languages, School of European Languages and Cultures, School of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Continuing Education College (Training College), and the Institute of Online Education. Departments cover German, French, Japanese, Spanish, Arabic, Computer Science, and Physical Education. Research centers include the Beijing Center for Japanese Studies, European and American Literature Research Center, Foreign Languages Research Center, International Issues Research Center, and an American Studies Center

Beijing Forestry University (BFU) is a national key university under the Ministry of Education of China, based in Haidian District, Beijing. Founded in 1952, it began as a forestry college and is now multi-disciplinary, with leading strengths in forestry, biology, and forestry engineering, plus courses in sciences, engineering, management, economics, liberal arts, law, and philosophy. Besides undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education, it offers further education and international student education. It has 57 undergraduate subjects, 15 undergraduate schools, 116 graduate disciplines, and 39 doctoral disciplines. There are 495 full/associate professors, including 127 PhD supervisors and 5 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE). Strong fields include landscape architecture, biological science, forestry silviculture, and soil and water conservation. About 13,000 undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students study at BFU. International students are welcome from language learners to postdoctoral researchers. By 2013, about 2,500 international students had enrolled, from countries including Korea, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Indonesia, Austria, Italy, Finland, France, Turkey, Vietnam, and Mongolia. Since 2007, BFU has admitted Chinese Government Scholarship students and is listed as a recipient university of the Beijing Municipal Government Scholarship

Founded in 1940, Beijing Institute of Technology is a science- and engineering-focused university located in China’s capital. It comprises 19 schools and delivers 64 undergraduate, 196 graduate, and 95 doctoral programmes across disciplines including engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, mathematics, business, law, design art, and foreign languages. The campus hosts over 27,000 full-time students, including more than 1,200 international students from 90 countries. With 3,504 faculty members—including academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering—the university maintains nine national key disciplines and five national key laboratories. Its academic structure integrates science, engineering, and liberal arts, with research activity concentrated in nationally designated centres and laboratories. BIT’s location in Beijing supports sustained engagement with national strategic priorities in technology and innovation.

Beijing Jiaotong University, founded in 1896 during the Qing Dynasty, is a centrally located university in Beijing with over 22,000 full-time students and a teaching staff of 2,842, including 286 full professors. It comprises 12 schools and maintains 120 graduate programmes, 60 doctoral programmes, and 13 post-doctoral research stations. The university hosts 22 research institutes and centres, alongside 39 laboratories spanning diverse academic fields. Twelve of its disciplines are designated as key ministerial priorities. BJTU has welcomed international students since it became one of the first Chinese universities authorised by the central government to do so, and has hosted learners from more than 100 countries. Its School of Software Engineering is among China’s 37 national pilot software engineering schools and follows CDIO-based pedagogy.

Beijing Normal University (BNU) was founded in 1902. It is a major university in Beijing that has received strong national support, including through the "211" and "985" projects. Structure: 1 Faculty, 23 colleges and schools, 2 departments, and 37 institutes. BNU signed an agreement with the Ministry of Education and Beijing Municipal Government and became the 10th university on a special support list aiming for world prestige. It has 108 doctoral programs, 153 master's programs, 60 bachelor's programs, and 25 post-doctoral programs. It has 16 national key disciplines (5 general and 11 specialized). BNU has cooperative agreements with 300 institutions in over 30 countries, and over 50 student exchange partners in Asia, Europe, and North America. Joint Confucius Institutes are named with: University of Manchester (UK); San Francisco State University (US); University of Oklahoma (US); Université de Sherbrooke and Dawson College (Canada); Aalborg University (Denmark); University of Macerata (Italy); and the College of William and Mary (US).

Beijing Technology and Business University (BTBU) was established in 1950. It is a key university of the Beijing Municipal Government, with particular strength in food science and business management. It offers bachelor's and master's programs across Economics, Management, Engineering, Sciences, Arts, Law, History, and Philosophy. A doctoral program in Accounting and Finance is provided jointly with Central University of Finance and Economics. After school reorganizations, BTBU has 10 schools and 1 department, providing 1 doctoral program, 35 master's programs, and 47 undergraduate programs. Schools named: Science; Food Science and Chemical Engineering; Material Science and Mechanical Engineering; Computer and Information Engineering; Economics; Business; Law/Marxism; Foreign Languages; Art and Communication; Continuing Education. The department is Physical Education and Art Education. In 2012: 1,338 staff and faculty; 822 full-time faculty, including 128 professors and 339 associate professors and lecturers; about 50% of full-time faculty hold doctorates.

Founded in 1958, Beijing University of Chemical Technology is a national key university located across three campuses in Beijing: the east campus on Beisanhuan East Road, the west campus near Zizhuyuan Park, and the north campus adjacent to the Ming Tombs Scenic Area. It maintains science and engineering as its academic foundation while expanding into management, economics, law, humanities, education, philosophy, and life sciences. The university comprises twelve colleges, including Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and International Education, and hosts doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate programmes across more than forty disciplines. Its academic staff includes over seven hundred full and associate professors, alongside eight academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. With nearly thirty-one thousand students, the university supports a diverse cohort of domestic and international learners. English-taught master’s programmes are offered in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering (Macromolecules).

Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), established in 1956 in Beijing, specialises in traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese Materia Medica. It has been included in Project 211 and Project 985. Teaching combines classroom study, clinical practice, and research for domestic and international degree students.

Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT) was established in 1955. It is directly administered by the Ministry of Education and co-built by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It was among the first "Project 211" universities and is included in the "Project 985 Innovation Platform for Superior Discipline". BUPT is a multidisciplinary research-oriented university focused on engineering and sciences, with coordinated development of management, humanities, and sciences, and particular strength in information technology. It is described as an important talent base for China's IT industry. It has 19 academic units (including the School of Information and Communication Engineering, School of Electronic Engineering, School of Computer Science, and others) and 3 research institutes. "Information and Communication Engineering" and "Computer Science and Technology" were included in China's "double first-class" discipline list. In the Fourth Round National Evaluation of Disciplinary Development, Information and Communication Engineering, Computer Science and Technology, and Electronic Science and Technology were evaluated as A Class or above, with ICE as A+. In 2016, BUPT professors participated as core members in "Key Technologies in 4G Mobile Communication System and Applications" and won a Special National Award for Science and Technology Progress. In the 2012 national discipline evaluation, Information and Communication Engineering ranked 1st nationwide.

Beijing University of Technology (BJUT) was founded in 1960. It is a key university under the Beijing Municipal Government. It offers programs and research across science, engineering, economics, management, literature, law, philosophy, education, and art. In 1981 it was among the first universities authorized by the Ministry of Education to award master's degrees. In 1985 it gained the right to award doctoral degrees. In December 1996 it was approved under the national "211 Project" as one of about 100 key universities for the 21st century. In the 2013 QS Asian University Rankings it was ranked #126 in Asia and #29 among Chinese universities. BJUT has 3 national key disciplines: Optical Engineering, Materials Science, and Structural Engineering; 39 Beijing municipal key disciplines; 18 first-category doctoral programs; 71 second-category doctoral programs; 31 first-category master's programs; 139 second-category master's programs; and 17 post-doctoral programs. The College of International Education (CIE) supports international students.

The Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) began as the National College of Music in 1940 and later merged with other Chinese music education institutions. It trains high-level musical specialists and is the only fine-arts university in China listed in the "211 Project". Departments and colleges include Musicology, Composition, Conducting, Piano, Voice and Opera, Orchestral Instruments, Traditional Chinese Musical Instruments, Music Education, Orchestra Academy, Science and Technology (Electro-Acoustic Music Center, Institute of Music Therapy, Violin Making Center, Voice Research Center), Musicology Institute, Music Education College for Distance Learning, Continuing Education College, and attached primary and middle school. Teaching staff: 389, including 52 PhD supervisors, 207 master's supervisors, 119 professors, and 223 associate professors. CCOM was among the first institutions able to confer doctoral degrees in China and, in 2001, had the first post-doctoral station among Academies of Fine Arts, approved by the Academic Degrees Committee, Human Resources Department of the State Council, and Ministry of Education. The Musicology Institute (set up 2003) is described as the only Ministry of Education key Institute of Humanities and Social Science among Academies of Fine Arts. Orchestra Academy was established in 2005, described as the first of its kind in Asia for training orchestra players.

Founded in 1949 in central Beijing, Central University of Finance and Economics began as the Central Institute of Taxation and evolved through several institutional phases before adopting its current name in 1996. It operates under the Ministry of Education and focuses primarily on economics, management, law, arts, sciences, and engineering. The university maintains its main campus in downtown Beijing while developing a new campus in Shahe, Changping District, covering 80.4 hectares upon completion. With over seven decades of teaching and research experience, CUFE has grown into a national hub for education and scholarship in financial and economic disciplines. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across its constituent schools and institutes. Student enrolment numbers reflect its status as a medium-sized university with concentrated academic strengths. Its academic culture emphasises faculty quality and scholarly rigour across disciplines.

Founded in 1953 and based in Beijing, China University of Petroleum (Beijing) is a national key university under the Ministry of Education. It operates across 16 colleges and delivers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programmes in energy-related disciplines, with growing emphasis on sustainable energy, deep-water technology, environmental engineering and energy policy. The university hosts two national key laboratories and over twenty ministerial research institutes, supported by a teaching staff of 1,369, including professors and associate professors. Its student body includes more than 14,000 degree candidates from across China and 832 international students representing 52 countries. CUPB maintains long-standing academic and research ties with major global energy enterprises. It offers 27 bachelor’s, 99 master’s and 48 doctoral programmes.

Founded in 1952, the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) is a Beijing-based institution with two campuses: Xueyuan Lu in Haidian District and Fuxue Lu in Changping District. It evolved from the merger of law, political science, and sociology departments formerly housed at Peking University, Yenching University, Fu Jen Catholic University, and Tsinghua University. CUPL offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programmes across law, political science, philosophy, economics, management, history, and education. The university comprises 19 schools and departments, alongside 10 university-level research institutes. With around 15,000 full-time students—including over 800 international students—and more than 800 academic staff, CUPL maintains a focused presence in legal and social sciences education. Its post-doctoral research centre supports advanced scholarly work in these fields.

The Communication University of China (CUC) is a “Project 211” key university under the Ministry of Education. It began in 1954 as a training center for technicians of the Central Broadcasting Bureau. In April 1959 it became Beijing Broadcasting Institute (approved by the State Council). In August 2004 it was renamed Communication University of China. It is in east Beijing near the Old Canal, on 473,000 m² of land with 383,000 m² of construction. Motto: integrity, professionalism, erudition, and competence. The university focuses on media and information communication fields and is widely known for radio and television training.

Minzu University of China (MZUC) in Beijing's Haidian District is a national university designated for ethnic minority education and known for teaching and research across related fields.

Founded in 1958 as Beijing Electric Power College, North China Electric Power University has grown into a national key university directly administered by China’s Ministry of Education. It operates two campuses: one in Beijing and another in Baoding, Hebei Province. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes focused on energy, electrical engineering, and related disciplines, with over 20,000 full-time undergraduates and 7,000 postgraduates. Its academic structure includes multiple schools and research institutes aligned with national energy sector priorities. The Beijing campus covers approximately 1600 mu, with a total floor area of about one million square metres. With around 3,000 faculty and staff, NCEPU maintains close ties with major state-owned power enterprises while pursuing disciplinary strength and applied research.

Established in 1898 in Beijing, Peking University is China’s first national university. Its campus hosts five faculties—Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, Medicine, and Information and Engineering—alongside 47 colleges and departments. The university offers over one hundred undergraduate programmes and more than five hundred graduate and doctoral programmes. With around 34,000 students including nearly 2,400 international learners from 80 countries, its academic community is both large and diverse. The teaching staff includes over 5,800 full-time faculty members, among them more than 1,700 professors and over 60 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. Research infrastructure includes 11 national key laboratories, 46 state key laboratories, and a library holding 7.7 million volumes—the largest university library in Asia.

Renmin University of China (RUC) is a comprehensive research university focused on humanities and social sciences. Its predecessor was Shanbei Public School (1937), later North China Union University and North China University. It was formally established as Renmin University of China on 3 October 1950 — described as the first university founded by the new Chinese government — and is a Project 211 and Project 985 university, often called a flagship for social sciences and humanities education in China. Structure: 26 schools and 14 interdisciplinary research institutes, plus School of Physics, School of Continuing Education, and School of Education & Training; a satellite campus in Suzhou and a research institution in Shenzhen. Programs: 75 bachelor’s, 4 secondary bachelor’s, 183 master’s (including 33 offered autonomously by RUC), 124 PhD (including 31 autonomous); 20 first-level PhD disciplines and 18 postdoctoral mobile centers

It was formed in June 2016 by merging Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce and Shanghai Finance University. Its roots go back to Lixin education founded by Dr. Pan Xulun in 1928. In 2022, the School of Business and Administration received five-year full AACSB accreditation. SLU has three campuses in Pudong, Songjiang, and Xuhui, covering more than 1,200 mu (about 800,000 square meters). It has more than 19,000 full-time students, including over 370 graduate students; 3 master’s degree programs and 40 undergraduate majors; more than 1,630 faculty and staff, including over 1,240 full-time teachers

The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) is a Ministry of Education–approved higher education institution focused on graduate education. Its predecessor was the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (GSCAS), founded in 1978 as China’s first graduate school with State Council approval. UCAS graduated China’s first doctoral student in science, first in engineering, first female doctoral student, and first student with double doctoral degrees. In 2014 it planned to begin recruiting undergraduates. Backed by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) research strengths, UCAS has four campuses in Beijing and five education centers outside Beijing, linked to 117 CAS institutes nationwide. It follows “unified enrollment, education management and degree conferment” and faculty–institute fusion in leadership, faculty, management, and cultivating systems. Core courses are taught mainly on Beijing campuses; scientific research is done primarily at institutes.

Founded in 1951 and situated in Beijing’s Chaoyang District, the University of International Business and Economics operates under the dual oversight of China’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Commerce. It enrolls around 14,000 full-time students, with over 3,000 coming from outside China. The university organises its teaching and research across distinct schools—international trade, finance, law, foreign languages, and business administration—with a consistent emphasis on economics, management, law, and business-focused language studies. Many undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are taught fully in English. As a member of China’s Project 211, it contributes to national priorities in higher education development.

Founded in 1952 in Beijing, the University of Science and Technology Beijing emerged from a national reorganisation of higher education, consolidating metallurgy and materials expertise from six leading institutions. It is one of China’s key universities directly administered by the Ministry of Education, with a strong emphasis on engineering alongside programmes in science, management, humanities, economics, and law. The university hosts 13 schools and over 30,000 students, offering 48 undergraduate, 121 master’s, and 73 doctoral programmes. Its academic staff includes members of both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and it maintains national laboratories, engineering research centres, and discipline-specific facilities focused on metallurgy, materials science, mechanical engineering, and mining. USTB supports international academic exchange through collaborations with around 80 overseas universities and research institutes.