China is home to one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world. Since ancient times, the country has been an epitome of higher learning. Scholars, philosophers and travelers from around the world had travelled to China in order to acquire knowledge.
Even today, the country enjoys an excellent reputation as a center for higher learning. In fact, China has now become the third most favored nation of international students, after the US and UK. Every year, thousands of students from around the world travel to China, in pursue of higher education in the field of engineering, medicine, arts, business management, IT, and other subjects.
Beijing, being the capital of China and its most vibrant, international city, offers students with a wide range of universities to choose from. The city is often the first choice of foreign students who study abroad in China. Here are the best universities to study abroad at in Beijing:
1. Peking University
Established in 1898, Peking University it is one of the top universities in Asia. There are about 30 colleges in this university, which offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The university has produced some of the top political thinkers of China, including many past presidents and high-ranking officials.
Programs here include Anthropology, Applied Chemistry, Art Studies, Chinese Language & Literature, Computer Application, IT, and more. The main campus of the university is situated near the Summer Palace, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the university campus itself is beautiful, with a traditional Chinese feel. The university also offers scholarships to foreign students. For more information on the university, please visit the official website.
Official Website – english.pku.edu.cn/
2. Beijing Normal University (BNU)
BNU is a 112 year old university which is very popular with international students. Currently there are study abroad students from more than 80 countries at BNU. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs in English as well as Chinese. Some of the programs offered by BNU include courses in the field of Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Economy, Literature etc. The university also offers a wide range of features to woo foreign students, including free airport pickup. The university’s handbook for foreign students can be found on their website.
Official Website – bnulxsh.com/english/
3. Tsinghua University
Tsinghua is the most popular university in Beijing for higher studies in engineering and technology, earning it the nickname “MIT of China”. It is situated in the north-western suburbs of the city. For international students, the university offers scholarships as well as student exchange programs. The Tsinghua University has 48 departments, 12 colleges, 41 research centers and 35 research institutes.
There is a history museum inside the campus, which has become one of the attractions of the university. It is frequently ranked as one of the top universities in China. Currently, more than 3,500 international students, belonging to 121 countries, study in this university.
4. China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL)
CUPL is the most prestigious law school in China and is very popular with domestic as well as foreign students. Currently, CUPL has more than 600 international students, belonging to 14 different countries. It has two different campuses in Haidian and Changping, which host postgraduate and undergraduate students respectively.
CUPL participates in student exchange programs with top international universities. The university offers a LLM program in Chinese Law and a doctorate program in English to international students. The medium of instruction is English for both of these programs. Many international study abroad students here are offered on-campus accommodation, for only 1000 RMB per year.
5. Renmin University of China
Renmin University is another university in Beijing that is known for its strong faculty. It is quite popular with overseas students and has more than 1,000 foreign students. The university offers a variety of courses in the field of Academics, Politics and Law, Media and Business, and more.
Some of the postgraduate programs which are offered in English include Master of Business Administration, Master of Chinese Economy, and Master of Law. For these postgraduate programs, foreign students are charged a tuition fee of 26,500 RMB per year.