Tongji University

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About Tongji University

Tongji University was founded in Shanghai in 1907 as the German Medical School for the Chinese. Wikipedia names the German physicians Erich Paulun, Oscar von Schab and Paul Krieg among its founders; the university’s own overview names Paulun.^[1][6] It became a Chinese university in 1923/1924 and was renamed National Tongji University in 1927.^[1] During the Second Sino-Japanese War the campus moved inland several times and returned to Shanghai in 1946.^[1]

After the 1952 reorganisation of Chinese universities Tongji became known for engineering, above all civil engineering. Today it describes itself as a research-oriented comprehensive university under the Ministry of Education.^[6] The Siping Road campus hosts architecture, urban planning and civil engineering; the Jiading campus hosts manufacturing-related subjects such as automotive, rail and software engineering.^[6]

Student numbers depend on the source. Times Higher Education lists 32,744 full-time-equivalent students.^[4] Wikipedia’s infobox gives 37,492 (year not stated) and another passage says more than 50,000 at all levels.^[1] We use the THE figure because it states its basis.

How is Tongji University ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Tongji is 146th, a rise of 31 places that took it into the global top 150. In 2026 it was =177th and in 2025 192nd.^[2][3]

Other rankings place it differently: Times Higher Education 2027 has it 124th^[4] and the ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026 in the 101–150 band.^[7] Rankings use different indicators, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings. See also the China ranking.

What can you study at Tongji University?

Tongji offers Chinese-taught and English-taught degrees at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level, as well as exchange, Chinese-language, pre-university and visiting-student programmes.^[8] The fee table names the following English-taught degrees: a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering, an International Class of Architecture and Urban Planning, an MBBS (medicine) bachelor’s, the International MBA, a master’s in business science, and several doctoral fields.^[5]

The university’s strength in civil engineering, architecture and urban planning shows in its programme list and in its two main campuses.^[6] The full list of majors is in the programme catalogue attached to each admissions brochure; the brochures for 2027 intake are published on the International Students Office website.^[9][10]

How much does Tongji University cost for international students?

These are the amounts on Tongji’s fee page for international students. The page does not name an academic year; its footer shows 2026, so confirm the amount for your intake.^[5] The table is a selection: the page lists further master’s and doctoral fields, for example Chinese law (CNY 32,000), professional architecture (CNY 100,000) and design (CNY 75,000) at master’s level.^[5]

Other costs

The application fee is CNY 600 and insurance is CNY 400 per semester.^[5] The fee page lists no dormitory prices. For accommodation and living costs in Shanghai, see our Study in China guide.

Scholarships

Tongji’s application page names the Chinese Government Scholarship (High-Level Graduate Program), the Tongji University International Student Excellence Scholarship, the Shanghai Municipal Government Scholarship and, for exchange students nominated by partner universities, the CSC-ChinaLink Scholarship.^[8] Eligibility and amounts are set in the scholarship notices, so check them before you apply.

How do you apply to Tongji University?

International students apply through Tongji’s online application system, run by the International Students Office.^[8] The office publishes a separate admissions brochure for each level: the 2027 brochures for Chinese-taught and English-taught bachelor’s programmes were posted on 22 and 23 October 2026. The Chinese-taught page lists attachments such as a tuition payment guide, a personal statement template, a guardian guarantee form, a physical examination form and a programme catalogue.^[9][10]

Master’s and doctoral applicants use the same system. Their enrolment-guide pages attach a tuition prepayment guide for self-funded students and a personal statement template.^[8] Application windows differ by level and scholarship and change every year, so we list no deadlines here. Read the current dates on the Application Information Updates page.

The International Students Office can be reached at isotju@tongji.edu.cn.^[8]

Which language level do you need?

Tongji teaches degrees in Chinese and in English, and the fee page marks which programmes are English-taught.^[5] The required test scores (such as the HSK level for Chinese-taught programmes or an IELTS or TOEFL score for English-taught ones) are set out in the admissions brochures and programme catalogue. We could not read the brochure text, because the pages carry only titles and attachments, so we do not state a minimum score here.^[9][10]

Check the brochure for your level and programme before you book a test. The English-taught bachelor’s programmes named on the fee page are Civil Engineering, the International Class of Architecture and Urban Planning, and MBBS.^[5]

More about studying in China

• China: best universities
• Study in China: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in China

• Beijing Institute of Technology
• Beijing Normal University
• Fudan University
• Harbin Institute of Technology
• Huazhong University of Science and Technology
• Nanjing University
• Nankai University
• Peking University
• Shanghai Jiao Tong University
• Sichuan University
• Southeast University
• Sun Yat-sen University
• Tianjin University
• Tsinghua University
• University of Science and Technology of China
• Wuhan University
• Xiamen University
• Xi’an Jiaotong University
• Zhejiang University