Xi’an Jiaotong University: Fees & Ranking

Q: Do I need to speak Chinese to study at Xi’an Jiaotong University?

Not always. Chinese-taught degrees need HSK 4 or above.[1] Master’s and doctoral programmes taught in English need IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 80 or Duolingo 110, and there are five English-taught bachelor’s programmes.[4][1]

The short answer

Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) is a public research university in Xi’an, run directly by China’s Ministry of Education and a member of the C9 League.^[1] It reports 65,559 students, including 4,484 international students from 128 countries.^[2] It is listed =296th in the QS World University Rankings 2027.^[3]

For the 2026 intake, tuition for international students is CNY 20,000–40,000 a year for Chinese-taught bachelor’s programmes and CNY 30,000–50,000 for master’s programmes. Doctoral tuition is CNY 30,000–50,000.^[1]^[4] The four English-taught engineering bachelor’s programmes cost CNY 180,000 a year.^[5] Chinese-taught degrees need HSK 4; English-taught degrees need IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80.^[1]

Key facts

Official name	Xi’an Jiaotong University (西安交通大学), abbreviated XJTU
Location	Xi’an, Shaanxi (main address No. 28 Xianning West Road, Xi’an 710049)^[6]
Type	Public research university under the direct administration of China’s Ministry of Education; member of the C9 League^[1]
Founded	1896 in Shanghai (Nanyang College); named Xi’an Jiaotong University in 1959^[2]
Students	65,559 in total: 25,595 undergraduates, 35,480 postgraduates and 4,484 international students from 128 countries^[2]
Staff	6,938 faculty and staff, of whom 3,971 are full-time teachers^[2]
Campuses	Four: Xingqing, Yanta, Qujiang and iHarbour; about 5,000 mu (333 hectares)^[2]
Structure	36 schools, departments and centres, 9 undergraduate colleges and 3 affiliated hospitals^[2]
QS World University Rankings 2027	=296th (tied with Stellenbosch University)^[3]
Tuition 2026 intake, bachelor’s (Chinese-taught)	CNY 20,000–40,000 a year, depending on field^[1]
Tuition, master’s and doctorate	Master’s CNY 30,000–50,000 a year; doctorate CNY 30,000–50,000 a year, depending on field and teaching language^[4]
Language requirement	Chinese-taught degrees: HSK 4 or above. English-taught bachelor’s: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80^[1]
Official website	en.xjtu.edu.cn

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

About Xi’an Jiaotong University

The university traces its roots to Nanyang College, which Sheng Xuanhuai founded in Shanghai in 1896. The college was renamed Jiaotong University in 1921, staff and students began moving to Xi’an in 1956, and the Xi’an branch was officially named Xi’an Jiaotong University in 1959.^[2] The university says it is a national key university directly under the Ministry of Education, a member of the C9 League and a comprehensive research university covering 11 disciplinary categories.^[1] Wikipedia adds that it is the only C9 university in western China.^[7]

XJTU has four campuses in and around Xi’an: Xingqing, Yanta, Qujiang and iHarbour (the Western China Science & Technology Innovation Harbor).^[2] It has 36 schools, departments and centres, nine undergraduate colleges, 77 undergraduate majors and three affiliated hospitals.^[2]

Not the same as Shanghai Jiao Tong: Xi’an Jiaotong University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University share a root but have been separate institutions since 1959.^[7] Check which one you are applying to.

How is Xi’an Jiaotong University ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, XJTU is listed =296th, tied with Stellenbosch University. The same ranking lists Tianjin University =235th, Huazhong University of Science and Technology 307th and Nankai University =329th.^[3] Wikipedia gives XJTU’s position in the 2026 edition as 296th, so the position is unchanged.^[7]

The university also points to the 2025 Shanghai Ranking’s Academic Ranking of Chinese Universities, where it says it placed 10th.^[1] That ranking covers mainland China only and uses different criteria from QS. Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

QS publishes its ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access. The position above comes from an aggregator that reproduces the QS table, so check it against QS before you rely on it.

What can you study at Xi’an Jiaotong University?

The university covers 11 major disciplinary categories: science, engineering, medicine, economics, management, humanities, law, philosophy, art, education and interdisciplinary studies.^[1] For 2026 entry the international undergraduate page lists 49 programme entries: 44 taught in Chinese and five taught in English (MBBS, Electrical Engineering & Automation, Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering, Energy and Power Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering).^[1]

Postgraduate programmes are taught in English or Chinese; the Chinese-taught and English-taught fee tables differ by field.^[4] Applicants with weaker Chinese can take a pre-university route: the International Foundation Program (11, 18 or 36 weeks) and the “1+4” Foundation-Bachelor Program, which leads to direct admission to the bachelor’s once HSK 4 and a valid CSCA score are in place.^[8]

How much does Xi’an Jiaotong University cost for international students?

Level and language	Science & engineering	Business, economics, humanities	Arts / medical
Bachelor’s, Chinese-taught	CNY 22,000	CNY 20,000	CNY 40,000
Master’s, Chinese-taught	CNY 34,000	CNY 30,000	CNY 50,000
Master’s, English-taught	CNY 39,000	CNY 30,000	CNY 50,000
Doctorate, Chinese-taught	CNY 40,000	CNY 34,000	CNY 50,000
Doctorate, English-taught	CNY 44,000	CNY 34,000	CNY 50,000

All figures are per year for the 2026 intake. The postgraduate table also lists dentistry (CNY 50,000, English-taught only) and pharmacy (CNY 30,000, English-taught only).^[4] The bachelor’s page lists Chinese-taught fees as 22,000, 20,000 and 40,000 under the headings science and engineering, business/economics/humanities, and arts, in that order.^[1]

English-taught bachelor’s

The English-taught engineering bachelor’s programmes (Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering & Automation, Energy and Power Engineering) are priced at CNY 180,000 a year in the university’s 2026 brochure, with enrolment limited to 40 students worldwide. The brochure says scholarships can cover up to 100% of tuition plus a monthly allowance for the first year.^[5] The bachelor’s page also lists CNY 40,000 for the English-taught medicine programme.^[1]

Other costs

Accommodation costs CNY 8,000–19,000 a year, depending on campus and room. The application fee is CNY 500 for self-funded applicants and CNY 800 for scholarship applicants, and it is not refundable.^[1] The pages do not state a tuition year other than “2026” in the page titles, so confirm the current schedule before you pay. For living costs, see our Study in China guide.

Scholarships

The Chinese Government Scholarship is open to bachelor’s and postgraduate applicants; applicants apply through the dispatching authorities in their home country and list XJTU as first choice.^[1]^[4] The university also offers its own freshman scholarships.^[5]

How do you apply to Xi’an Jiaotong University?

Bachelor’s: you must be under 25, hold a valid ordinary passport and a high-school diploma, and take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA), a national test run by the China Scholarship Council. You then apply online through the School of International Education’s system, pay the application fee after the first review, and are admitted on academic records, language proficiency, CSCA results and an interview.^[1]
Master’s and doctorate: you need a bachelor’s degree and to be under 35, or a master’s degree and to be under 40. You apply online and upload notarised diplomas and transcripts, two recommendation letters from professors, a study plan or research proposal (at least 1,000 words for a master’s, 1,500 for a doctorate) and a language certificate. Applicants for the Chinese Government Scholarship also register in the CSC system.^[4]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ between the scholarship and self-funded routes. Check the current notice on the university’s international admissions pages.

Which language level do you need?

For Chinese-taught bachelor’s programmes you need HSK 4 or above. HSK is China’s standardised Chinese test, with levels 1 to 6. Applicants who do not reach it are advised to take the pre-university foundation programme first.^[1] For English-taught bachelor’s programmes the page asks for IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80, or an equivalent certificate the university recognises. Native speakers of Chinese or English can be exempted with approval.^[1]

For postgraduate English-taught programmes the accepted scores are IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 80 or Duolingo 110 and above. Chinese-taught postgraduate programmes need HSK 4 with 180 points or more; the International Chinese Language Education major needs HSK 5. The English-taught clinical medicine master’s (including stomatology) additionally requires a Chinese certificate. The university may add a year of Chinese study before the main programme.^[4]

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is tuition at Xi’an Jiaotong University for international students?

For the 2026 intake, Chinese-taught bachelor’s fees are CNY 20,000–40,000 a year and master’s fees CNY 30,000–50,000.^[1]^[4] The four English-taught engineering bachelor’s programmes cost CNY 180,000 a year.^[5]

What is the QS ranking of Xi’an Jiaotong University?

It is listed =296th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, according to an aggregator that reproduces the table.^[3]

Do I need to speak Chinese to study at Xi’an Jiaotong University?

Not always. Chinese-taught degrees need HSK 4 or above.^[1] Master’s and doctoral programmes taught in English need IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 80 or Duolingo 110, and there are five English-taught bachelor’s programmes.^[4]^[1]

Is Xi’an Jiaotong University the same as Shanghai Jiao Tong University?

No. They share a root in the 1896 Nanyang College but became independent institutions in 1959.^[7]

Can I get a scholarship at Xi’an Jiaotong University?

Yes. The Chinese Government Scholarship is open to bachelor’s and postgraduate applicants.^[1]^[4] The university also lists freshman scholarships for international undergraduates that can cover up to 100% of tuition in the first year.^[5]