Best universities in China 2025

By seeta.bhardwa@…, 25 October, 2024

Top 10 universities in China

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in China

China Rank 2025	World University Rank 2025	World University Rank 2024	University	Province/city
1	12	12	Tsinghua University	Beijing
2	13	14	Peking University	Beijing
3	=36	44	Fudan University	Shanghai
4	=47	=55	Zhejiang University	Hangzhou, Zhejiang
5	52	43	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Shanghai
6	=53	57	University of Science and Technology of China	Hefei, Anhui
7	65	73	Nanjing University	Nanjng, Jiangsu
8	=134	=164	Wuhan University	Harbin, Heilongjiang
9	=146	=177	Beijing Normal University	Beijing
10	=152	=168	Harbin Institute of Technology	Beijing

Tsinghua University and Peking University are the top two universities in China this year, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025. Both institutions are based in China's capital city of Beijing.

Directives including Project 211, Project 985 and the Double First Class University Plan – which aim to improve the standards of the top 100 and top 40 Chinese universities – combined with huge national investment have seen China’s educational reputation rocket in recent years.

And who wouldn’t want to study in China? Home to almost 20 per cent of the people on Earth, China has one of the fastest developing economies. From cuisine to culture, China offers a unique experience.

The huge country boasts some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes on the planet, from the Rainbow Mountains in the Zhangye Danxia National Park to coastal fishing villages and vast cities that continue to expand.

Top 5 universities in China

1. Tsinghua University

Tsinghua University is located in the Haidian district of northwest Beijing. It was established in 1911.

Its 20 schools and 54 departments cover disciplines in art, economics, education, engineering, history, management, medicine, law, literature, philosophy and sciences.

It retains much of its traditional architecture, juxtaposed with many buildings built in a Western style, reflecting the historical American influence on the campus.

In terms of life outside of studying, the university has more than 110 student associations covering science and technology, sport, arts and public welfare.

Many successful people in politics, academia and industry have graduated from Tsinghua University, including two Nobel prizewinners, physicists Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang.

2. Peking University

Peking University is a member of the C9 league, which is similar to the Ivy League group in the US, and is generally one of the highest ranked institutions in China.

It was the first modern national university in China, and since its founding in 1898, it has had a reputation as a leading educational institution.

The institution is renowned for its campuses in the Haidian district of northwest Beijing. It is home to some of the capital’s most prominent gardens and traditional architecture. Several gates lead in to campus, with the West Gate being the most well-known for the painted murals on its ceiling.

The university has established joint degree programmes with The University of Tokyo to encourage international student exchanges.

3. Fudan University

Fudan University comprises four campuses in downtown Shanghai: Handan, Fenglin, Zhangjiang and Jiangwan.

The university takes a liberal arts approach to teaching, with a number of its courses taught in English.

Internationalisation is also a high priority at the institution with global connections and exchange programmes at almost 200 overseas universities including Sciences Po.

Students are also encouraged to go on international exchanges, with about 40 per cent electing to do this.

The university is extremely selective, with fewer than 0.2 per cent of National College Entrance Examination (gao kao) takers being accepted.

4. Zhejiang University

Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China’s oldest and most selective universities.

Research at the university covers 12 academic disciplines: agriculture, art, economics, education, engineering, history, law, literature, management, medicine, natural sciences and philosophy.

A number of research centres are located on campus, including six national engineering research centres, three national key research centres of humanities and social sciences and 13 academies of independent studies.

The university has strategic partnerships with more than 140 universities in 30 countries worldwide, including University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

5. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University is a major research university located in Shanghai, China.

The university has 31 schools/departments, 31 research institutions, 13 affiliated hospitals, two affiliated medical research institutes, 20 directly affiliated units and five directly affiliated enterprises.

Subjects taught at the university include mechanical engineering, physics, astronomy, humanities, media and design, international and public affairs and medicine among others.

The university's International Student Union hosts a range of events, volunteering projects and activities to help international students connect with each other and the community.

Top universities in China 2025

Click on each institution to see its full World University Rankings 2025 results

China Rank 2025	World University Rank 2025	World University Rank 2024	University	Province/city
1	12	12	Tsinghua University	Beijing
2	13	14	Peking University	Beijing
3	=36	44	Fudan University	Shanghai
4	=47	=55	Zhejiang University	Hangzhou, Zhejiang
5	52	43	Shanghai Jiao Tong University	Shanghai
6	=53	57	University of Science and Technology of China	Hefei, Anhui
7	65	73	Nanjing University	Nanjng, Jiangsu
8	=134	=164	Wuhan University	Harbin, Heilongjiang
9	=146	=177	Beijing Normal University	Beijing
10	=152	=168	Harbin Institute of Technology	Beijing
11	=154	=185	Tongji University	Shenzhen, Guangdong
12	=166	=158	Huazhong University of Science and Technology	Wuhan, Hubei
13	=183	201–250	Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech)	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=14	201–250	251–300	Beijing Institute of Technology	Beijing
=14	201–250	251–300	Nankai University	Tianjin
=14	201–250	=150	Sichuan University	Chengdu, Sichuan
=14	201–250	201–250	Sun Yat-sen University	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=14	201–250	201–250	Tianjin University	Tianjin
=14	201–250	251–300	Xi’an Jiaotong University	Xi'an, Shaanxi
=20	251–300	301–350	Beihang University	Beijing
=20	251–300	301–350	East China Normal University	Shanghai
=20	251–300	301–350	Northwestern Polytechnical University	Xi'an, Shaanxi
=20	251–300	251–300	South China University of Technology	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=20	251–300	351–400	Southern Medical University	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=25	301–350	351–400	Hunan University	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=25	301–350	301–350	Southeast University	Nanjng, Jiangsu
=25	301–350	351–400	University of Electronic Science and Technology of China	Chengdu, Sichuan
=25	301–350	301–350	Xiamen University	Xiamen, Fujian
29	351–400	351–400	Shenzhen University	Shenzhen, Guangdong
=30	401–500	NR	Beijing University of Chemical Technology	Beijing
=30	401–500	351–400	Chongqing University	Chongqing
=30	401–500	401–500	Dalian University of Technology	Dalian, Liaoning
=30	401–500	501–600	Shanghai University	Shanghai
=34	501–600	501–600	China University of Petroleum, Beijing	Beijing
=34	501–600	501–600	Donghua University	Shanghai
=34	501–600	601–800	Jiangsu University	Nanjng, Jiangsu
=34	501–600	501–600	Jinan University (China)	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=34	501–600	501–600	Soochow University, China	Yangzhou, Jiangsu
=34	501–600	NR	University of International Business and Economics	Beijing
=34	501–600	501–600	Yangzhou University	Beijing
=41	601–800	601–800	Capital Medical University	Shanghai
=41	601–800	601–800	East China University of Science and Technology	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=41	601–800	801–1000	Fuzhou University	Fuzhou, Fujian
=41	601–800	601–800	Guangdong University of Technology	Zhenjiang, Jiangsu
=41	601–800	801–1000	Guangzhou University	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=41	601–800	801–1000	Jiangnan University	Wuxi, Jiangsu
=41	601–800	601–800	Nanjing Forestry University	Nanjng, Jiangsu
=41	601–800	601–800	Nanjing Tech University	Shenyang, Liaoning
=41	601–800	601–800	Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics	Nanjng, Jiangsu
=41	601–800	601–800	Northeastern University, China	Qingdao, Shandong
=41	601–800	601–800	Qingdao University	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=41	601–800	601–800	South China Normal University	Suzhou, Jiangsu
=41	601–800	801–1000	Wenzhou University	Wenzhou, Zhejiang
=41	601–800	601–800	Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University	Xi'an, Shaanxi
=41	601–800	601–800	Xidian University	Xi'an, Shaanxi
=41	601–800	601–800	Zhejiang Normal University	Jinhua, Zhejiang
=41	601–800	NR	Zhejiang University of Technology	Zhejiang
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Changsha University of Science and Technology	Changsha, Hunan
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Chengdu University	Chengdu, Sichuan
=58	801–1000	1001–1200	China Pharmaceutical University	Nanjng, Jiangsu
=58	801–1000	801–1000	China University of Petroleum (East China)	Qingdao, Shandong
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Guangzhou Medical University	Guangzhou, Guangdong
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Harbin Engineering University	Harbin, Heilongjiang
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Nanjing Medical University	Nanjng, Jiangsu
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Nanjing Normal University	Nanjng, Jiangsu
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology	Nanjng, Jiangsu
=58	801–1000	801–1000	North China Electric Power University	Beijing
=58	801–1000	NR	Northeast Agricultural University	Harbin, Heilongjiang
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Northeast Normal University	Changchun, Jilin
=58	801–1000	NR	Southwest Jiaotong University	Chengdu, Sichuan
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Wenzhou Medical University	Wenzhou, Zhejiang
=58	801–1000	801–1000	Zhejiang Gongshang University	Hangzhou, Zhejiang
=73	1001–1200	1001–1200	Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University	Fuzhou, Fujian
=73	1001–1200	NR	Hangzhou Normal University	Hangzhou, Zhejiang
=73	1001–1200	1001–1200	Huaqiao University	Quanzhou, Fujian
=73	1001–1200	1001–1200	Northwest University (China)	Xi'an, Shaanxi
=73	1001–1200	NR	Shanghai Normal University	Shanghai
=73	1001–1200	801–1000	Shantou University	Shantou, Guangdong
=73	1001–1200	1001–1200	Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics	Hangzhou, Zhejiang
=80	1201–1500	NR	Changzhou University	Changzhou, Jiangsu
=80	1201–1500	1201–1500	Jiangsu Normal University	Xuzhou, Jiangsu
=80	1201–1500	1201–1500	University of Shanghai for Science and Technology	Shanghai
=80	1201–1500	1201–1500	Wuhan Textile University	Wuhan, Hubei
=80	1201–1500	1201–1500	Xiangtan University	Xiangtan, Hunan
=80	1201–1500	1201–1500	Xuzhou Medical University	Xuzhou, Jiangsu
=80	1201–1500	NR	Zhejiang Sci-Tech University	Zhejiang
=87	1501+	1501+	Communication University of China	Beijing
=87	1501+	1501+	Jianghan University	Wuhan, Hubei
=87	1501+	NR	North University of China	Taiyuanc, Shanxi
=87	1501+	NR	Shanxi Medical University	Shanxi
=87	1501+	1501+	Sichuan University of Science and Engineering	Zigong, Sichuan
=87	1501+	1201–1500	Southwest Petroleum University	Chengdu, Sichuan
=87	1501+	NR	Yanbian University	Yanbian
=87	1501+	1501+	Yanshan University	Qinhuangdao, Hebei