2025 Enrollment Guide for International Students Bachelor’s Degree of Sun Yat-sen University

      Founded by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the famous Chinese revolutionist, Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) has an educational tradition spanning over 100 years. As a university directly affiliated with the Ministry of Education of China and with the strong support of the Ministry of Education of China and Guangdong Province, SYSU has become a first-class modern comprehensive university, renowned both in China and in the world. Composed of five campuses located in the three cities of Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen, and ten affiliated hospitals, SYSU is marching towards a world-class university and striving to become a global academic center.

      SYSU encourages students to “study at SYSU and pursue excellence”. SYSU implements management and provides services for international students similar to those for Chinese students, including regular national conditions education lectures, visits, social practice activities, and exchange activities for international students in Guangdong to develop outstanding international talents with integrated knowledge.

I. Eligibility

      1. Applicants should be non-Chinese with a valid foreign passport, and meet the requirements stipulated in the Notice on the Regulations of Chinese Universities’ Acceptance of International Students ([2020] No.12):

      A person whose parents are both Chinese nationals and have both settled abroad, or one of whose parents is a Chinese national and has settled abroad, and who has acquired foreign nationality at birth, shall not have Chinese nationality. Those who apply as international students should have had a valid foreign passport or proof of nationality document for at least four years and had a record of actual residence in a foreign country for at least two years from April 30th, 2020, to April 30th, 2024. Actual residence in a foreign country for nine months out of a year can be counted as one year, based on entry and exit stamps.

      Residents of Chinese mainland, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan Region who apply as international students after immigrating and acquiring foreign nationality must have acquired foreign nationality before April 30, 2020, and had a record of actual residence in a foreign country for at least two years from April 30, 2020, to April 30, 2024. Actual residence in a foreign country for nine months out of a year may be counted as one year, based on entry and exit stamps.

      2. Applicants should be in good health and meet the physical standards required for applying for a student visa or residence permit.

      3. Applicants should be high school graduates or above.

      4. Applicants should be friendly to China, hardworking and diligent in their studies with excellent academic performance, upstanding and law-abiding, without any records of violations of the rules and regulations of their school, or any other security penalties or criminal records.

5. Language proficiency

      Applicants should hold an HSK (Level V) certificate (with 180 points or above). Those who apply for a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Language should obtain an HSK (Level IV) certificate (with 180 points or above).

      Applicants who have completed their last degree with Chinese as the language of instruction can submit proof issued by their former school for SYSU’s verification. After verification, the applicants can be exempted from providing HSK certificates.

      6. Applicants under the age of 18 before September 1, 2024 must provide a guardian’s letter of assurance. Applicants for scholarship programs should meet the age requirements of each program.

II.  Application Deadline

      April 30th, 2025

      Please refer to the scholarship application guides on the website (http://iso.sysu.edu.cn) of the Office of International Students’ Affairs for the deadline of scholarships application

III. Application Procedure

      Applicants should go to the website of the Office of International Students’ Affairs of Sun Yat-sen University (http://iso.sysu.edu.cn), click “APPLICATION”, enter, register and log in to the International Student Management System.

      Applicants should then select an applicable program, fill in the information accurately and completely as required, and upload the following supporting documents:

      1. Valid ordinary passport and personal profile photo

      Passports should be valid later than 1st December 2025. If you do not meet the requirements, please renew your passport promptly with a new one. Applicants staying in China at the time of application should provide the scanned copy of passport pages with the Chinese visa or residence permit page, and entry seal.

      2. High school graduation certificate

      Applicants in their last year of high school should submit a pre-graduation certificate provided by their schools during the application process and resubmit their high school graduation certificate when they receive one. Failing to submit a high school graduation certificate before coming to SYSU will have their admission qualifications canceled. .

      3. Proof of financial status

       Proof of deposit balance issued by a bank, amounting to RMB 100000 or more. If the bank account is not owned by the applicant, proof of relationship with the financial guarantor (for example, birth certificate, household registration booklet, and notarized documents) must be submitted at the same time.

      4. Recommendation letters

      The recommendation letters should be provided respectively by the headmaster and a teacher of the applicant’s high school (see Attachment 1 for template). Applicants for the “Belt and Road” Scholarship should also provide a recommendation letter issued by a designated institution in their own country.

5. Standardized test transcripts and complete transcripts from the highest level of education

      Standardized test transcripts include standard high school graduation test transcripts, college entrance exam transcripts, and high school transcripts of international standardized tests such as SAT/ ACT/ A-Level/ IB, etc. Students in their final year of their high school can submit their most recent transcript issued by their high school and resubmit a complete high school transcript after graduating. Failure to submit the complete high school transcript before joining SYSU will result in the cancellation of their admission.

6. Chinese language proficiency certificate

      Applicants should submit a valid certificate of Chinese language proficiency (HSK) or any proof of having taken any courses with Chinese as the instruction language.

7. Personal statement

       A personal statement should include a self-introduction, learning experience, interests and hobbies, a learning plan, and career plan after graduation, etc. (see Attachment 2 for template).

8. Physical examination and blood test results

      The physical examination results should be stamped by the hospital and issued within six months prior to the date of submission (see Attachment 3 for template). Those who are over 18 years old and are living in the Chinese mainland with a valid foreign residency permit or permanent foreign permanent resident ID card can use the permit or the ID card as a document to replace Foreigner Physical Examination Form.

      9. Documents certifying the nationality of the applicant and his/her parents

      9.1 Those who were originally a resident of Mainland China (Mainland), Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan Region before acquiring foreign citizenship must submit (1) Proof of cancellation of household registration or withdrawal of Chinese nationality, or submission of an official document certifying absence of Chinese nationality issued by the Chinese diplomatic representation and consular authorities; (2) Proof of acquiring foreign citizenship; (3) Entry and exit records from April 30, 2020, to April 30, 2024.

      9.2 Applicants who acquired foreign citizenship at birth in a foreign country, whose both parents are or one of them is a Chinese citizen, need to provide (1) Birth certificate or family register, proving kinship; (2) Proof of acquisition of foreign citizenship at birth; (3) Proof of permanent residence of the parent(s) with Chinese citizenship in the foreign country before the applicant’s birth. (4) Entry and exit records from April 30, 2019 to April 30, 2024.

      10. Certificate of Non-Criminal Record

      The applicant should submit a valid non-criminal record issued by local authorities; the document should be issued within six months before the date of application submission.

      11. Guardian’s guarantee and notarized certificate

      Guardian’s guarantee and notarized certificate are required for applicants under 18 by September 1, 2024. The guardian must be an adult residing in Guangdong, China.

      12. Scholarship application form

      The applicant should have a high school transcript with good grades or above in all courses. They shall be eligible to fill in the application forms for other kinds of scholarships after they are officially admitted.

      13. Supporting documents

      The applicant can submit award certificates or proof of experience.

      14. Commitment letter

      The application information should be true, legal and valid. Please print and sign the document before uploading it to the system. (see Attachment 4 for the template)

      15. Personal Information Form

      The Personal Information Form is automatically generated by the International Student Management System and should be uploaded back to the system after printing and signing.

      Note: Application documents must be either in Chinese or English. If the documents are in other languages, the original documents and their notarized Chinese or English translation of the documents must be attached. Please make sure that the applicant’s email address, WeChat number and contact phone number filled in on the system are accurate. We will send a notice of supplementary documents by email (emails will be sent via [email protected]). Failing to submit supplementary documents in time, providing notarized certificates that do not meet the requirements, or providing incorrect information will cause unsuccessful applications.

IV. Majors and Divisions for International Students and Degree Awarding

      1. Please refer to Table 1 for the divisions and majors for International Students (Bachelor’s Degree) in 2024. When there are any changes in the names of divisions or fields of disciplines, please refer to the website of SYSU Office of International Students’ Affairs (http://iso.sysu.edu.cn) for the updates. The first-year education will be based on different disciplines. Students who choose to be enrolled in different specific majors in a discipline will have to participate in a major selection interview or test organized by the school or department before they can finally be enrolled in the major.

            Table 1  2025 SYSU List of Majors for Undergraduate International Students       

School & Department	Major / Profession	Major requirement	Years	Taught in	Campus
Department of Chinese	Chinese Language and Literature	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Department of Chinese	Chinese Language（International Students Class	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Department of History	History	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Department of Philosophy	Philosophy	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Sociology & Anthropology	Sciology	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Lingnan (University) College	Economics	Arts or science *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Foreign Languages	Foreign Language and literature	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Law	Law	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Government	Public Administration	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Business	Business Administration	Arts or science *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Department of Psychology	Psychology	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Journalism and Communication	Journalism and Communication	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Information Management	Information Management and Information System	Arts or science *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Mathematics	Mathematics	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Physics	Physics	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Chemistry	Chemistry	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Geography and Planning	Geographical Science	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Life Science	Biological Science	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Materials Science and Engineering	Materials	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Electronics and Information Technology (School of Microelectronics)	Electronic Information	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Computer Science and Engineering	Computer Science	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Environmental Science and Engineering	Environmental Science and Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Zhongshan School of Medicine	Clinical Medicine	Science or engineering *	5 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Zhongshan School of Medicine	Basic Medicine	Science or engineering *	5 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Zhongshan School of Medicine	Forensic Medicine	Science or engineering *	5 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Guanghua School of Stomatology	Stomatology	Science or engineering *	5 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Public Health	Preventive Medicine	Science or engineering *	5 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences	Pharmacy	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Guangzhou Campus
Department of Chinese(Zhuhai)	Chinese Language and Literature	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
Department of History (Zhuhai)	History	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
Department of Philosophy (Zhuhai)	Philosophy	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
International School of Business & Finance	Economics	Arts or science *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of International Studies	Foreign Language and literature	Arts or science	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of International Relations	International Politics	Arts or science *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Tourism Management	Tourism Management	Arts or science *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Mathematics (Zhuhai)	Mathematics	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Physics and Astronomy	Physics	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Atmospheric Sciences	Atmospheric Sciences	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Marine Sciences	Marine Science	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Marine Engineering and Technology	Marine Engineering and Technology	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Earth Science and Engineering	Geology	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Chemical Engineering and Technology	Chemical Engineering and Technology	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Civil Engineering	Civil, Water and Ocean Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Microelectronic Science and Technology	Microelectronics Science and Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Geospatial Engineering and Science	Remote Sensing Science and Technology	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Artificial Intelligence	Artificial Intelligence	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Software Engineering	Software Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Zhuhai Campus
School of Medicine	Clinical Medicine	Science or engineering *	5 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
Department of Public Health (Shenzhen)	Preventive Medicine	Science or engineering *	5 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen)	Pharmacy	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Materials	Materials Science and Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Biomedical Engineering	Biomedical Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Electronics and Information Technology	Electronic Information Class	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Intelligent Systems Engineering	Intelligence Science and Technology	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics	Aerospace	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Agriculture	Agronomy	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Ecology	Ecology	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
Business School (School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation)	Economics	Arts or science *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
Business School (School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation)	Business Administration	Arts or science *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Science	Physics	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Science	Mathematics and Applied Mathematics	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Integrated Circuits	Microelectronics Science and Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Advanced Manufactering	Mechanical Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Advanced Energy	Energy and Power Engineering	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus
School of Cyber Science and Technology	Cyber Science and Technology	Science or engineering *	4 years	Chinese	Shenzhen Campus

Note: “*” in major requirement means that the major has a high demand for mathematic capabilities. 

      2. Please visit https://www.sysu.edu.cn/yxsz.htm for further information about divisions for international students.

      3. Students admitted to SYSU and who have completed the coursework, acquired the necessary credits within the designated study duration, and fulfill the graduation prerequisites, will be granted a SYSU graduation certificate. Those who meet the requirements for degree conferral will be granted a bachelor’s degree from SYSU along with a degree certificate.

V. Selection Procedures

1. Qualification Review

      SYSU will review the applicant’ foreign status, highest academic qualifications, recommendations, academic performance, Chinese language proficiency and other supporting documents to determine the assessment list. 

2. Assessment

      After the application deadline, SYSU will issue a assessment notice. Those who pass the qualification examination must participant in an assessment. Normally, one of the following methods will be applied in the assessment: (1) Interview; (2) Interview and written examination. Further specifics regarding the assessment method, location, and date will be notified via email (emails will be sent via [email protected]) based on the results of qualification examination.

3. Admission

      (1) SYSU will select applicants based on their qualifications and assessment results. Outstanding new students will be recommended for applications for scholarships, and the list of scholarship winners will be announced by the scholarship administration.

      (2) Pre-admission results will be available on our application website. The electronic Admission Letter and the Confirmation Form for Study in China will be sent via email (emails will be sent via [email protected]). Please ensure that the provided email address is accurate and functional.

      (3) Admitted applicants must apply for an X1 visa at the Chinese embassy or consulate with the Admission Letter and the Confirmation Form for Study in China. X1 visa holders must complete residential procedures at local public security departments within 30 days of entering China. Failure to comply may result in cancellation of admission. SYSU will not accept the registration of students without a valid student visa, and expired visas or residence permits are not permitted to stay or engage in activities on campus.

VI. Fees (Unit: RMB Yuan)

1. Tuition Fee (RMB/person/academic year) and Registration Fee (including necessary admission assessment fees)

Table 2  2025 SYSU List of Undergraduate Fees for International Students

Subjects	Liberal Arts, Economics, and Managerial Science	Natural Science and Engineering	Medical Science
Bachelor	26000	33800	48000
Registration Fee (including necessary admission assessment fees): RMB 400 yuan per person
Note: For details, please refer to the payment standards released by SYSU in the same year.

        2. The comprehensive insurance for international students including accident and sickness medical, hospitalization, accidental disability and death insurance is 800 yuan per person per academic year.

VII. Scholarship

     The following scholarships will be offered to outstanding undergraduate international students. For details on the following scholarship programs, please visit the “Scholarship Programs” section of the website of the SYSU Office of International Students’ Affairs (http://iso.sysu.edu.cn).

1. Chinese Government Scholarship—Bilateral Program (Full or Partial Scholarship)

      The Chinese Government Scholarship is administered by the Chinese government. Applicants who meet the requirements can directly apply to their home country’s dispatching department or the Education Office of the Chinese Embassy (Consulate General) in the host country, depending on the program type. The application period usually falls between January and early April, and deadlines vary from country to country. Please check in advance. For detailed information on the application and assessment for the scholarship, please refer to the application guide of Chinese Government Scholarship—Bilateral Program for the year 2024 at SYSU. Please visit the Chinese Government Scholarship (https://campuschina.org), register, select the project type (Type A_Ph.D), and submit required materials. Applicants must also register in SYSU’s application system (https://apply.sysu.edu.cn/login). Upon registration, choose “Chinese Government Scholarship -Bilateral Program in 2024（Type A_Bachelor’s Degree)” and submit necessary materials as instructed.

2. Silk Road  – Chinese Government Scholarship (Full Scholarship)

       This program is administered by the Chinese government to cultivate leaders and excellent skilled personnel in various professions for the countries along the Belt and Road and BRI partner countries. The exact time for application (including the deadline) for the program is subject to the approval of the CSC. Please visit the Chinese Government Scholarship registration system (https://campuschina.org) to register, select the project type (Type B_Bachelor), select the enrollment code of SYSU (10558), and submit the required materials. Applicants should also register in the SYSU’s system (https://apply.sysu.edu.cn). Upon registration, please select “Silk Road  – Chinese Government Scholarship Program in 2023 (Type B_Bachelor’s Degree)”, and submit materials as required. SYSU will assemble an expert review group to assess the application materials, which will then be submitted to the China Scholarship Council (CSC). The final admission results are contingent upon the approval of the CSC.

3. SYSU “Belt and Road” Scholarship

      The “Belt and Road” Scholarship was established by SYSU in 2017 to support exceptional high school graduates from ASEAN countries pursuing a bachelor’s degree at SYSU. To apply, applicants should first reach out to the recommending organization in their home country for guidance. They must fulfill the recommendation criteria specified by SYSU within their home country and obtain an official recommendation from the designated institution before registering on SYSU’s application website (https://apply.sysu.edu.cn). Once registered, applicants should select the SYSU“‘Belt and Road’ Scholarship Program for International Students in 2024 (Bachelor’s Degree)”, and submit materials as required.

4. Guangdong Government Outstanding International Student Scholarship

      Non-government scholarship freshmen admitted and enrolled in the university can apply for the Guangdong Government Outstanding International Student Scholarship. Qualified students can receive a grant for the first academic year. The scholarship for undergraduate students will be granted in a lump sum of RMB 10,000 per person.

      Note: After enrollment, applicants of the above scholarship should pass the scholarship review of their performance according to regulations before they can continue to apply for or receive funding for the scholarship.

VIII. Regulations on Accommodation and Insurance

     1. Due to the limited number of student dormitories on campus, self-funded students should handle accommodation by themselves. According to relevant regulations, the Chinese Government Scholarship and SYSU “Belt and Road” Scholarship recipients will be provided on-campus accommodation.

      2. SYSU implements an insurance system covering all international students. International students must insure themselves in accordance with the relevant regulations of China and SYSU. If the student does not insure themselves as required, he or she must purchase insurance within a fixed period of time. Students who have no insurance after the time limit has expired will not be allowed to register or be forced to drop out if they have already begun studying at SYSU.

IX. Supervision

      1. Admitted students must complete registration procedures according to the registration date and location required in the Admission Letter. They are not allowed to register in advance. Those who have failed to register within the time limit without approval will be deemed as having given up their admission qualifications. Scholarship recipients will be disqualified.

      2. Applicants should be responsible for the materials submitted. In accordance with relevant regulations of China and SYSU, applicants who have fabricated materials to obtain admissions will have their admission qualifications and student status canceled by SYSU. After verification, relevant administrative departments will be informed of the facts of the applicants’ fabrication.

      3. In accordance with relevant regulations and requirements of the Ministry of Education, SYSU will conduct a physical examination and review of admission eligibility for all admitted applicants after enrollment. Applicants who have not met the admission requirements or provided fabricated materials will be disqualified from admission or student status. Scholarship recipients will be disqualified.

      4. The SYSU Office of International Students’ Affairs performs the supervisory duties of the admissions. The Discipline Inspection and Supervision Department performs specific supervisory duties.

X. Supplementary Provisions

       1. This guide is applicable to the enrollment work for 2024 International Students (Bachelor’s Degree) of SYSU, and shall be implemented as of the date of publication.

       2. This guide will be explained by the SYSU Office of International Students’ Affairs authorized by the SYSU Undergraduate Admission Leading Group.

       3. If the policies of the Ministry of Education and relevant departments are adjusted, the new regulations shall be implemented accordingly.

Website of the Office of International Students’ Affairs: http://iso.sysu.edu.cn

Online Application Website: https://apply.sysu.edu.cn

Email: [email protected]

Inquiry Tel: 0086（20）84110819

Supervision Department Tel: 0086（20）84115582

Address: Office of International Students’ Affairs, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou, P.R.China

Zip code: 510275

 

,https://iso.sysu.edu.cn/en/application/selffunded/1413214.htm