Zhejiang University (ZJU) traces its history to 1897 and is one of China’s largest and most comprehensive universities. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 47th in the world and fifth in mainland China. Its main campuses are in Hangzhou, with an international campus in Haining and an International School of Medicine in Yiwu.
Most of ZJU’s degrees are taught in Chinese, but it also offers some English-taught programmes. Its 2027 guide hadn’t been published by October 2026, so this article uses the 2026 rules as a guide. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Zhejiang University’s own guidance and official Chinese government information.
1. Choose your programme
ZJU’s bachelor’s degrees take four to six years and are generally taught in Chinese. For 2026, the English-taught programmes were the six-year MBBS and Biomedical Engineering at the International School of Medicine in Yiwu, Global Communication and Management at the International Business School on the Haining campus, and dual degrees in Integrative Biomedical Sciences and Biomedical Informatics with the University of Edinburgh. For English-taught programmes, you can list a first and a second preference.
2. Apply between December and February
For 2026 entry, applications were open from 1 December 2025 to 28 February 2026, and some programmes, including all the English-taught ones, stayed open until 31 May 2026. You apply through ZJU’s online application system for international students and pay a non-refundable fee of RMB 800; applications without the fee paid by the deadline are invalid. Expect similar dates for 2027. Zhejiang University: application guide for undergraduate programmes.
3. Take the CSCA
Since the 2026–27 academic year, ZJU has required every international undergraduate applicant to submit a valid score from the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA). The subjects depend on your programme: the MBBS, for example, needs mathematics and chemistry. ZJU says the test is held five times a year, in January, March, April, June and December. If you’re applying for an English-taught programme, you must take the CSCA in English.
4. Reach the right HSK level for Chinese-taught degrees
For Chinese-taught degrees, you need an HSK certificate, usually level 5 with at least 180, although some programmes ask for level 6 with 210. If your junior and senior high school courses were taught in Chinese, you can send a certificate of the language of instruction instead.
5. Meet the English requirement for English-taught degrees
For the MBBS and Biomedical Engineering in 2026, ZJU asked for IELTS 6.0 (with at least 5.0 in each part), TOEFL iBT 75 (at least 15 in each part), a Cambridge Advanced score of 170 or Duolingo 100, and IB or A Level results could exempt you. Global Communication and Management asked for IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 80 or Duolingo 120. MBBS applicants also needed at least 70 per cent in maths, physics, chemistry and biology. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
6. Write a strong personal statement and get two references
You write a personal statement of about 800 words covering your studies, why you’re applying and your strengths. You also need two recommendation letters, normally from high school teachers, with their signature, phone number and email address. ZJU recommends including your class rank or percentile with your transcripts. See our 50 sample SOPs for ideas.
7. Check your eligibility and other routes
You must be a non-Chinese citizen with an ordinary foreign passport, under 25 and a high school graduate. Strict extra rules on residence abroad apply if you have a Chinese parent or used to be a Chinese citizen. If your school has a partnership with ZJU, its Youth Talent Program lets the principal recommend top students (in the top 5 per cent of their year at a school abroad), and those admitted to Chinese-taught programmes get priority for the Zhejiang Government Scholarship.
8. Understand the fees and scholarships
In 2026, tuition for Chinese-taught degrees was RMB 19,800 to 29,800 a year, with most at RMB 24,800. English-taught programmes cost more: RMB 42,800 a year for the MBBS and Biomedical Engineering, RMB 65,000 for Global Communication and Management, and RMB 200,000 for the Edinburgh dual degrees. Scholarships include the Chinese Government Scholarship (through the Chinese embassy or through ZJU), the Zhejiang Government Scholarship and scholarships from the International School of Medicine. Tuition paid by self-funded students is normally non-refundable.
9. Get your X1 visa and residence permit
Once you’re admitted, Zhejiang University sends you an Admission Notice and a Visa Application for Study in China form (JW201 or JW202). You take these with your passport to the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country to apply for an X1 student visa. Within 30 days of arriving in China, you must apply, through the university, to convert it into a residence permit for study. If you live off campus, you must register with the local police within 24 hours of moving in. You also have to buy the compulsory Comprehensive Insurance for International Students (about RMB 800 a year) before you can register, and the university will check your original passport, diploma and other documents when you arrive. National Immigration Administration of China.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
A student residence permit doesn’t let you work freely. To do an internship or part-time job off campus, you need approval from Zhejiang University and an internship annotation added to your residence permit by the immigration authorities, and working without it can lead to fines or removal from China. After graduating, international students with a master’s or doctoral degree from a Chinese university and good grades can apply for a work permit within a year of graduating without the usual two years’ work experience; bachelor’s graduates usually need work experience, although some cities run their own schemes for talented graduates. Fluent Chinese makes a big difference to your job prospects. Peking University: internship and employment policies for international students.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at ZJU?
ZJU’s graduate programmes admit international students separately, and many master’s and doctoral programmes are taught in English. Check each programme’s deadline and requirements, and contact a potential supervisor before applying for a research degree. The Chinese Government Scholarship and Zhejiang Government Scholarship also support graduate students. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
ZJU’s popular programmes are competitive, so apply to other options too. Read our guides to Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Our guide to studying in China explains how the Chinese system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from Zhejiang University’s official Application Guide for Undergraduate Programs 2026, its 2026 catalogues of Chinese-taught and English-taught programmes, its Youth Talent Program plan and scholarship pages, Chinese government information and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on Zhejiang University’s international admissions website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Zhejiang University.