Tianjin, Tianjin · Founded 1919 · Project 985 · Project 211 · Double First Class
Nankai University 南开大学
Nankai University, in Tianjin, is one of China's most distinguished comprehensive universities, with historic strengths in chemistry, mathematics, statistics, economics and history. It is co-located with Tianjin University on the Haihe Education Park campus.
Overview
Nankai University, in Tianjin, is one of China's most distinguished comprehensive universities, with historic strengths in chemistry, mathematics, statistics, economics and history. It is co-located with Tianjin University on the Haihe Education Park campus.
Nankai has a long tradition of hosting international students and runs a highly regarded Chinese language programme through its College of Chinese Language and Culture.
History
Nankai was founded in 1919 by the educators Zhang Boling and Yan Xiu, initially as a private institution — unusual for its time. It was destroyed by Japanese bombing in 1937 and reformed in Kunming as part of the National Southwestern Associated University with Peking and Tsinghua.
After 1949 Nankai became a national key comprehensive university specialising in basic sciences and economics. It merged with Tianjin Institute of Foreign Trade in 1994 and Tianjin University of Technology in 1999.
Nankai joined Project 211 and Project 985 and is a Double First Class university. Its new Haihe Education Park campus opened in 2015, with the Balitai campus retaining the historic core.
World rankings, 2017–2026
| Edition | QS | ARWU | THE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 315 | 201–300 | 501–600 |
| 2018 | 344 | 201–300 | 501–600 |
| 2019 | 338 | 201–300 | 401–500 |
| 2020 | 368 | 201–300 | 401–500 |
| 2021 | 377 | 201–300 | 351–400 |
| 2022 | 368 | 201–300 | 301–350 |
| 2023 | 371 | 201–300 | 251–300 |
| 2024 | 372 | 151–200 | 201–250 |
| 2025 | 377 | 151–200 | 191 |
| 2026 | 377 | 151–200 | 181 |
Compilations such as this one can lag a publisher's revisions; verify the current figure at source.
Campuses
| Campus | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Balitai Campus (Main) | 94 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin | The historic campus; Zhou Enlai's alma mater with the Zhou Enlai School of Government. |
| Haihe Education Park Campus | 38 Tongyan Road, Jinnan District, Tianjin | Modern campus shared with Tianjin University; most first- and second-year teaching. |
| Teddy Campus | Tianjin | Graduate and professional education. |
Faculty and research
Nankai University employs around 3,100 academic staff, including about 16 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. 16 national academy members. Nankai's College of Chemistry is one of the largest chemistry faculties in the world, and the School of Economics hosts the Institute of International Economics.
Discipline strength
| Discipline | National grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | A+ | One of the largest and most cited chemistry faculties in China. |
| Mathematics | A+ | Shiing-Shen Chern founded the Nankai Institute of Mathematics. |
| Statistics | A+ | Leading Chinese school of statistics. |
| Economics | A+ | Nankai Institute of Economics publishes the Nankai Economic Studies journal. |
| Business Administration | A | China Europe International Business School has links with Nankai's business school. |
| History | A+ | Particularly strong in world history and American studies. |
| Optical Engineering | A | Fibre optics and photonics. |
| Environmental Science & Engineering | A | Pollution control and remediation. |
Grades follow China's national discipline evaluation scheme (A+ is the highest). Consult the university for the most recent evaluation results.
Programmes open to international students
| Programme | Level | Language | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Language | Bachelor | Chinese | 4 years |
| International Economics and Trade | Bachelor | Chinese / English | 4 years |
| Chemistry | Master / PhD | English | 3 / 4 years |
| Business Administration (MBA) | MBA | English | 2 years |
| Chinese Language Programme | Language | Chinese | 0.5–2 years |
Admissions, tuition and deadlines
Requirements
Bachelor: high school diploma, Nankai entrance examination, HSK 5 or IELTS 6.0. Graduate: degree, transcripts, two recommendation letters, study plan.
Deadlines and fees
Deadlines: Bachelor: December – April. Graduate: December – March.. Application fee: CNY 400. Tuition: CNY 22,000–28,000 per year for bachelor's; CNY 26,000–40,000 for master's.
Scholarships
Chinese Government Scholarship, Confucius Institute Scholarship, Tianjin Municipal Government Scholarship, Nankai University Scholarship.
Notable alumni
| Alumnus | Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zhou Enlai | Statesman | Nankai's most famous alumnus; the university's School of Government bears his name. |
| Shiing-Shen Chern | Mathematician | Founder of the Nankai Institute of Mathematics; Wolf Prize laureate. |
| Cao Yu | Playwright | One of modern China's greatest dramatists. |
| Yang Zhenning | Nobel Laureate in Physics | Studied at Nankai as a young student. |
Why students choose this university
- Strong basic-science research with a historic academic culture
- Tianjin living costs are far lower than Beijing with the same job access
- Well-established Chinese-language teaching for international students