Cheap Tuition in China: Tuition, Fees, and Cost of Living and Accommodation

You’ve probably wondered how much it costs to study on low tuition at a university in China? If you would like to study in China, one of the most important things to think about is how much everything is going to cost. This article will explain the cost of every aspect of university life to ensure that you have everything catered for.

Please note that cost and exchange rates are correct at the time of publication and would vary over time. Most prices have been rounded up or down.

Tuition fees

Studying in China is cheaper than the UK or US, although it is still considerably more expensive than some European countries. Based on the institution and the subject, students should expect to pay roughly 11,480 to 20,880 yuan per academic year (£1,320 to £2,400). However, courses in medicine, engineering and business will cost more, usually 159,300 to 331,885 yuan (£18,319 to £38,166) per annum.

In addition to private Chinese institutions, there is also the opportunity to study at either American or British universities with a campus in a Chinese city, such as the Chinese campuses of the University of Nottingham, Leicester and Lancaster. Tuition fees at such universities are roughly 53,100 to 99,565 yuan (£6,100 to £11,449) a year, with the average first degree at 79,650 yuan (£9,160) and the average second or masters degree at 89,610 yuan (£10,300) a year.

There is equally an application fee for Chinese universities, which is pegged between 597 and 995 yuan (£69 to £114), but it will not go over 1,327 yuan (£150). Of all the courses offered by Chinese institutions, the bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery have the most expensive admission fees. Typically, the higher the university is ranked in the Chinese league tables, the more expensive the application fee will be.

Peking University – this is one of China’s top-rated universities – charges an average admission fee of 1,128 yuan (£129). Tuition fees are roughly 23,230 yuan (£2,670) per anum. Since a Chinese undergraduate program takes four years to complete, a student at Peking would spend 92,927 yuan (£10,686) in total on tuition fees.

Nanjing Tech University is at the moment the most affordable in China per tuition fees (25,130 yuan, or about £2,866 a year) and the average undergraduate student would graduate having spent 100,524 yuan (£11,464) after four years of study.

Accommodation costs

The common housing options in China are student residence halls (995 to 2,655 yuan, or £114 to £760 per month), renting a flat (1,660 to 6,637 yuan, or £190 to £763 for a one-bedroom apartment), a home stay with a Chinese family (2,320 to 3,650 yuan, or £267 to £420 a month, often will include at least one meal per day) or a hostel, which is usually a temporary arrangement (119 yuan or £14 a night).

Most international students will choose to live with a room-mate in a student residence or an apartment, paying roughly 1,990 to 3,053 yuan (£229 to £351) for a security deposit and 331 yuan (£38) a month for water, gas and electricity bills. A standard rent for a one-bedroom apartment in a city in China is averagely 3,520 yuan (£335 to £419) a month.

Although cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are some of the most expensive in the world, it is possible to find good value options for housing. Rates are much cheaper in places such as Jiangsu, Sichuan and Tianjin.

Other essential student Expenses

If you intend to study in China for more than six months, you are expected by the Chinese government to undergo a medical examination, which you should arrange before you leave your home country. You will have to present your medical examination results when submitting an application for a Chinese student visa.

All international students should apply for either a student visa, if you are intending to stay for more than six months (X-Visa, £74), or a business visa, if you are intending to stay for less than six months (F-Visa, £47).

Every semester, students are expected to spend roughly 200 to 330 yuan (£22 to £38) on books and other academic materials. China runs a two-semester system, so expect to spend roughly 400 to 665 yuan (£22 to £76) a year. This amount could be more if you decide to study sciences, medicine or art.

What financial assistance is given?

The Chinese government is currently running a series of scholarship programs to encourage international students to study and conduct research at reputable Chinese higher education institutions.Top of the list is the Chinese Government Scholarship Programmes for European Union and non-EU students (including full and partial funding), the Study in Asia Scholarship Scheme and the China/AUN Scholarships, for students from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

There are equally tons of organisations that are ready to financially assist students who wish to study in China on low tuition and programmes include the British Council China Scholarships, the Critical Language