Study@SJTU - Shanghai Jiao Tong University

2027 International Graduate Admissions Guide

Please click here to download the International Graduate Admissions Guide in English

Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) is one of China’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education, renowned both in China and internationally. It is a national key university directly administered by the Ministry of Education of China and jointly supported by the Ministry and the Shanghai Municipal Government. With a history spanning more than 130 years, SJTU has developed into a comprehensive, innovative and internationally oriented university that ranks among China’s leading institutions and enjoys a global reputation. Its campuses, including Xuhui, Minhang, Huangpu, Changning, Pudong and Chongming, cover a total area of more than three million square meters.

SJTU is authorized to award doctoral degrees in 57 first-level disciplines across 11 disciplinary categories: Economics, Law, Education, Literature, History, Science, Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine, Management and Interdisciplinary Studies. It is also authorized to award master’s degrees in 61 first-level disciplines across 12 disciplinary categories, as well as professional doctoral degrees in 16 categories and professional master’s degrees in 35 categories.

SJTU offers graduate programs taught in Chinese or entirely in English to international applicants from around the world. Details of participating schools and programs are available in the SJTU 2027 International Graduate Program Catalog. Master’s programs normally take two to three years, and doctoral programs normally take four years. The specific duration is subject to the requirements of the program concerned. Students who complete the prescribed study plan, pass the thesis or dissertation review and defense, and fulfill all other graduation and degree requirements of their program will be awarded the corresponding graduation certificate and degree certificate.

Note: The above figures are current as of October 2026.

1. Eligibility

(1) Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens holding a foreign ordinary passport for private purposes.

Note: Whether an applicant holds Chinese nationality is determined by the exit and entry administration authorities of China’s public security organs. If, during the application or admission process or after enrollment, an applicant is determined by the competent authorities to hold Chinese nationality, or is found not to meet the University’s eligibility requirements, the University will revoke the applicant’s eligibility to apply, admission offer, eligibility to enroll, or student status, as applicable to the stage concerned.

(2) Applicants must be of good character and in good physical and mental health, and must meet the medical examination requirements prescribed by the Chinese authorities and the University. They should have an understanding of and a friendly attitude toward China, be willing to abide by Chinese laws and regulations and the University’s rules, and have no criminal record or record of other violations of laws, regulations or disciplinary rules.

(3) Applicants for master’s programs must hold a degree equivalent to a Chinese bachelor’s degree. Applicants for doctoral programs must hold a degree equivalent to a Chinese master’s degree. Applicants in their final year of study who have not yet obtained the required degree may apply with a certificate of expected graduation issued by their university. They must obtain the degree required for their chosen program before registration and enrollment.

(4) Some schools and programs accept applicants with a bachelor’s degree for direct entry to doctoral study. Specific eligibility requirements are set out in the admissions announcements and program catalogs issued by the relevant schools and programs.

(5) Applicants must meet the applicable Chinese or English proficiency requirements specified in the Language Requirements for SJTU International Graduate Programs.

2. Online Application

(1) Application Timeline Beijing Time

November 5, 2026: Applications open.

December 15, 2026: First-round application deadline for the Chinese Government Scholarship through the University.

February 15, 2027: Final application deadline for the Chinese Government Scholarship through the University.

March 31, 2027: Application deadline for the Shanghai Government Scholarship and SJTU Scholarships.

May 31, 2027: Application deadline for self-funded applicants.

(2) How to Apply

Applicants must log in the University’s online application system for international students (http://apply.sjtu.edu.cn), complete the application form fully and accurately, upload all required documents, and submit their application.

3. Application Documents

(1) Degree certificates and degree verification reports: Applicants for master’s programs must submit their original bachelor’s degree certificate. Applicants for doctoral programs must submit their original master’s and bachelor’s degree certificates. Applicants who obtained their degrees from universities outside the Chinese mainland are, in principle, required to submit a degree verification report issued by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), Ministry of Education of China. Applicants who obtained their degrees from universities in the Chinese mainland are, in principle, required to submit a degree verification report issued through CHSI (China Higher Education Student Information), the official platform of the Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education, China (CSSD).

Note: Applicants in their final year of study may initially submit an official certificate of expected graduation issued by their university. The degree certificate and degree verification report must be submitted before enrollment and registration. Applicants who have already graduated should submit their degree verification reports at the time of application.

(2) Academic transcripts: Applicants for master’s programs must submit authentic and complete undergraduate transcripts. Applicants for doctoral programs must submit authentic and complete transcripts for both their undergraduate and master’s studies. Applicants in their final year of study may initially submit their current transcripts and must provide their final transcripts before enrollment. If the uploaded transcripts do not directly show the overall grade point average (GPA), an official GPA statement issued by the university must also be provided.

(3) Proof of language proficiency: Applicants must submit the documents specified in the Language Requirements for SJTU International Graduate Programs.

(4) Passport: Applicants must submit a scanned copy of the biographical information page of their foreign ordinary passport for private purposes. The passport must remain valid for at least 12 months from the expected date of enrollment. Applicants whose passports do not meet this requirement should obtain a new passport promptly and use the new passport to complete their application.

(5) Identification photo: The photo must be in JPG format, with a file size of less than 200 KB, a width of at least 295 pixels and a height of at least 413 pixels.

(6) Personal statement and research plan: Applicants for doctoral programs must additionally upload a brief account of their research experience.

(7) Two letters of recommendation: Referees should be academics holding the rank of associate professor or an equivalent or higher position, or senior professionals in a relevant industry.

(8) Letter of Intent for Supervision from an SJTU Supervisor: Applicants to the following schools and institutes must submit this letter in accordance with the requirements for the relevant degree level and school or institute.

Doctoral programs: School of Mechanical Engineering; School of Computer Science; School of Integrated Circuits (School of Information Science and Electronic Engineering); School of Materials Science and Engineering; School of Mathematical Sciences; School of Physics and Astronomy; School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology; School of Biomedical Engineering; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; School of Humanities; KoGuan School of Law; School of Foreign Languages; School of Agriculture and Biology; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Tsung-Dao Lee Institute; School of Design; College of Smart Energy; Antai College of Economics and Management; SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology; School of Oceanography; School of Psychology; Global Institute of Future Technology; School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering; School of International and Public Affairs; and School of Medicine.
Master’s programs: School of Mechanical Engineering; School of Computer Science; School of Integrated Circuits (School of Information Science and Electronic Engineering); School of Materials Science and Engineering; School of Mathematical Sciences; School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology; School of Biomedical Engineering; School of Agriculture and Biology; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Tsung-Dao Lee Institute; SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology; College of Smart Energy; School of Oceanography; School of Psychology; School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering; and School of Medicine.

Applicants to the relevant programs in the schools and institutes listed above must obtain a Letter of Intent for Supervision before submitting their application, in accordance with the requirements of the school or institute concerned. Contact details are available in the Contact Information for Schools and Institutes Offering International Graduate Programs in 2027.

Note: All certificates, verification reports and supporting documents uploaded must be originals in Chinese or English. Documents issued in other languages must be uploaded together with notarized translations into English or Chinese. Documents must be scanned in color using a scanner. Photographs taken with a mobile phone or camera, and photocopies, are not accepted.

4. Fees

(1) Application fee: RMB 800. Applicants should ensure that their application documents are complete and accurate before paying the application fee. The application fee is non-refundable.

(2) Tuition: Tuition fees for individual programs are listed in the SJTU 2027 International Graduate Program Catalog.

5. Enrollment

Enrollment is scheduled for September 2027. Admitted students must report to the University in person and complete registration and enrollment procedures in accordance with their Admission Notice and the guide for new students.

6. Scholarship Applications

Scholarships for international doctoral students comprise Honorary Scholarships, Government Scholarships and SJTU Scholarships. Scholarships for international master’s students comprise Government Scholarships, SJTU Scholarships, SJTU Tuition Waiver Scholarships and School Scholarships. Details of scholarship amounts and funding periods are available in the application system (http://apply.sjtu.edu.cn).

(1)Eligibility

(a) Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for SJTU international graduate programs.

(b) Applicants must not be receiving any other form of scholarship funding.

(d) Applicants for master’s study must be no older than 35.

(2) Application Timeline Beijing Time

November 5, 2026: Applications open.

December 15, 2026: First-round application deadline for the Chinese Government Scholarship through the University.

February 15, 2027: Final application deadline for the Chinese Government Scholarship through the University.

March 31, 2027: Application deadline for the Shanghai Government Scholarship and SJTU Scholarships.

(3) How to Apply

Applicants may apply for scholarships either through the University or through a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad. Applicants may choose only one of these two channels.

(a) Applying through the University

Eligible applicants must select the “Apply for scholarships through the University” option in the application system (http://apply.sjtu.edu.cn). After the application deadline, the University will assess applicants’ documents and determine scholarship award levels in accordance with the applicable regulations and requirements. Applicants must complete the relevant scholarship application procedures by the deadlines specified in the University’s notifications. Please note the following:

Applicants for the Chinese Government Scholarship (Type B) must enter SJTU’s Agency Number, 10248, in the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System.
Applicants who are not nominated by the University for the Chinese Government Scholarship will automatically be considered for the Shanghai Government Scholarship and SJTU Scholarships.

(b) Applying through a Chinese Embassy or Consulate Abroad

Eligible applicants are encouraged to give priority to applying for the Chinese Government Scholarship (Type A) through a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad. Please contact the relevant embassy or consulate directly for information on eligibility, application procedures, required documents, the Agency Number, scholarship subcategories and any other requirements. Contact details are available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China (https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/).

Note: Applicants applying for scholarships through this channel must also complete their application in the University’s online application system for international students (http://apply.sjtu.edu.cn) by the applicable deadline and in accordance with this guide.

(4) Scholarship Results

Applicants may check their scholarship results in the application system (http://apply.sjtu.edu.cn). The University will not issue separate written notifications of scholarship results.

(5) Additional Information

(a) Scholarship funding periods will not normally be extended. All scholarship recipients must undergo an annual review as required.

(b) Annual review requirements and disbursement policies for the Chinese Government Scholarship are subject to the notices and regulations issued by the authorities responsible for administering the scholarship.

(c) SJTU Scholarships, SJTU Tuition Waiver Scholarships and School Scholarships may cover all or part of the tuition fees. The specific coverage is subject to the funding package confirmed by the University or the relevant school.

(d) Students may reserve on-campus accommodation as needed or arrange their own accommodation off campus. The University provides accommodation allowances according to the scholarship award level.