Xiamen University (XMU), founded in 1921 by renowned patriotic overseas Chinese leader Mr. Tan Kah Kee, was the first Chinese university established by an overseas Chinese person. XMU has long been listed among China’s leading universities on the national 211 Project, 985 Project and Double First-Class Initiative, which have been launched by the Chinese government to support selected universities in achieving world-class standing. Nestled snugly between green hills and the blue sea, XMU is renowned as one of the most beautiful universities around the world for its excellent education facilities and beautiful environment.
Xiamen University currently comprises Siming Campus, Zhangzhou Campus, Xiang’an Campus and XMU Malaysia. XMU consists of a graduate school, six academic divisions, 33 schools and 16 research institutes. In 2022, six XMU disciplines – education, chemistry, marine science, biology, ecology and statistics – were included in the nation’s list of disciplines for achieving world-class status. XMU ranks among ESI’s global top 1% in 19 disciplines, with chemistry, materials science and engineering in ESI’s global top 1‰. XMU currently has a faculty of nearly 3,000, of whom 74.3% are full or associate professors. Among them, 32 are the members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. XMU currently has an enrollment of more than 44,000 students, including over 20,000 students in bachelor’s degree programs, 18,000 in master’s degree programs, and 5,000 in doctoral degree programs.
XMU implements a comprehensive global outreach strategy. The University has signed cooperation agreements with 259 overseas universities. Actively involved in international Chinese education, XMU has built 14 Confucius Institutes and 48 Confucius Classrooms in 12 countries on five continents, the highest numbers with the most extensive geographic coverage among Chinese universities on the List of “Double First-Class” Universities. In July 2014, XMU Malaysia broke ground, making XMU the first Chinese university to open an international campus, hailed as a jewel on the crown of the “Belt and Road Initiative”.
I. Eligibility
1. Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens aged between 18 and 30 (as of September 1, 2023), be mentally and pysically healthy, and possess a valid regular passport.
2. Applicants should be a graduating high school student or hold a high school diploma with a satisfactory academic record.
3. Scholarship applicants should also meet the age limit requirements of respective scholarships.
Notes:
1. Applicants under the age of 18 (by September 1st, 2023) should submit Guarantee Statement
(https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/info/1141/2009.htm).
2. Foreign citizens of Chinese origin, including former Chinese citizens who have obtained foreign citizenship, as well as the non-Chinese descendants of present or former Chinese citizens, will be subject to a preliminary review of citizenship status by XMU during the admission stage, and to verification of citizenship by the entry and exit administration department of China’s public security authorities. Applicants who fail to pass the preliminary review or verification of citizenship will be deemed to have voluntarily relinquished their eligibility for admission, as well as the subsequent academic registration that they may obtain.
3. In accordance with Article 5 of the Nationality Law of the People’s Republic of China, a person whose parents are both Chinese citizens and have both settled abroad, or one of whose parents is a Chinese citizen and has settled abroad, shall not have Chinese citizenship if he or she was born outside China and has acquired foreign citizenship at birth. Starting in 2021, if such a person applies to study in a bachelor’s degree program at XMU as an international student, in addition to meeting the University’s all other application requirements, he or she is required to have held a valid foreign passport for at least 4 years and have actually resided in a foreign country for at least 2 years in the past 4 years (as of April 30, 2023) (9 months of residence in a foreign country counts as a full year). The dates of the entry and exit stamps in the passport will be followed in the determination of the actual length of foreign residence). This requirement is also applicable to residents of the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan Hong Kong or Macao who have emigrated to a foreign country and obtained foreign citizenship and are applying to study in a bachelor's degree program at XMU as international students.
II. Application Timeline
Chinese Government Scholarship applicants: December 1, 2022 to Feb. 28, 2023
Applicants for other scholarships: December 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023
Self-funded applicants: December 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023
Notes: Beijing Time; late applications will not be accepted.
III. Application Procedures
Applicants should apply and pay the application fee through the XMU online application system for international students at
http://application.xmu.edu.cn.
Applicants for Chinese Language major please follow the instructions on the website of XMU's Overseas Education College. (http://oec.xmu.edu.cn; Email: oec@xmu.edu.cn; Tel: +86 (0)592 2186211).
IV. Application Documents
Applicants must fill in the application information truthfully in Chinese or English in the application system and upload the following application documents:
1. A scanned copy of the first page of the passport (regular passport, valid through October 31, 2023).
Notes: Applicants in the category requiring preliminary review of citizenship status marked in the “Application Requirements”, depending on their citizenship status, should follow the instructions in the application system to provide information and upload the documents required for the preliminary review of citizenship status and bring the relevant paper documents to XMU when enrolling; failure to do so will affect registration and citizenship verification.
2. Birth certificate
3. Parents’ identity documents
4. High school diploma or Certificate of Expected Graduation
(1) Graduating high school students should submit a Certificate of Expected Graduation, issued by their high schools. They should obtain a high school diploma before their entry to XMU in September of the academic year.
(3) The certificate should be stamped by the school.
(4) The originals of the diplomas and certification documents should be made available for verification upon enrolment at XMU.
5. Academic transcripts for high school studies, bearing the stamp of the School.
(1) Graduating high school students should submit academic transcripts for each year of high school to date.
(2) High school graduates should submit a complete set of academic transcripts for high school.
(3) The results report of their national college matriculation exam or internationally accepted standardized tests, e.g., UEC/A Level/ AP/IB/ SAT/ACT.
6. Language proficiency certificate.
(1) Chinese proficiency requirements for Chinese-medium programs
Applicants for programs in the humanities, economics, management and law need to have a Chinese proficiency certificate of HSK band 5 with a score of 210 or above; applicants for programs in sciences, engineering and medicine should have a certificate of HSK band 4 with a score of 210 or above; applicants for the major in Chinese Language please consult directly Overseas Education College for the HSK requirements. Applicants who have taken all courses in Chinese during their high school studies are exempt from the HSK certificate requirement, but a Chinese-as-medium-of-instruction certificate from the high school should be furnished.
(2) English proficiency requirements for English-medium MBBS program
Applicants should present a TOEFL iBT certificate with a score of 80 or above, or an IELTS Academic certificate with an overall score of 6.0. XMU's DI Code for TOEFL is C310. Applicants who have taken all courses in English during their high school studies are exempt from the TOEFL iBT or IELTS certificate requirement, but a English-as-medium-of-instruction certificate from the high school should be furnished. Native English speakers are exempt from this requirement.
7. A Letter of Recommendation in Chinese or English with information of the recommender’s names, employer and work position, either signed by the recommender or bearing the stamp of the recommending organization.
8. Study Plan (minimum 800 words), which should include a self-introduction, a description of one’s educational experience, motivations for studying in China and study plan. Applicants for Chinese-medium programs are expected to deliver it in Chinese. Applicants for English-medium programs are expected to deliver it in English.
9.Physical Examination Record for Inbound Travellers (https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/info/1141/1745.htm) including chest X ray image, electrocardiogram, laboratory exam results and data sheets of some required items, completed in Chinese or English, with the lower part of the applicant’s photo stamped by the hospital. Physical examination results are valid for 6 months.
10. Financial Support Guarantee Statement (https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/info/1141/1744.htm) and its supporting documents completed in Chinese or English, certifying that the applicant has sufficient funds to cover his or her tuition, accommodation, living expenses and international travels during his or her study in China. The Statement should be accompanied by a copy of the financial sponsor’s valid passport or identification certificate. Applicants for scholarships are not exempt from this requirement.
11. Certificate of No Criminal Record. The applicants shall submit a valid Certificate of No Criminal Record, usually within 6 months before the date of submission of the application.
12. Other supporting documents, such as competition awards, merit certificates, community service or special skills certificates, may be submitted in the “Other Supporting Materials” section in the application system as well.
Notes:
1. After the application is submitted, the applicant will not be able to modify the application information or application materials. Therefore, before submitting your application, please check carefully to ensure that the information and materials submitted are comprehensive, true and complete. Applications with inaccuracies or omissions will not be accepted by the University. Action for misconduct will be taken according to XII. Monitoring, complaints and action for misconduct.
2. If any forms, documents and certificates used in the application are in languages other than English or Chinese, they should be accompanied by a notarized translation into Chinese or English in addition to the original documents. It is recommended that these documents and their translations be notarized at the Chinese embassy (consulate) in your home country. Please stamp on the edges of all sheets with part of the impression on each sheet if the document consists of more than one page; alternatively, stamp on each page of the document.
3. In general, there is no need to mail original hard-copy materials through courier service. However, under extraordinary circumstances, the University reserves the rights to require applicants to mail original hard-copy documents for further review and identification. No application materials will be returned, regardless of the outcome of the application.
V. Academic Programs
XMU recruites undergraduate students in broad categories.
1. Chinese-medium Programs:
Most bachelor’s degree programs are taught in Chinese. Please refer to XMU Chinese-Medium Bachelor's Programs on Offer for 2023 Entry
(https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/Programs/Chinese_Medium_Bachelor_s.htm).
2. English-medium Program:
Please refer to XMU English-Medium Bachelor's Programs on Offer for 2023 Entry
(https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/Programs/English_Medium_Bachelor_s.htm).
XMU is one of the Chinese universities authorized by China’s Ministry of Education to enroll international students in the English-medium MBBS program. The program aims to help international students to become qualified medical professionals through 6 years of training in the medical school and hospitals. Please consult the School of Medicine for more information (Tel: +86 (0)592 2186901, Email: mbbs@xmu.edu.cn).
VI. Admission and Selection
1. Verification of qualification
There will be a comprehensive review of the applicant’s foreign citizenship, highest degree diploma, academic performance, language proficiency, research plan, recommendations and physical and mental health.
2. Academic assessment
For applicants who pass the verification of qualifications, the related college or school will conduct academic assessment, including evaluation of the application documents as well as a remote interview or written examination of the applicant if necessary. The academic assessment focuses on the applicant’s academic capabilities, communicative competence, overall merit, etc.
3. The admission decision will be based on the verification of the applicant’s qualifications and academic assessment results, as well as their program choices.
Applicants should log onto the online application system regularly for notifications and the progress of application status, and keep their phones open and check their email accounts regularly. The outcome of application will be published on the application system in June or July. Admissions Notices and Student Visa Application Forms (JW201/202) for successful applicants will be mailed out starting in July or August.
VII. Length of Program, Duration of Study and Conferral of Degree
Chinese-medium programs: 4 years as prescribed by the State for most bachelor’s degree programs, and 5 years for some programs (architecture, urban-rural planning, etc.);
English-medium MBBS program: 6 years.
Time of enrolment: Autumn, usually in September.
Duration of study:
4–6 years for 4-year bachelor’s degree programs;
5–7 years for 5-year bachelor’s degree programs;
6–8 years for 6-year bachelor’s degree programs.
Students will be awarded a graduation certificate by XMU after they have completed all the courses prescribed in the academic scheme and have satisfied the graduation requirements within the duration of study prescribed by XMU. Those who have also satisfied the requirements for degree conferral will be conferred a bachelor’s degree by XMU.
VIII. Application Fee
RMB 400 (payable upon signing up online; non-refundable)
IX. Tuition Fee
1. Chinese-medium programs:
(1) Humanities: RMB 24,000 per year.
(2) Science, Engineering, Medicine, Economics, Management, Law, Arts and Chinese Language (Overseas Education College): RMB 26,000 per year.
2. English-medium MBBS program: RMB 38,000 per year.
Notes: Tuition fees are payable in RMB by academic year and do not include textbook fees. Tuition fees are subject to change without prior notice upon approval by price regulators.
X. Other Expenses
1. Accommodation
(1) International student apartments are available on Siming and Xiang’an campuses. The apartments on Siming campus each have a twin room, while the apartments on Xiang’an campus are in suites, with each suite consisting of four twin rooms. Each room is equipped with beds, desks and chairs, wardrobes, an air conditioner, a water heater, a bathroom (suites have a different bathroom arrangement), and Internet access (for a fee). Communal self-service washers and dryers and other equipment are available.
(2) Due to the limited availability of on-campus accommodation, priority will be given to students who are recipients of scholarships that include subsidies for on-campus accommodation.
(3) Surplus accommodation will be allotted to students who are recipients of scholarships with no subsidies for accommodation and to self-funded students. Students with on-campus accommodation can live in on-campus housing until June 30 of the academic year. The accommodation fees range from RMB 30 to RMB 70 per person per day on Siming campus, and from RMB 1,600 to RMB 4,000 per academic year per person on Xiang’an campus. Please refer to the updated notice for the year.
(4) International students with on-campus accommodation are expected to pay for their water and electricity consumption. For rates and charges as well as payment methods, please refer to the Enrollment Instructions for New Students. For enquiries, call +86 (0)592 2180501 (Siming campus), or +86 (0)592 2886252 (Xiang’an campus).
(5) Students who cannot obtain on-campus accommodation are expected to arrange for their own off-campus accommodation before their arrival. The monthly rental of an apartment room near Siming campus is around RMB 2,500.
(6) Recipients of Chinese Government Scholarships or International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarships that cover on-campus accommodation expenses can apply for an accommodation subsidy if they give up free on-campus accommodation and choose to live off campus. Please refer to the updated notice for the year.
2. Living Cost: Around RMB 1000-1500 per month.
3. Medical Insurance: For the safety of international students in China, according to the regulations of the Chinese Ministry of Education and Xiamen University, international students are required to purchase medical insurance for an annual fee of RMB 800. Please refer to the enrolment instructions for detailed information of medical insurance.
4. For more information about accommodation, insurance or scholarship Stipend, please consult Overseas Students Affairs Office (OSAO, Tel:+ 86 (0)592 2183606, Email: osao@xmu.edu.cn).
5. Xiamen University strictly follows tuition policies of the government. Fee charging shall be carried on in accordance with regulations stipulated in the admission guidances. Do not trust any school fee payment notice other than the admission guidances and the enrollment instructions.
XI. Scholarship Programs
(I) Xiamen Tan Kah Kee Scholarship
This scholarship was set up by Xiamen Tan Kah Kee Education Foundation in 2017 as part of its efforts to foster the Tan Kah Kee spirit in entrepreneurship and dedication to education. The scholarship is open to international students of Chinese descent from countries along the Maritime Silk Road who wish to study in bachelor’s, master’s or PhD programs. Applicants should submit their applications for admission and the scholarship through our application system for international students (application.xmu.edu.cn) within the application period specified in the admission prospectus.
(II) Xiamen University Scholarship for New International Students
XMU itself offers scholarships to doctoral, master’s and undergraduate candidates. Scholarship recipients will have their tuitions covered (a maximum of 4 or 5 years for bachelor’s degree programs, 2 or 3 years for master’s degree programs, 4 years for doctoral degree programs). Moreover, XMU provides monthly living allowances for outstanding master’s or doctoral candidates in accordance with the standards of Chinese Government Scholarships. Applicants should submit their applications for admission and the scholarship through our application system for international students (application.xmu.edu.cn).
(III) Fujian Provincial Government Scholarship for International Students
The Scholarship is open to international students who wish to study in degree programs in Fujian Province. It is available only for one academic year and amounts to RMB 30,000 for undergraduates, RMB 40,000 for master’s students and RMB 50,000 for doctoral students. The University will select the best candidates from the pool of students who have passed the annual review. The shortlisted students will be recommended for the renewal of the scholarship in the subsequent year. Applicants should submit their applications for admission and the scholarship through our application system for international students (application.xmu.edu.cn) within the application period specified in the admission prospectus.
(IV) Chinese Government Scholarships
1. Chinese Government Scholarships – Country-Specific Bilateral Program (Full or Partial Scholarships)
Applicants who are eligible for the “Chinese Government Scholarship – Country-Specific Bilateral Program” can apply to their home country’s international student dispatching department or the education office of the Chinese embassy (consulate) in their home country. In general, the application period is from January to early April every year. However, application deadlines may vary from country to country. Please follow the updates of the local Chinese embassy (consulate).
2. Chinese Government Scholarship University Programs
Xiamen University, as an enrolling institution under the Chinese Government Scholarship Programs, admits students from around the world who are recipients of such scholarships. XMU will submits information on such students to the China Scholarship Council for approval. Eligible applicants should submit their applications for admission and scholarships through the XMU application system for international students (application.xmu.edu.cn) within the application period specified in the prospectus; they should also register on the “Chinese Government Scholarship Information System” (studyinchina.csc.edu.cn; Agency No. XMU: 10384).
Notes:
1.This application guide may be adjusted by the latest notice from the competent department of scholarship and so please refer to the latest version of application guide on the XMU Admissions Web.
2. In line with XMU’s Guidelines on Selecting Candidates for International Students Scholarships, the University will follow the principle of formality, equality and impartiality and select the best candidates from the pool of qualified and admitted students. The shortlisted candidates will be submitted to the university authorities and the relevant scholarship management institutions for final approval. The scholarship recipients will be assessed on an annual basis in accordance with the relevant scholarship regulations and only those meeting the required standards will have their scholarship renewed for the subsequent year. Those who fail in the review will no longer be eligible for the scholarship.
XII. Monitoring, Complaints and Action for Misconduct
1. Required by the competent department, the information related to application and admission will be published on XMU Admissions Web (https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn) or websites of relevant schools. Beware of any fake news from other sources.
2.Under the guidance of the University’s Student Recruitment Leadership Group, XMU’s international student recruitment is jointly conducted by its Admissions Office and the relevant schools/colleges and is subject to the monitoring of the University’s Supervision Division (Tel: +86 (0)592 2186219).
3. Applicants are responsible for the truthfulness and accuracy of the information and documents they have submitted. Failure to meet the admission regulations for international students or any falsification or misrepresentation, whenever it is confirmed, will result in disqualification of application, enrollment, student status, graduation and degrees awarded in accordance with the regulations of the educational authorities and the University.
XIII. Contact Information
XMU Admissions Office (Degreed International Students Recruitment)
Tel: +86 (0) 592 2184792, 2188375
Fax: +86 (0) 592 2180256
Email: admissions@xmu.edu.cn
Website: http://admissions.xmu.edu.cn
XMU Overseas Education College (Chinese Language Students Recruitment)
Tel: +86 (0) 592 2186211
Fax: +86 (0) 592 2093346
Email: oec@xmu.edu.cn
Website: http://oec.xmu.edu.cn
XMU School of Medicine (For Enquiries on MBBS’s Courses)
Tel: +86 (0)592 2186901
Email: mbbs@xmu.edu.cn
Website: http://mbbs.xmu.edu.cn
XMU Overseas Students Affairs Office (International Students Registration and Management)
Tel: +86 (0) 592 2183606
Fax: +86 (0) 592 2186589
Email: osao@xmu.edu.cn
Website: http://xsc.xmu.edu.cn
HSK Test – Xiamen University Test Centre
Tel: +86 (0) 592 2187478
Fax: +86 (0) 592 2093346
Website: http://www.chinesetest.cn
★ The English version of this Guide is provided for reference and as a general guide ONLY. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese versions, the Chinese version shall prevail. This Guide may not be reproduced without authorization.
(from: https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/Admissions/Undergraduate_Students.htm)
