1550 Wenxiang Road, Shanghai 201620, China
Career Counselling
Shanghai International Studies University aims to equip its graduates with expertise in a wide range of international subjects, from languages to culture and foreign policy. Located in Shanghai, China, it is nearly three quarters of a century old, and is home to nearly 13,000 students, with approximately 25% of them coming from countries other than China - this is significantly higher than most other Chinese universities.
Academic and research activities at SISU are organized into 18 Schools, Colleges, and institutes, which are divided into several De...
| Establishment year | 1949 |
| Total Students | 12,764 |
| International Students | 3,076 |
| QS World University Rankings 2024 | 1001 - 1200 |
| Campus Size | 171 acres |
| Total Number of Campuses | 2 |
| University Website | http://en.shisu.edu.cn/ |
| No. of Schools and Divisions | 18 Schools, Colleges, and Institutes |
| Nobel Prize Winner Alumni | 0 |
| No. of Education Programs | 50 (undergraduate), 49 (Master’s), 22 (Doctoral) |
| Student to Faculty ratio | 10.6:1 |
Shanghai International Studies University offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses through 18 Schools, Colleges, and institutions. Many of these are further subdivided into departments.
Undergraduate international applicants to Shanghai International Studies University must satisfy these eligibility criteria:
Postgraduate international applicants to SISU must satisfy the following requirements:
Applicants to undergraduate courses at SISU must follow these steps:
Postgraduate international applicants should follow these steps:
The application fee for undergraduate and postgraduate courses is 750 RMB.
The tuition fee for undergraduate international students at SISU is RMB 22,500 (USD 3,276) per year.
The annual tuition fee for postgraduate international students for academic Master’s degrees (e.g. International Relations, Languages, Chinese, Journalism) is RMB 26,000 (USD 3,786) per year. The tuition fees for professional master’s degrees are much higher; some indicative amounts are given below:
All students should budget approximately RMB 20,000 per year towards housing, dining, travel, and personal costs. This may vary depending on the type of accommodation chosen; there are 7 housing options that students of the University can choose from.
Shanghai International Studies University has two campuses. The Hongkou campus is located in the heart of Shanghai City. It is the smaller of the two locations; senior postgraduate students, international students, and part time candidates take part in academic and research activities on this campus. The main Songjiang Campus is located inside a University Town, and is almost four times larger than Hongkou. Undergraduate and junior master's students attend classes at this location. It is a significantly green campus, and the buildings of each School / College are notable for their architectural styles, which are inspired by the cultures of the countries whose languages they teach. Extracurricular campus activities are regularly organized at this location.
As one of the premier Chinese cultural studies universities, SISU organizes several events and cultural festivals throughout the year. All departments come together to participate in annual events like the Intercultural Festival, the Freshman Welcome Week, the University Arts Festival and the Academic Forum for Postgraduate Students. Many departments have their own major cultural events as well: the Shakespeare Drama Festival, the Night of Red, White, and Blue, and the Cervantes Festival are particularly notable.
SISU also hosts several extracurricular academic events, primarily lectures and symposia. The Culture Salon and the Reading Garden are important venues for the SISU Lecture Series.
The Arts are an important component of campus diversity, with several performance troupes ensuring a vibrant and eventful atmosphere. The SISU Dance and Finalmente (Drama) troupes, and the orchestra are particularly famous. All these come together to form the SISU Arts Troupe, which has performed in several countries internationally. The Top Ten Singers campus competition is a notable annual event.
SISU places emphasis on the all-round development of its students, especially in the areas of sports, health, and fitness. At the elite level, the university has two sports teams that have achieved national success in basketball and soccer. At the next level, Sports Day and the ongoing President's Cup competition allow skilled athletes in multiple sports to show off their talents. There are world-class sports facilities on both campuses that are used by both casual players and elite athletes. The Hongkou Football Stadium is a particularly notable venue, while both campuses have well-equipped gymnasiums for indoor sports, workouts, and exercise.
Both campuses have dedicated housing, canteen, and restaurant facilities. In case a student or staff member wants to travel between the campuses, regular shuttle bus services are available.
Banking and internet services are widespread, with wi-fi and high speech broadband access in all academic areas and dormitory rooms. The Office of International Student Affairs provides a medical card to all scholarship holders; this allows these students to access free healthcare services at the university clinic. Both campuses also have multiple supermarkets to satisfy all shopping needs.
International Service Stations are located throughout both locations; these are meant to help overseas students with any aspect of campus life, from academics to language learning to mental health support. A wide network of volunteers works to ensure that all students are happy and healthy.
The China Scholarship Council (CSC) offers various Chinese Government Scholarships to students at SISU. It is offered to academically gifted bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD students who are selected on the basis of a detailed application and an interview. The maximum full award amounts (including tuition fee waivers, free accommodation, and living allowance) for different courses are as follows:
The Confucius Institute Scholarship is awarded to exceptional international students who study courses related to Chinese language, literature, and teaching. Most of these are one year courses, though there is also a bachelor’s program in teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages. The award is made on the basis of test performance and exceptional HSK Level 5/6 Chinese language proficiency. It provides its awardees with free tuition, accommodation, medical insurance, and a monthly stipend of RMB 2,500 (for undergraduates) or RMB 3,000 (for postgraduates).
The Shanghai Government Scholarship for international students has two types, and is awarded based on academic excellence. Type A, the full scholarship, is only awarded to postgraduate students, and entails free tuition and accommodation, along with health insurance and a monthly stipend of RMB 3,000 (for master’s students) or RMB 3,500 (for doctoral students). Type B is a partial scholarship; it is awarded to exceptional undergraduate and graduate students. It awards a full tuition fee waiver, along with comprehensive medical insurance.
For current students of SISU, the Outstanding Students Award and Diligent Student Award are meant for students with strong academic performance and regular attendance during the semester. 4% of all students at any level will be given the Outstanding Award, while 7% will be given the Diligent Award.
The Shanghai International Studies University Scholarship for Outstanding International Students is given to overseas students of excellent character with exceptional academic achievements and social welfare participation. There are three levels of awards:
