Bayi Road, Beibei District, Chongqing 400715, China
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Southwest University is a prestigious institution of higher learning located in Chongqing, China. With a history dating back to 1906, SWU is renowned for its programs in Educational Science and Agriculture.
Academic and research activities at Southwest University are organized into 37 Schools, Colleges, Institutes, and Faculties. All these can broadly be categorized into 11 disciplines of study: Humanities, Social Sciences, Educational Science, Arts & Media, Physics, Chemistry & Materials, Resources & Environment, Engineering, Mathem...
| Establishment year | 1906 (founding institutions set up), 2005 (SWU established) |
| Total Students | 50,000+ (full time) |
| International Students | ~2,000 |
| QS World University Rankings 2024 | 1001-1200 |
| Campus Size | N/A |
| Total Number of Campuses | 1 |
| University Website | http://gjxy.swu.edu.cn/ywb/Home.htm |
| No. of Schools and Divisions | 37 Schools and Colleges |
| Nobel Prize Winner Alumni | 0 |
| No. of Education Programs | 97 (undergraduate), 159 (Master’s), 66 (PhD) |
| Student to Faculty ratio | N/A |
Southwest University offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses through 37 schools, Colleges, Faculties, and Institutes.
All international applicants to undergraduate and postgraduate programs at Southwest University must satisfy the following requirements:
Eligibility criteria that are exclusive to undergraduate course applicants are as follows:
Entry requirements that are exclusive to postgraduate courses are as follows:
All international applicants to SWU should follow these steps:
The tuition fees for undergraduate international students at Southwest University are as follows:
These amounts are valid for courses taught in Chinese. Any course that is taught in English has an additional tuition fee of 4000 RMB per year; this rule is valid for postgraduate courses as well.
Tuition fees for international students enrolled in Master's courses at SWU are as follows:
For Doctoral courses, the program fees are as follows:
Medical insurance costs RMB 800 per academic year per student.
Accommodation fees depend on whether the student lives alone in a single room, chooses double occupancy, or stays in a room with four people. Depending on this choice, accommodation costs at SWU can range from RMB 6,000 to RMB 12,000 per year.
Students should also budget for food, travel, and personal expenses.
The Southwest University campus is located in the Beibei district within the city of Chongqing, the fourth largest city in China. It was formed by the merger of the adjacent locations of the Southwest China Normal University and the Southwest Agricultural University. The campus contains several teaching buildings, department centers, art galleries, and indoor and outdoor sports facilities. The SWU campus is blessed with natural beauty, boasting views of the mountainous surroundings of Chongqing city.
SWU provides world class sports and cultural facilities to its students. The central library and main gymnasium are the hubs of academic and fitness activities on campus. Several student activity centers allow artists and cultural performers to practice in large groups - for example, in the audio-visual studio and the dancing rooms. There are many venues for indoor and outdoor sports, including a heated swimming pool, basketball, badminton, and tennis courts, and table tennis rooms. There are also outdoor sports facilities, including football grounds and track and field venues. Dining options are even more diverse than in other top Chinese universities, with 11 student canteens providing nutritious food, a public kitchen where students can make their own food, and several restaurants present in and around the campus.
The International Student Union is the apex student body that works to integrate overseas students with the larger SWU community and facilitate cultural exchange. It works with the Student Affairs Office to organize lectures, entertainment, and learning events.
The whole campus comes together to celebrate annual events. The notable occasions in the SWU social calendar are the Chinese New Year Festival, the Sports Meeting, where multiple athletic disciplines are represented, the V-Day celebration, the Chinese Star Contest, Mid-Autumn Festival, the Concert to Welcome New Students, the International Cultural Festival, and the Cross-Campus Run held in the winter. These events take place between February and December every year, ensuring that there is always something happening on campus.
The Chongqing Mayor Scholarship is awarded by the Municipal Government of the city to encourage exceptional international students to study at SWU. The application period is between January and June every year. It is awarded based on academic excellence, and the university conducts an assessment of academic performance every year to decide whether a recipient should continue to receive it. The associated award amount is as follows:
The SWU President Scholarship aims to sponsor international students to study and conduct research at the university. The application portal for this award is the same as that for the Chongqing Mayor Scholarship. The Type B President Scholarship covers only tuition fees and insurance. Type A covers tuition, insurance, and provides a living allowance of RMB 1,100 per month (UG), RMB 1,400 per month (Master’s) or RMB 1,700 per month (PhD). Accommodation costs still need to be paid by the students.
The International Chinese Language Teacher Scholarship is intended for students of Chinese Teaching and Education. This covers UG, PG, and short term teacher training courses. It provides free tuition, accommodation, insurance, and a living stipend. Undergraduates receive 2,500 RMB per month as living allowance, while postgraduates receive 3,000 RMB per month. SWU’s global Confucius institutes and university partners can recommend candidates for this scholarship.
The flagship financial award for international postgraduate students at Southwest University is the Chinese Government Scholarship - High Level Postgraduate Program. This is open to international students studying Master’s and PhD courses at SWU, and is awarded based on “individual application, institutional recommendation, expert assessment, and selection on the basis of merit”. Applicants need to be fluent in Chinese or English (HSL Level 5 or IELTS 6.0 score) depending on the medium of instruction of their chosen courses. Selected students receive free tuition, on-campus accommodation, and comprehensive medical insurance. There is an additional living stipend of RMB 3,000 per month for Master’s and RMB 3,500 per month for Doctoral students. Most of the documents to be submitted are similar to those that must be submitted for admission to SWU, including a detailed study / research plan, and two Letters of Recommendation. The final list of awardees is considered to contain the names of students with professional ability and future development potential, in addition to exceptional academic background.
