Shanghai International Studies University (SISU): Admission for International Students and Tuition

Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) accepts international students to bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs, and it has two campuses in Shanghai with different application rules. According to the university, applications are submitted in an online system, and the conditions depend on the campus and the level. Below we explain which programs are open to you, which HSK and CSCA results you need, when to apply and how much it costs.

What is Shanghai International Studies University and who is it for

SISU is a university in Shanghai. Its bachelor's major list includes English, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Italian, as well as law, international relations, journalism, finance and management. It suits applicants who want to study languages, translation, communication or international relations.

If you are still choosing a university, start with our overview of the top universities in China and our guide to studying in Shanghai. The university publishes general information on its admissions page.

Bachelor's programs

The bachelor's has two campuses, and the campus you choose determines the language, deadlines and requirements. Programs take four years everywhere, and applicants must be between 18 and 35.

Hongkou campus

At Hongkou the university offers Chinese language (business-oriented, Chinese-English bilingual), international economics and trade in Chinese, and teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages. There is no entrance exam here. You need HSK 4 with at least 180 points; students who have already studied at a Chinese university can apply for the second semester or for the second and third year with a higher HSK level.

Songjiang campus

Songjiang hosts most of the majors: finance, actuarial science, law, political science, international relations, diplomacy, education, philology, translation studies, journalism, data science, management and accounting, and the language majors. The university describes the majors on its majors page. Here you need HSK 5 and an entrance exam.

Source: SISU undergraduate admissions

CSCA requirements

Bachelor's applicants need the CSCA exam and submit the result with the application; for details the university refers applicants to the official website. At Hongkou you take CSCA in Chinese and mathematics, and applicants to the Chinese language major are exempt from the Chinese subject. At Songjiang, CSCA in Chinese and mathematics is required for all majors, and applicants to educational technology, actuarial science and data science must also take physics or chemistry, their choice. We explain how the exam works in our CSCA guide.

Bachelor's deadlines

For the 2026 intake, Hongkou accepted applications until July 20, and applicants who wanted to start from the second semester of the first year had to apply by December 30, 2025. At Songjiang the deadline was April 15, and the entrance exam took place on the last Saturday of April, with an oral Chinese test and oral and written English tests. Registration at Hongkou in 2026 was on September 7–8. The university publishes the 2027 calendar later, so use these dates as a guide for now.

Who can apply for a bachelor's

An applicant must be a foreign citizen with a valid foreign passport, a high school diploma or higher and good health, aged 18 to 35. A reliable guarantor who confirms financial support is also required. The university asks that anyone who has studied or lived in China has no record of violating laws or discipline. It separately checks graduates from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who obtained foreign nationality, and those with one or both parents holding Chinese nationality who acquired foreign nationality at birth: Document No. 12 (2020) of China's Ministry of Education applies to them. You cannot apply for a major that corresponds to your native language.

Can you enter directly into the second or third year

At Hongkou the university allows admission mid-program if you have already studied at a Chinese university. For example, after one semester in a program related to the Chinese language and HSK 4 with at least 195 points you can apply for the second semester of the first year. After one year and HSK 5 with at least 180, you can apply for the second year, and after two years and HSK 5 with at least 210, for the third year. For economics and trade the conditions are stricter: after a semester you need HSK 5 with at least 180, and after a year, HSK 6 with at least 180. Anyone who wants to start in a later semester or year must pass an entrance exam: in 2026 it was held online on January 20 and July 14 at 2 p.m. Beijing time.

Documents for a bachelor's

The application is completed in the university's online system. For a bachelor's the university lists this package:

1. Diploma and transcript: an original or notarized copy in English or Chinese; graduating students submit a certificate of upcoming graduation.

2. HSK certificate and score report.

3. The original CSCA score report.

4. A copy of your passport.

5. A copy of your parents' passports, if you graduated from high school in China.

6. A non-criminal record certificate.

7. Payment of the fee: 500 RMB at Hongkou or 750 RMB at Songjiang, or a transfer of 75 or 125 USD.

If you are under 18 on September 1, 2026, you need a guardian's guarantee letter. The guardian must be an adult living in China with a stable income. The university may request additional documents, and a paid fee and submitted documents are not returned.

Master's and doctoral programs

For the master's SISU has three groups of programs: academic (political theory, international relations, finance, linguistics, translation, journalism, communication and others), professional (finance, international business, digital economy, law, translation and interpretation, journalism) and academic programs in English. The full lists are on the master's admissions page, and the university publishes the English-taught options in a separate section. There is also a doctoral program.

The English-taught master's takes two years and includes, among others, international relations, China studies, journalism, global communication, finance, comparative education and intercultural communication. The academic master's taught in Chinese takes three years, and the professional master's takes two (translation and interpretation 2.5 years, law for non-law graduates three years).

Language requirements: Chinese-taught programs need HSK 5 with at least 180 or proof that you have studied Chinese for more than two years; English-taught programs need IELTS 6.0 or an equivalent. The age limit for the master's is 55.

Source: SISU master's admissions

Master's deadlines and documents

For the 2026 intake the deadline depended on the source of funding: November 20, 2025 for the Chinese Government Scholarship, March 31, 2026 for the Shanghai Government Scholarship and April 30, 2026 for self-funded applicants. Entrance tests, written and oral, take place from late March to early June, and the invitation arrives by email from the department.

For the master's the university asks for a diploma and transcript, an HSK certificate (for Chinese-taught programs) or an English certificate (for English-taught ones), a passport copy, a personal statement of about 1,000 words, a list of publications, a non-criminal record certificate and two recommendation letters from a professor or associate professor. Scholarship applicants also need a physical examination record. The fee is 800 RMB, or 130 USD by transfer.

Scholarships for international students

The university's scholarship section highlights the Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC), the Shanghai Government Scholarship (SGS) and other programs: CIS and SCSE Award; their descriptions are on the same page. For scholarship holders the university publishes a guide: living allowances and insurance are paid after registration, a monthly check-in must be done in person, and if you leave the country or are away for more than 15 days in a month outside the holidays, that month's allowance is canceled. For a broader overview, see our guide to scholarships in China, and plan your living budget with our article on the cost of studying and living in China.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance exam at SISU?

At the Hongkou campus there is no bachelor's entrance exam. At Songjiang the university holds an exam on the last Saturday of April: oral Chinese, and oral and written English. For the master's, entrance tests run from late March to early June.

Which HSK level do I need for a bachelor's?

HSK 4 with at least 180 points at Hongkou and HSK 5 at Songjiang.

How much is the application fee?

For a bachelor's the fee is 500 RMB at Hongkou and 750 RMB at Songjiang; for a master's it is 800 RMB. The fee is non-refundable.

Can I study in English?

Yes, the master's has academic programs in English and requires IELTS 6.0 or an equivalent. The bachelor's page requires HSK, so for a bachelor's expect instruction in Chinese.

Can I apply for my native language major?

No. The university does not allow applicants to apply for a major that corresponds to their native language.

How much does it cost to study?

A bachelor's costs 22,000–24,800 RMB per year. A master's costs from 23,000 RMB per year for the Chinese-taught academic program and 26,000 RMB for the English-taught one, and professional programs cost more.

When do classes start?

Studies begin in September. At Hongkou, registration in 2026 was on September 7–8.

Action plan

1. Choose the level, campus and language of study.

2. Check the HSK or English requirement and plan your CSCA preparation.

3. For a bachelor's, register for CSCA and take the required subjects.

4. Collect your documents, notarized translations and a guardian's letter if you are under 18.

5. Submit the application in the university's system before the deadline and pay the fee.

6. If an exam is required, prepare for it and watch for emails from the university.

Information verified on October 19, 2026. Requirements, costs and deadlines depend on the university and may change — always check the official university website before applying.

Useful articles about studying in China

1. Fudan University: Admission for International Students, Programs and Tuition
2. East China Normal University: Admission for International Students, Programs and Requirements
3. Shanghai University for International Students: Admission, Programmes and Tuition
4. HSK Levels Explained: the New 9-Level HSK and Which Level You Need for University in China