Chinese Universities With No Application Fee: Degrees and Intakes

Use the no-application-fee finder to search by university or degree. Each listing identifies the exact route supported by an official source. This is a growing list, not a complete inventory of universities in China.

• Shanghai University of Engineering Science — International bachelor's and master's admission; 2027 entry (normally September); apply January 1–June 15, 2027. 2027 self-funded degree admission. The 2027 guide waives the application fee for degree programs, including English- and Chinese-taught bachelor's and master's programs. Applications run from January 1 to June 15, 2027. Non-degree Chinese-language training has a separate CNY 400 application fee. Tuition, insurance and accommodation are separate costs. 2027 international self-funded admissions guide (official PDF) (checked 2026-10-11).
• Duke Kunshan University — International bachelor's admission; 2027 entry. International undergraduate application through Common App. No university application fee for the international undergraduate route. The separate CSS Profile for need-based financial aid can cost USD 16–25; some applicants qualify for a CSS fee waiver. Tuition and other study costs are separate. 2027 entry international undergraduate application checklist (checked 2026-10-11).
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen — International bachelor's admission; 2027 entry. International Undergraduate Admissions System. The official international undergraduate portal states that there is no application fee for its 2027 entry rounds. This does not cover postgraduate applications or waive tuition and other study costs. International Undergraduate Admissions System: 2027 entry (checked 2026-10-11).
• City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan) — MSc Business Information Systems; 2027 entry. MSc Business Information Systems application. The program lists a free application for both Chinese and international applicants. This applies only to this master's program. Tuition is CNY 155,000 per year. After an offer, applicants pay either a CNY 30,000 tuition installment or the full first-year tuition; full first-year tuition is due before enrolment. These payments are separate from the application fee. MSc Business Information Systems: 2027 admission and fees (checked 2026-10-11).

These sources explicitly state that no application fee is charged, but do not identify an intake year. Confirm that the rule covers your intended program before applying.

• China University of Petroleum (East China) — Check the program notice; Undated admissions FAQ. International admissions FAQ. The official FAQ says there is no application fee but does not identify an intake year or degree level. Confirm that the current program notice still follows this policy. Tuition, accommodation, insurance and other study costs are separate. International admissions FAQ (checked 2026-10-11).

The following notices are useful leads for future applications. They do not establish a 2027 fee rule or show that applications are open now.

• University of Science and Technology of China — International bachelor's admission; Older FAQ with 2025 entry references. International undergraduate admission. The undergraduate FAQ states that there is no application fee. Its eligibility and scholarship references are for 2025, so it does not confirm a 2027 fee policy. Tuition, accommodation and insurance are separate. International undergraduate FAQ with 2025 references (checked 2026-10-11).
• Fuzhou University — International bachelor's admission; 2026 entry. 2026 international undergraduate admission. The 2026 undergraduate guide explicitly waives the application fee. Textbooks, tuition, accommodation and insurance remain separate costs. This guide does not confirm the fee policy for 2027. 2026 international undergraduate admissions guide (checked 2026-10-11).
• Fuzhou University — International master's and PhD admission; 2026 entry. 2026 international graduate admission. The 2026 master's and doctoral guide explicitly waives the application fee. Textbooks, tuition, accommodation and insurance remain separate costs. This guide does not confirm the fee policy for 2027. 2026 international master's and doctoral admissions guide (checked 2026-10-11).
• Nanjing Medical University — MBBS and Chinese-taught Clinical Medicine; September 2026 entry. International undergraduate medical admission. The 2026 FAQ states that there is no application fee. A non-refundable admission deposit is still required, including for students with a full tuition scholarship. Registration, tuition and other study costs are separate. The FAQ says MBBS is not covered by CSC Type A or Type B funding. International admissions FAQ: 2026 intake (checked 2026-10-11).
• University of Nottingham Ningbo China — International bachelor's admission; September 2026 entry. International undergraduate admission. The undergraduate FAQ confirms no application fee for September 2026 entry. It does not establish the policy for 2027 or for postgraduate study. Tuition and other study costs are separate. Undergraduate FAQ: September 2026 entry (checked 2026-10-11).
• Sichuan Tourism College — International bachelor's admission; Autumn 2026 entry. 2026 international undergraduate online application. The 2026 notice states that the online application is free. Tuition, accommodation, mandatory insurance, medical examination, residence permit and textbooks are separate costs. This does not confirm the fee policy for 2027. 2026 international student admissions notice (checked 2026-10-11).
• Guangzhou University — Public Administration (Smart Governance) bachelor's; September 2026 entry. Public Administration (Smart Governance) international admission. This program's 2026 notice states that no fee is charged during the application process. Tuition is payable after official enrolment. The statement does not establish a fee policy for other programs or the 2027 intake, and a scholarship is not guaranteed. 2026 Public Administration (Smart Governance) admissions notice (checked 2026-10-11).
• Central Conservatory of Music — Ordinary and advanced visiting students (non-degree music study); 2026 notice; spring and autumn study. International visiting-student admission. The January 2026 notice explicitly charges no application fee for non-degree visiting students. It does not cover bachelor's, master's or PhD degree admission. Reference tuition is CNY 43,000 per year for ordinary visiting students and CNY 48,000 for advanced visiting students, subject to the university's annual rates; accommodation and other study costs are separate. A 2027 fee policy has not been confirmed. International visiting-student notice, January 13, 2026 (checked 2026-10-11).

These routes are separate from the no-fee list because a scholarship, exchange agreement or another stated condition controls the waiver. Some are for earlier intakes. Read each condition and year before relying on it.

• Xi'an Jiaotong University — Digital Business Management and Chinese Culture Studies master's programs; September 2026 entry (2026–2027 academic year); closed. CSC Excellence Scholarship, Type A. The 2026–2027 scholarship notice exempts applicants to these two master's programs from XJTU's application fee. Applicants need a bachelor's degree, at least three years of work experience and one of the notice's specified professional backgrounds. Pre-admission applications closed February 28, 2026; CSC applications closed March 31, 2026. Other programs and the 2027 entry cycle are not covered by this record. 2026–2027 CSC Excellence Scholarship master's notice (checked 2026-10-11).
• Huazhong University of Science and Technology — Bachelor's, master's, PhD and visiting study through CSC Type A; Undated Type A / Bilateral guidance. Chinese Government Scholarship Type A / Bilateral Program. HUST lists a free application for the Type A / Bilateral route through the dispatching authority in the applicant's home country. Its university portal handles Type A pre-admission letters; scholarship selection follows the authority's process. This exemption does not cover Type B, which the page lists at CNY 600 or USD 100. Confirm the intake year, eligibility and deadline with the dispatching authority. Official CSC Type A and Type B application guidance (checked 2026-10-11).
• Beijing Normal University — Chinese-taught Graduate Credit Program (non-degree); March 2027 entry. Partner exchange agreement. The normal application fee is CNY 450. Exchange students may receive a waiver according to their institution's agreement with BNU. This is a non-degree program for students already studying at master's level or above, not a general master's admission or CSC fee waiver. Tuition and accommodation are separate. 2027 Chinese-taught Graduate Credit Program admissions (checked 2026-10-11).
• Westlake University — International PhD admission; Fall 2027 entry. 2027 international PhD application. The international PhD page waives the Westlake application fee for this intake. Admitted applicants to the joint Westlake–Fudan Mathematics program must also apply to Fudan and pay Fudan's separate CNY 800 application fee. This waiver does not apply to every degree or remove other study costs. International PhD admissions: Fall 2027 intake (checked 2026-10-11).
• China University of Petroleum (Beijing) — Degree and visiting study through CSC Type A; Undated CSC Type A guidance. Chinese Government Scholarship Type A. The official Type A guidance states that no application fee is required for this route. Applicants follow the university pre-admission and home-country dispatch procedures. This does not establish an exemption for Type B or self-funded applications, or confirm a 2027 deadline. Chinese Government Scholarship Type A application guidance (checked 2026-10-11).
• Beijing Language and Culture University — CSC Type A degree and visiting-study applicants; 2026 entry. CSC Type A pre-admission letter request. Applicants requesting a pre-admission letter under the 2026 CSC Type A guide are exempt from the application fee. This is not a general admission fee waiver or a guarantee of a scholarship, and it does not confirm the policy for 2027. 2026 CSC Type A application guide (checked 2026-10-11).
• University of Chinese Academy of Sciences — International master's and PhD admission; 2026 entry. CAS-ANSO, Chinese Government or UCAS scholarship application. The 2026 graduate call exempts applicants for the CAS-ANSO Scholarship, Chinese Government Scholarship and UCAS Scholarship for International Students from the application fee. Other applicants pay a non-refundable CNY 600. The exemption does not guarantee a scholarship or establish the policy for 2027. 2026 international graduate admissions call (checked 2026-10-11).
• Nankai University — Master's CSC scholarship recipients; 2026 entry. 2026 CSC Type B master's admission. The CNY 600 application fee is payable after admission and is waived for Chinese Government Scholarship recipients. Applying for CSC alone does not qualify. This evidence is for the 2026 master's route and does not confirm a 2027 exemption. 2026 CSC Type B master's admissions guide (checked 2026-10-11).
• Tsinghua University — Master's in Nuclear Engineering and Management (TUNEM); 2026 entry. Tsinghua University Nuclear Engineering and Management program. The TUNEM program pays the application fee only for applicants applying exclusively to this 2026 program. Applicants also applying to another program must pay the CNY 800 application fee when submitting their application. CSC does not cover that fee. Tuition, accommodation and insurance are separate. 2026 TUNEM admissions brochure (checked 2026-10-11).
• Inner Mongolia University — Master's and PhD regional scholarship applicants; 2026–2027 academic year (2026 entry). Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Government graduate scholarship. The 2026–2027 call states that this scholarship application is free. It is restricted to citizens of Mongolia applying for full-time master's or doctoral study. The application window ended on 25 June 2026; this is not evidence of a 2027 entry waiver or a university-wide exemption. 2026–2027 regional government graduate scholarship notice (checked 2026-10-11).

Tuition, accommodation, medical checks, document preparation and enrollment deposits are separate costs. Some programs also use a financial-aid service with its own charge. A payment due after admission is not automatically an application fee, but an application fee merely deferred until admission is not a fee waiver.

Use the university's official notice to confirm the payment purpose, amount, deadline and refund terms. The application costs guide explains the wider budget.

Start with your degree and intended intake. Check the teaching language, program eligibility and scholarship conditions on the linked university page. An undergraduate fee exemption should not be applied to a master's or PhD application.

Save suitable universities in your shortlist, then confirm the current deadline and fee before submitting. An absent fee figure means the fee is unconfirmed; it does not mean the application is free.