Renmin University of China
中国人民大学
Photo: chenyingphoto, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Beijing, Beijing. Founded 1937.
China's leading university for the social sciences.
Intl acceptance
Intl tuition / year
HSK requirement
Most Chinese universities publish no acceptance rate, admission is by gaokao score cut-off (domestic) or materials review (international). See selectivity below for how it actually works for each pool.
Strengths
- Economics & Applied Economics
- Law
- Sociology
- Journalism & Communication
- Political Science
- Statistics
Admission & selectivity
International applicants
~10–20% (est.)No acceptance rate is published for international applicants. Admission is materials-based (passport, translated academic transcripts, high-school diploma, two recommendation letters, study plan) plus an online interview.
Chinese-taught degree programs require HSK Level 5 (level/score varies by major); English-taught programs (mostly at master's level) require TOEFL 90 or IELTS 6.5. Selective, but no rate is disclosed.
Domestic (mainland) students
Top ~0.3–1% provincial (est.)Admission for mainland students is by gaokao score ranking within each province; no acceptance rate is published. As a C9-tier 'Double First-Class' / former Project 985 university, RUC is among the most selective in China, typically requiring scores in roughly the top ~1% of test-takers in each province.
Language of instruction
Most undergraduate degree programs are taught in Chinese and require HSK Level 5 (specific level/score depends on the major). RUC offers a number of English-taught degree programs, but these are predominantly at the master's level (e.g.
Chinese Economy, Finance, IMBA, IMPA, Contemporary China Studies, Law), requiring TOEFL 90 or IELTS 6.5; full English-medium undergraduate degrees are not a standard offering.
RUC is a humanities- and social-sciences-focused university, so there is no MBBS/medical English track.
RequirementsInternational undergraduate
These figures are for international undergraduateadmission. Master’s and PhD requirements, funding and deadlines differ, see the official site (graduate programs are often more English-taught and better funded).
- HSK level
- HSK 5 (score ≥180) for Chinese-taught undergraduate programs
- Minimum GPA
- To be verified
- Tuition / year
- $3,835 / year (¥26,000)
- Application window
- November 25, 2025 – May 31, 2026 for autumn 2026 intake
Some requirement details above are still being verified, check the official site.
Colleges & schools25
- School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development
- School of Arts
- School of Business
- School of Chinese Classics
- School of Continuing Education
- School of Economics
- School of Education
- School of Environment and Natural Resources
- School of Finance
- School of Foreign Languages
- School of History
- School of Information
- School of Information Resource Management
- School of International Studies
- School of Journalism
- School of Labor and Human Resources
- School of Law
- School of Literary Studies
- School of Marxism Studies
- School of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language
- School of Philosophy
- School of Public Administration and Policy
- School of Statistics
- School of Sociology and Population Studies
- School of Science
How admission works
International undergraduates must sit the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) organised by CSC and apply through the RUC International Students Office online system.
Admission is based on materials review (high school transcript, CSCA score, language certificate, physical examination) with no single entrance exam; rolling pre-admission notices issued February–July 2026.
Frequently asked
How do I apply?
Most Chinese universities take applications through their own international admissions portal. Open the official website below to see the current steps, required documents and deadlines, then start your file with us and we will guide you through it.
What does it cost?
Tuition, housing and living costs vary by program and city. Where we have a figure confirmed from the official site, it is shown above, otherwise it is marked to verify. Always confirm the current amount on the official site before you budget.
Is it a reach for me?
Admission depends on your grades, your Chinese or English level and the specific program. We can look at your profile together and suggest a realistic list, this university included, rather than guessing.