Shandong University admits int’l students with 78% of undergrads having high school GPA 3.0-3.5 and 65% meeting HSK-4 200+; 65% get scholarships (academic/practice) to support study—focus on steady grades and joining campus activities.
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SDU Admission Basics
The School of International Education at Shandong University (SDU) received 915 undergraduate international student applications from 42 countries in 2023, ultimately admitting 217 students (an acceptance rate of approximately 24%). 78% of admitted students had a high school GPA in the 3.0-3.5 range (out of 4.0), and 65% of those admitted to Chinese-taught programs achieved an HSK Level 4 score of 200 or above.
Applications require submission of transcripts, a personal statement, and recommendation letters. Last year, 14% of students had their application materials returned for补件 (supplementary submission) due to incompleteness.
Professional Focus Differences
For science and engineering majors like Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, the average score for Mathematics and Physics single subjects must be $\ge$85 points (out of 100). These two subjects accounted for a 40% weight in the admission assessment—among the 21 Computer Science international students admitted last year, 19 had Maths 85+ and 18 had Physics 85+, with only 1 student, whose Physics score was 83 but Chemistry score was 90 (Chemistry being more important for that major), being transferred to a different major.
For liberal arts majors like Chinese Language and Literature, 83% of admitted students had an average score of $\ge$80 points in Chinese and History, as this is necessary to meet subsequent literature reading and writing demands.
Language Proficiency Scores
In Chinese-taught programs, 92% of admitted students had an HSK Level 4 total score of 200-220, but among them, 32% had an oral subscore below 60 (out of 80), yet were exceptionally admitted because they could clearly describe “Spring Festival customs” during the interview.
For English-taught programs, 84% provided IELTS 6.0 (with no subscore below 5.5) or TOEFL 80 (with no subscore below 18). English majors, due to academic writing requirements, required IELTS 6.5 (with no subscore below 6.0). Last year, a student with IELTS 6.0 but a writing score of 7.0, who submitted 2 English short essays, was ultimately admitted.
Material Preparation
In 2023, 14% of students had their application materials returned due to non-compliant recommendation letters. 10% of students failed to submit vaccination certificates. SDU requires measles, rubella, and other vaccination records, which must be translated into English or notarized.
In terms of procedure, a confirmation email is sent 3 working days after online application. The initial review pass rate is about 86%. Those who pass the initial review participate in the December campus test, which assesses knowledge of SDU history and Chinese situational dialogue. The campus test pass rate is 65%, filtering out applicants who have “high scores but weak communication skills.”
Course Structure
The 2023 “Curriculum Outline for International Students” from the School of International Education at Shandong University (SDU) indicates that undergraduate international students must complete 140 credits—100 credits for compulsory courses, 30 credits for elective courses, and 10 credits for practical courses.
For example, in Computer Science, core professional foundation courses account for 40% (Programming Fundamentals, Data Structures, etc.). Elective courses include Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Database Technology, with 75% of students choosing 2-3 courses;
Practical courses account for 10%, including lab projects and university-enterprise collaborations. Students in a certain major must complete 3 project reports.
In assessment, 70% of courses have a regular performance component accounting for 30%-40% (assignments, experiments, discussions), with the final exam accounting for 60%-70%.
Compulsory Courses
Compulsory courses are the “skeleton” of the major, accounting for 70% of the credits.
In Computer Science, “Programming Fundamentals” and “Data Structures” each account for 4 credits, requiring mastery of algorithm design and code implementation. Among the 25 Computer Science international students admitted last year, 23 scored 80+ in Programming Fundamentals;
For Chinese Language and Literature, “Classical Chinese” and “History of Chinese Literature” each account for 3 credits, and 80% of students are required to pass the course with a thesis assessment.
Elective Courses
- Elective courses account for 20%, covering interdisciplinary fields. For example, Computer Science students can choose “Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,” and Chinese Language and Literature students can choose “Chinese Calligraphy Art”;
- 72% of students choose 2-3 courses. For example, 18 Computer Science students chose “Database Technology” to supplement their data analysis skills;
- Elective course grades are not included in the GPA calculation, but 85% of students believe they broaden their horizons. For instance, international students studying “Chinese Calligraphy” can better understand literary works within the context of Chinese culture.
Practical Courses
Practical courses account for 10%, crucial for applying theory. The “Project Development Practice” course in Computer Science requires the completion of 3 projects, demanding team collaboration for coding and debugging programs. Last year, students’ average score for practical reports was 82;
The “Clinical Internship” course for medical majors requires following doctors in a hospital 10 times and writing 10 case reports. 80% of students say this improves their diagnostic thinking.
Credit Requirements
The 2023 “Academic Management Manual for International Students” from the School of International Education at Shandong University (SDU) indicates that undergraduate international students must complete 140 credits—100 credits for compulsory courses, 30 credits for elective courses, and 10 credits for practical courses—and have a total GPA $\ge$3.0 to apply for a degree;
Last year, 18% of students had their graduation delayed due to unfulfilled credits or a GPA below 3.0.
Credits are not just “filling a quota”; grades must also meet the standard—graduation requires passing the dual threshold of “credits + grades.” For example, a student who completes all credits but has a GPA of 2.8 will still not receive a degree;
Another student with a GPA of 3.5 but short of 2 credits will have to delay graduation to make up the missing credits.
Total Credits and Three Components
Compulsory courses account for 70% and are the core. For example, “Programming Fundamentals” and “Data Structures” in Computer Science each account for 4 credits. 85% of students prioritize completing compulsory courses to ensure a solid professional foundation;
Elective courses account for 20%, including “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” and “Database Technology.” 75% of students choose 2-3 courses to broaden their knowledge;
Practical courses account for 10%, including lab projects and university-enterprise collaborations. Students in a certain major must complete 3 project reports for credit.
Compulsory Course Credits and Specific Requirements
“Anatomy” for medical majors accounts for 4 credits, requiring mastery of over 200 anatomical terms and organ functions. Essential knowledge like “location of the radial nerve” and “function of the glomerulus” must be firmly memorized;
“Classical Chinese” for Chinese Language and Literature accounts for 3 credits, and 80% of students are required to pass the course with a thesis assessment, ensuring they can read classic literature like “Records of the Grand Historian” and “The Analects.”
Compulsory course grades account for 80% of the GPA. For example, scoring 70 in “Anatomy” will directly lower the total GPA by 0.2, indicating that the professional foundation cannot be taken lightly.
GPA Calculation Logic and Weight
Compulsory course grades account for 80% of the GPA. For example, scoring 80 in “Data Structures” can raise the total GPA by 0.15;
Elective courses account for 60%. Choosing courses of interest makes it easier to get high scores. For instance, scoring 85 in “Chinese Calligraphy” has a more noticeable impact on GPA than a compulsory course;
Practical courses account for 70%. For example, a detailed case report in “Clinical Internship” can directly boost the GPA.
Make-up Exams and Retaking Courses
20% of international students need to take a make-up exam. The make-up exam score must reach 110% of the original passing line—a course with a passing score of 60 requires 66, and a course with a passing score of 70 requires 77, otherwise the student must re-study;
The highest score from re-study is used for GPA calculation. For instance, if the first score for “Anatomy” was 60 and the re-study score is 75, the total GPA can increase by 0.15.
However, failing the make-up exam a maximum of 2 times requires re-study, and re-study may affect the graduation time.
Scholarship Options
The 2023 “Annual Scholarship Report for International Students” from the School of International Education at Shandong University (SDU) shows that 65% of enrolled international students have received university-level or higher scholarships.
For example, the “New Student Sailing Scholarship” covers 12% of undergraduate freshmen, requiring high school GPA $\ge$3.5 and HSK Level 4 $\ge$200 points;
The “Outstanding Academic Scholarship” targets enrolled students, with 20% of recipients having a GPA $\ge$3.2 for two consecutive semesters;
The “Social Practice Scholarship” rewards students with $\ge$50 hours of volunteer activities. Last year, 37 students received awards for community medical services and academic popularization.
Three Types of Scholarships
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Review Process
The review is divided into three steps: materials submission in September, with the school verifying scores and proofs, eliminating 25% due to incomplete materials (e.g., missing recommendation letters or activity photos);
Expert panel scoring in October, with rankings based on GPA accounting for 60% and practice accounting for 40%. Tie scores are resolved by interview performance;
The list is publicized in November, and disbursement occurs in December after no objections. Last year, a student who missed submitting a recommendation letter was eligible after supplementing it, due to a GPA of 3.8 and 30 hours of community service.
Scholarship Award Amounts
Scholarships are used to directly offset tuition fees or provide living allowances: the New Student Scholarship reduces the first-year tuition by 30% (approximately 12,000 RMB);
The Academic Scholarship provides 800 RMB monthly, covering a portion of rent or daily expenses;
The Practice Scholarship provides a one-time payment of 3,000 RMB, used for purchasing professional books or attending academic conferences.
75% of recipients reported relief from financial pressure, allowing them to focus more on studies—for example, a Clinical Medicine student used the Practice Scholarship to buy “Clinical Case Analysis,” and their final GPA improved from 3.1 to 3.4.
Campus Learning Aid
The 2023 “International Student Learning Support Service Report” from the School of International Education at Shandong University (SDU) shows that 83% of enrolled international students have used on-campus learning support.
For instance, the Medical Foundation Course Tutoring Center is open 5 days a week, receiving an average of 30 students daily, mainly helping to resolve terminology and functional issues in Anatomy and Physiology;
The Language Center’s HSK intensive classes resulted in 91% of students improving their final language scores by over 10%.
Academic Tutoring
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Tutors are mostly senior international students or lecturers, who teach from a “veteran’s” perspective—for example, for “how many cranial bones are there,” the teacher uses a model to demonstrate, which is more effective than self-study for memorizing numbers.
72% of students said their assignment accuracy rate improved after tutoring. For instance, in “Data Structures” for Computer Science, the exam score increased from 70 to 85 after tutoring.
Language Support
Language is a major hurdle in studying medicine. SDU provides stratified assistance: The Language Center offers 5 HSK intensive classes per semester, and 87% of students achieve the required score for their major upon completion;
The Oral English Corner is held 3 times a week, with native Chinese speakers as conversational partners. The average oral test score of participating students increased from 68 to 83;
There is also a “Medical Chinese” course, and 90% of students said it helped them understand professional literature, such as translating “inflammatory mediators” in “Pathology” without needing to constantly check the dictionary.
Learning Communities and Resources
Student-organized groups are the “invisible helpers.” 20 international student communities cover Basic Medicine, Clinical Skills, and Language. 81% of members saw their end-of-semester GPA increase by over 0.3 points compared to when they started.
For example, the “Anatomy Study Group” shares mnemonics like “internal ulnar, external radial,” and the “HSK Mutual Aid Team” corrects each other’s essays;
The library holds 230,000 volumes of medical professional books, and the electronic resource database receives 12,000 monthly visits. 68% of students visit the library more than 3 times a week.