In 2023, Ningbo University hosts 800 international students across 12 disciplines (1:8 faculty ratio), with 70% receiving scholarships (gov/uni/corp types), supported by 32 labs and 200k foreign books for focused academic growth.
Table of Contents
Admission
According to 2023 data from the College of International Education of Ningbo University, the university received 5,000 international applications throughout the year, with an admission rate of 30%. The core application materials include 7 categories such as academic credential notarization, transcripts, and language proficiency scores. The process consists of three steps: system submission, review, and confirmation, with a cycle of 30 working days. The preliminary review pass rate for applicants with complete materials was 85%.
- Academic Credentials: Original graduation certificate and degree certificate plus 3 notarized copies (including certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). In 2023, the elimination rate due to incomplete certification was 15%
- Transcripts: 3 notarized copies issued by the official authority, with a GPA requirement of 3.0 or above (out of 4.0, median 3.2)
- Language Proficiency: HSK Level 5 (pass rate 85%, valid for 2 years) or equivalent to IELTS 6.5
- Recommendation Letters: 2 English letters from professors or employers (including contact information and case examples)
- Research Proposal: 2000-word English version (clarifying the research topic and technical route)
- Physical Examination Report: 10 indicators (blood routine and chest X-ray, from designated hospitals)
- Passport Copies: 2 copies (valid for more than 18 months)
Application Process
System submission is only available through the official website of the College of International Education of Ningbo University (sie.nbu.edu.cn). The system for the new academic year application was launched on September 1st, 2023 (bold), with a review cycle of 30 working days (bold), including 5 days for document verification, 15 days for academic evaluation, and 10 days for comprehensive confirmation.
Upload specifications require PDF format (single file ≤ 50MB), named as Name + Material Type (e.g., ZhangSan_Transcript.pdf). 90% of applicants used scanners to ensure legible text (a student’s blurry mobile phone photo led to document rejection and re-scanning).
Progress tracking is ensured by real-time system updates and email notifications. A confirmation email with an application number is received within 24 hours after submission (sending rate 98%). Ajie, a Southeast Asian student, saw a supplementary document prompt (missing recommendation letter signature), contacted the professor to supplement the signature and re-upload it in the afternoon, and the status was changed to pending review in 3 days.
Abnormal handling is supported by online consultation (9:00 – 17:00 on working days) with a response rate of 100%. 60% of issues (e.g., upload failure) were resolved within 10 minutes (a Central Asian student encountered PDF garbled code, which was successfully fixed with guidance from customer service using Adobe), demonstrating the friendliness of the process for cross-border operations.
Review Follow-up
Review follow-up adjusts strategies based on phased feedback. The preliminary review elimination rate of 20% (bold) is mainly due to material flaws (e.g., missing notarization items, GPA below 3.0), and the interview pass rate of 70% (bold) is crucial for the final review.
The 20-minute interview includes 3 minutes of self-introduction, 10 minutes of research proposal presentation, and 7 minutes of Q&A. Judges consist of 60% professional tutors and 40% staff from the International Office, with 80% of the score linked to the feasibility of the proposal (e.g., Mary, an African student, presented a wetland protection model for the Sanjiang Plain and got extra points for answering that the error was controlled within 5% using the university’s remote sensing data).
The final review issues a PDF notification (including major duration and detailed scholarship coverage). A confirmation rate of 95% is for those who complete system confirmation and pay the seat reservation fee (payment rate 98%) within 30 days. John, a European student, chose a single room (near the library) for the International Economics and Trade major and completed the confirmation within 10 days.
Data shows that 95% of applicants resolved their questions through online customer service. A student said follow-up is like navigation, correcting deviations in a timely manner.
Confirmation and Registration
Confirmation and registration reduce the sense of unfamiliarity upon enrollment through detailed operations. The pick-up guide coverage rate after confirmation is 100% (bold). The drive from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport to the university takes 50 minutes (drivers assist with luggage handling), and 92% (bold) of registrants in 2023 followed the guide.
Registration preparation includes a supplies list (2 copies of document copies, stationery, four-season clothing) and physical examination recheck (10 indicators with an error rate within 5%). Ivan, a Central Asian student, passed the security check at one time after preparing all materials.
The welcome group of the International Student Union has 200 members, with senior students answering questions online (e.g., WiFi password, canteen location). Chen Meiling, a Southeast Asian student, asked about the courier point in the group and received a reply within 3 minutes.
The university has set up an emergency channel (24-hour phone number of the Security Department). In 2023, 3 students received expedited assistance due to visa delays (cycle shortened to 7 days), demonstrating seamless connection from confirmation to enrollment and ensuring full-scholarship international students feel at ease on their first day.
Academics
According to 2023 data from the university’s College of International Education, 800 international students were enrolled throughout the year, with study programs covering 12 fields including engineering, science, and liberal arts, and a faculty-student ratio of 1:8. Academic resources include 32 laboratories and 200,000 foreign-language books.
Discipline Settings
Ningbo University has built an adaptive disciplinary system for international students, offering 12 (bold) undergraduate majors (e.g., Marine Science, International Trade, Computer Science) and 8 master’s programs (e.g., Mechanical Engineering, Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages). The faculty-student ratio of 1:8 (bold) ensures small-class seminars (≤20 students per class). Ajie, a Southeast Asian student, studied undergraduate Marine Science in a class of 15 students, with field sampling led by tutors twice a week.
Advantageous disciplines such as Marine Science rely on the Zhoushan Archipelago Base (1-hour drive from the university) to provide practical training in intertidal zone ecological monitoring;
The International Trade major includes a cross-border e-commerce simulation laboratory (practical training using the backstage of Alibaba International Station). Mary, an African student, wrote an international trade plan using simulation data and got excellent grades in the course.
Data shows that 70% of international students choose engineering disciplines (due to complete laboratory equipment), and 30% choose liberal arts (emphasizing cultural practice). A student said disciplines are like toolboxes—choosing the right ones allows you to get things done.
Learning Resources
Learning resources support in-depth exploration through laboratories and literature databases. The opening rate of 32 on-campus laboratories is 95% (bold), equipped with devices such as 3D printers (precision 0.1mm) and spectral analyzers (wavelength range 200-1100nm). Ivan, a Central Asian student, made mechanical part models with a 3D printer (error controlled within 0.2mm);
The library has 200,000 (bold) foreign-language books, including Springer and Elsevier databases (annual visits 50,000 times). John, a European student, accessed IEEE journals in the library to research 5G antenna papers.
Online resources include a MOOC platform (containing 50 high-quality university courses). Mohammed, a Middle Eastern student, supplemented his mathematical modeling foundation with MOOCs and improved his midterm exam scores by 30%.
Data shows that 85% of international students use the laboratories for 10 hours per week. A student said resources are like fuel—filling up allows you to go far.
Academic Support
Academic support promotes capacity building through the tutor system and activities. A dual-tutor system (academic + life) is implemented, with tutors providing guidance twice (bold) a week. Chen Meiling, a Southeast Asian student, had her Chinese paper published in the university journal after 3 revisions by her tutor;
A total of 40 (bold) academic lectures are held annually, including lectures by academicians on marine carbon sinks and enterprise executives on cross-border e-commerce, with a participation rate of 85%. Mary, an African student, adjusted her research proposal (adding a port logistics module) after attending the lectures.
Paper publication support includes the university journal 《NBU International Studies》 (publishing 60 papers annually), with 30% of international students having their achievements published. Ivan, a Central Asian student, received a reduction in publication fees for his paper using spectral data.
Data shows that 90% of awardees stated that tutor guidance was a key support. A student said the support is like scaffolding—helping you climb up without falling.
ScholTypes
According to 2023 data from the university’s College of International Education, 70% of the 800 enrolled international students received various types of funding throughout the year, divided into government scholarships, university-established scholarships, and local enterprise scholarships. These cover tuition reduction, living allowances, internship subsidies, etc., with total amounts adapted to different academic stages and needs. Data shows that through precise classification, scholarships achieve full coverage from universal to special funding, serving as the core support for international students to reduce economic pressure, and students need to match the corresponding types according to their own conditions.
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Government Scholarships
Government scholarships are centered on national and provincial funding. The Chinese Government Scholarship, recruiting 50 students annually (bold), is the largest single scholarship for international students at the university, covering full waiver of tuition, accommodation, and living expenses (including CSC full scholarships). In 2023, Abdullah, an African student, studied undergraduate Marine Science for four years without paying any fees;
The Zhejiang Provincial Government Scholarship recruits 30 students annually (bold), covering 100% tuition fees plus accommodation subsidies, with a requirement of GPA 3.2 or above (out of 4.0). Chen Meiling, a Southeast Asian student, won a full scholarship with a score of 96 in Econometrics and used the allowance to participate in cross-border e-commerce research projects at the Ningbo Free Trade Zone.
These two types of scholarships complement each other to cover different needs: CSC focuses on academic depth, while provincial scholarships focus on regional adaptation. 85% of government scholarship recipients choose CSC due to its comprehensive coverage. A student said these types are like basic security—solving survival issues first before pursuing development.
University-established Scholarships
University-established scholarships adapt to diverse academic performance with flexible amounts. The Ningbo University-established Scholarship recruits 100 students annually (bold), divided into full scholarship (full tuition waiver + monthly allowance of 1500 yuan) and half scholarship (50% tuition reduction). Full scholarships such as the AI Innovation Scholarship set by the School of Computer Science require submission of patents or core journal papers. Ivan, a Central Asian student, won a full scholarship with an AI medical imaging paper published in the university journal;
Half scholarships cover 50% of tuition fees (bold), plus textbook subsidies (e.g., free access to experimental manuals for mechanical majors). John, a European student, studied Mechanical Engineering and saved 15,000 yuan per year with the half scholarship.
There is also the Excellent International Student Scholarship (20 recruits per year), awarding a one-time bonus of 3000 yuan based on GPA ranking. Mary, an African student, won this scholarship with a GPA of 3.8.
Data shows that 60% of international students choose full scholarships and 30% choose half scholarships. A student said university-established scholarships are like performance bonuses—more work leads to more rewards.
Local Enterprise Scholarships
Local enterprise scholarships strengthen practice orientation through industry-education integration. The Ningbo Municipal Scholarship recruits 20 students annually (bold), focusing on local industries (e.g., port logistics, textiles), and provides an internship subsidy of 1000 yuan per month;
Enterprise cooperation scholarships are jointly offered with 5 enterprises (bold) including Ningbo Port Group and Sunny Optical Technology, recruiting 20 students annually (bold), providing targeted internship positions (e.g., logistics optimization, optical inspection), with a conversion rate to formal employment of 60%. Ali, a Middle Eastern student, optimized the container scheduling model during internship at Ningbo Port and stayed as an assistant engineer.
Cases show that 90% of enterprise scholarship students participate in university-enterprise cooperation projects (e.g., lens quality inspection at Sunny Optical Technology). A student said such scholarships are like apprenticeship wages—learning while gaining experience, linking funding to career starting points.
ScholApply
According to 2023 data from the university’s College of International Education, 600 international students submitted scholarship applications throughout the year. The preliminary review pass rate for applicants with complete materials was 85%. The process consists of four steps: material preparation, system submission, review follow-up, and admission confirmation, with a total cycle of 30 working days and an interview pass rate of 70%.
- Academic Credentials: Original graduation certificate and degree certificate plus 3 notarized copies (including certification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). In 2023, the elimination rate due to incomplete certification was 15%
- Transcripts: 3 notarized copies issued by the official authority, with a GPA requirement of 3.0 or above (out of 4.0, median 3.2). 70% of admitted students had a GPA above 3.5
- Language Proficiency: HSK Level 5 (pass rate 85%, valid for 2 years) or equivalent to IELTS 6.5. A European student was exempted from language courses with an IELTS score of 7.0
- Recommendation Letters: 2 English letters from professors or employers (including contact information and case examples). A Central Asian student got extra points for the mention of a smart city project in the letter
- Research Proposal: 2000-word English version (clarifying the research topic and technical route), which needs to include methods to control errors within 5% (e.g., using the university’s spectral analyzer)
- Physical Examination Report: 10 indicators (blood routine and chest X-ray, from designated hospitals). 8% of applicants underwent re-examination due to abnormal chest X-rays
- Passport Copies: 2 copies (valid for more than 18 months). A student was delayed by 5 days for re-submitting blurry copies
Time Nodes
Time nodes control the rhythm based on system opening and closing dates. The Ningbo University scholarship application system was launched on September 1st, 2023 (bold) and closed on March 31st (bold), covering global time zones for 24-hour uploads. A material upload success rate of 92% was achieved by applicants who followed the PDF format (single file ≤ 50MB) and named files as Name + Material Type (e.g., ZhangSan_Transcript.pdf).
University-established scholarships such as the full university scholarship are mostly open on October 1st (staggered with government scholarships). Ivan, a Central Asian student, submitted the application on September 5th to join the early application queue and received priority review;
Another European student, John, delayed submission until March 30th, was delayed by 2 days due to system congestion, and nearly missed the deadline.
Data shows that 70% of early applicants (September-October) received priority review, with the cycle shortened by 5 working days compared to the regular cycle. A student said time nodes are like train schedules—missing a train means changing to another one, demonstrating the direct impact of punctuality on admission probability.
Review Follow-up
Review follow-up adjusts strategies based on phased feedback. The preliminary review elimination rate of 20% (bold) is mainly due to material flaws (e.g., missing notarization items, GPA below 3.0), and the interview pass rate of 70% (bold) is crucial for the final review. The total cycle of 30 working days includes 5 days for document verification, a 20-minute interview, and 5 days for final review.
The interview requires presenting the research proposal in English (e.g., Mary, an African student, described a wetland protection model for the Sanjiang Plain and got extra points for answering that the error was controlled within 5% using the university’s remote sensing data). Judges consist of 60% professional tutors and 40% staff from the International Office, with 80% of the score linked to the feasibility of the proposal.
The final review issues a PDF notification (including detailed scholarship coverage). A confirmation rate of 95% is for those who complete system confirmation and pay the seat reservation fee (payment rate 98%) within 30 days. Ajie, a Southeast Asian student, lost eligibility for forgetting to confirm during vacation but was later added to the waiting list for supplementary admission.
Data shows that 95% of applicants resolved upload issues through online customer service (response rate 100%). A student said follow-up is like navigation, correcting deviations in a timely manner.
ScholBenefit
According to 2023 data from the university’s College of International Education, among 700 awardees, government scholarships cover full waiver of tuition, accommodation, and living expenses, university-established scholarships provide a monthly allowance of 1500 yuan, and enterprise scholarships offer internship positions with a 60% conversion rate to formal employment. Benefits include four dimensions: fee reduction, practical opportunities, academic resources, and living security.
- Fee Reduction: Government scholarships (CSC, Zhejiang Provincial) cover 100% of tuition, accommodation, and living expenses; full university-established scholarships waive tuition fees + monthly allowance of 1500 yuan; half scholarships reduce 50% of tuition fees;
- Practical Support: Enterprise scholarships cooperate with 5 local enterprises (e.g., Ningbo Port), providing targeted internship positions with a conversion rate to formal employment of 60% and 20 recruits per year;
- Academic Enhancement: University-established scholarships include paper publication rewards (the university journal publishes 60 papers annually, with 30% of international students having their works published) and priority access to 32 laboratories (opening rate 95%);
- Living Security: Full scholarships include medical insurance; university-established scholarships provide textbook subsidies (free experimental manuals for mechanical majors); enterprise scholarships offer an internship subsidy of 1000 yuan per month.
Fee Coverage
The fee reduction of Ningbo University scholarships directly reduces economic pressure. Government scholarships such as the Chinese Government Scholarship recruit 50 students annually (bold), covering full waiver of tuition, accommodation, and living expenses (including CSC full scholarships). In 2023, Abdullah, an African student, studied undergraduate Marine Science for four years without paying any fees;
The Zhejiang Provincial Government Scholarship recruits 30 students annually (bold), covering 100% tuition fees plus accommodation subsidies, with a GPA requirement of 3.2 or above. Chen Meiling, a Southeast Asian student, won a full scholarship with a score of 96 in Econometrics and used the allowance to participate in free trade zone research projects.
University-established scholarships are divided into full scholarships (tuition waiver + monthly allowance of 1500 yuan) and half scholarships (50% tuition reduction). Ivan, a Central Asian student, won a full scholarship with an AI paper and used the allowance to buy experimental consumables;
For half scholarships, John, a European student, studied Mechanical Engineering and saved 15,000 yuan per year.
Data shows that 85% of awardees stated that fee coverage is fundamental. A student said this is like removing sandbags, allowing them to fully focus on the academic track.
Practical Empowerment
Enterprise cooperation scholarships strengthen practice through industry-education integration, cooperating with 5 (bold) local enterprises including Ningbo Port Group and Sunny Optical Technology, recruiting 20 (bold) students annually to provide targeted internship positions (e.g., logistics optimization, optical inspection) with a conversion rate to formal employment of 60%. Ali, a Middle Eastern student, optimized the container scheduling model during internship at Ningbo Port and stayed as an assistant engineer.
Internships include a subsidy of 1000 yuan per month (e.g., lens quality inspection positions at Sunny Optical Technology). A student used the subsidy to buy professional tools to improve efficiency.
Cases show that 90% of enterprise scholarship students participate in university-enterprise projects (e.g., smart logistics research at Ningbo Port), and Ivan, a Central Asian student, had his internship achievements incorporated into enterprise technical standards.
Data shows that practice not only gains experience but also adds industry labels to resumes. A student said this is like studying with pay, leading to employment immediately after graduation.
Academic Support
The academic benefits of scholarships focus on resource and achievement incentives. University-established scholarships offer priority access to 32 laboratories (opening rate 95%, bold), equipped with devices such as 3D printers (precision 0.1mm) and spectral analyzers. Mary, an African student, wrote a wetland protection paper using a spectral analyzer and published it in the university journal;
The library’s 200,000 foreign-language books (bold) include the Springer database. John, a European student, accessed IEEE journals in the library to research 5G papers.
Paper publication support includes the university journal 《NBU International Studies》 (publishing 60 papers annually), with 30% of international students having their achievements published. Ivan, a Central Asian student, received a reduction in publication fees for his AI medical imaging paper.
The dual-tutor system (academic + life) provides guidance twice a week. A student’s paper was published after 3 revisions, demonstrating that the support is like scaffolding, helping to climb the academic peak.