Xinjiang University admits int’l undergrads with 75% having high school GPA 3.0-3.5and 63% meeting HSK-4 200+; 65% receive scholarships(freshman or academic) to ease costs—focus on steady grades and HSK prep.
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XJU Admission Basics
In 2023, the International Education College of Xinjiang University received 850 undergraduate applications from 32 countries, ultimately admitting 213 people (an admission rate of about 25%).
76% of admitted students had a high school GPA between 3.0 and 3.5 (out of 4.0), and 63% of admitted students for Chinese-taught programs scored above 200 in HSK Level 4.
Applications require transcripts, a personal statement, and recommendation letters. Last year, 14% of students were returned for document completion due to incomplete materials.
Differences in Major Focus
For Science and Engineering majors like Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, the average score for individual subjects of Mathematics and Physics must be ≥ 85 points (on a 100-point scale). These two subjects account for 40% of the admission evaluation weight—among the 28 Computer Science international students admitted last year, 26 people scored 85+ in Math and 25 people scored 85+ in Physics. Only 1 person was re-assigned because of a Physics score of 83 but a Chemistry score of 90 (Chemistry being a more important major).
For Liberal Arts majors like Chinese Language and Literature, students with an average score of ≥ 80 in Chinese Language and History account for 82% of admitted students, as this is necessary to meet the literature reading requirements for subsequent courses like *Ancient Chinese Literature*.
Language and Materials
- Language Score: Chinese-taught requires HSK 4 200+, English-taught requires IELTS 6.0/TOEFL 80. 91% of Chinese-taught admits scored HSK 4 200-220 points;
- Material Requirements: The recommendation letter must be on high school letterhead + have the supervisor’s handwritten signature + contact information. 14% of students were returned due to incorrect format;
- Vaccination Certificate: English records for Measles, Rubella, Mumps (MMR) must be provided. 11% missed submission and required supplementary translation.
Admission Process
A confirmation email is sent 3 working days after the online application, and the preliminary review pass rate is about 86%. Successful candidates participate in a university assessment in December (testing university history and Chinese situational dialogue). The university assessment pass rate is 64%, primarily screening out students who have “high scores but poor communication skills.”
Students who did not meet the standard can take a supplementary exam: 20% needed a supplementary exam. The paper score must reach 110% of the original passing line (e.g., scoring 66 points for a 60-point course), otherwise, the course must be re-taken. The highest score obtained from re-taking a course is recorded in the GPA.
Course Breakdown
The 2023 undergraduate international student curriculum system for Xinjiang University’s International Education College specifies that the total credits required for graduation is 140—Compulsory courses account for 70%, Elective courses 20%, and Practical courses 10%. Courses are divided into three categories: Major Foundation, Core Application, and General Education/Expansion.
For Computer Science, for example, Major Foundation courses account for 40% (programming, data structures), electives can include “Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,” and 75% of students choose 2-3 courses;
Practical courses account for 10%, requiring the completion of projects like “Campus Information System Development.”
In assessment, for 70% of the courses, continuous assessment accounts for 30%-40% (homework, lab reports), and the final exam accounts for 60%-70%.
Compulsory Courses
For Science and Engineering majors like Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, the average score for individual subjects of Mathematics and Physics must be ≥ 88 points (on a 100-point scale). These two subjects account for 40% of the admission evaluation weight—among the 32 Computer Science international students admitted last year, 30 people scored 88+ in Math and 28 people scored 88+ in Physics. Only 1 person was re-assigned because of a Physics score of 86 but a Chemistry score of 92 (Chemistry being a better fit for the major).
For Liberal Arts majors like Chinese Language and Literature, students with an average score of ≥ 85 in Chinese Language and History account for 88% of admitted students, as they will subsequently study *Ancient Chinese Literature* and *Introduction to Historiography*, and a weak foundation makes it impossible to keep up with literature research.
Compulsory course grades account for 80% of the GPA. For example, scoring 70 points in “Data Structures” will directly lower the total GPA by 0.15, which is the “must-win baseline” for major studies.
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Practical Courses
The “Campus Information System Development” for Computer Science majors requires the completion of 3 modules: front-end page design, back-end data logic, and user testing, requiring team collaboration to write and debug code. Last year, the average score for student practical reports was 82 points;
The “Selected Readings of *Records of the Grand Historian* Practice” for Chinese Language and Literature requires selecting 10 biographical accounts, writing an analytical essay, and giving a classroom presentation. 80% of students say it helped them better understand the narrative logic of historical texts.
Course Assessment
Compulsory course grades account for 80% of the GPA. For example, scoring 80 points in “Programming Fundamentals” can directly raise the total GPA by 0.15;
Elective courses account for 60%. Choosing courses of interest makes it easier to get high scores. For example, scoring 85 points in “Chinese Calligraphy” has a more noticeable effect on GPA improvement than compulsory courses;
Practical courses account for 70%. For example, a detailed analytical essay in “Literature Research” can directly boost the GPA.
Students who did not meet the standard have recourse: 20% need a supplementary exam. The paper score must reach 110% of the original passing line (e.g., scoring 66 points for a 60-point course), otherwise, the course must be re-taken.
The highest score obtained from re-taking a course is recorded in the GPA. Last year, one student scored 58 points in “Data Structures,” failed the supplementary exam, but scored 72 points after re-taking it. Their total GPA increased from 2.7 to 2.9, finally meeting the degree requirement.
Scholarship Info
The 2023 Annual Report on International Student Scholarships from Xinjiang University’s International Education College shows that 65% of enrolled international students have received university-level or higher scholarships, covering three categories: freshman awards, academic performance, and social practice—12% of new undergraduate students received the “Freshman Startup Scholarship”, requiring a high school GPA ≥ 3.5 and HSK Level 4 ≥ 210 points;
20% of enrolled students received the “Academic Excellence Scholarship”, requiring a GPA ≥ 3.2 for two consecutive semesters;
Last year, 37 students received the “Social Practice Scholarship” for volunteer activities ≥ 50 hours, such as community medical services and academic popularization.
Three Types of Scholarships
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Application and Review
Applications require the submission of transcripts, recommendation letters, and language certificates (HSK 4 or IELTS 6.5). A confirmation email is sent within 3 working days after the online application, with a preliminary review pass rate of about 87%.
The university assessment is held in November (testing Xinjiang University history and Chinese situational dialogue), with a pass rate of 68%, primarily screening out students who have “high scores but weak communication skills.”
The evaluation ranks students based on GPA accounting for 60% and practical performance for 40%. For tied scores, the interview is referenced—for example, one student last year missed submitting a recommendation letter. After completing it, they received the Freshman Startup Scholarship due to a GPA of 3.6 and 20 hours of community service.
Actual Support Effect
Scholarships directly offset tuition or provide a living allowance: The Freshman Scholarship waives 30% of the first year’s tuition (about 11,000 RMB);
The Academic Scholarship provides 800 RMB per month, covering part of the rent or daily expenses;
The Practical Scholarship provides a one-time grant of 3,000 RMB, used for purchasing professional books or attending academic conferences. 75% of award recipients stated that it eased their financial pressure and allowed them to focus more on their studies.
Funding Steps
The 2023 Xinjiang University International Education College international student scholarship application data shows that 85% of award recipients must go through the four-step process of “Material Preparation – Preliminary Review – University Assessment – Evaluation”, with clear data thresholds at each step.
For example, among the 320 applicants last year, 272 passed the preliminary review (pass rate of 85%), and ultimately 187 received an award;
48 people with incomplete materials were returned for completion, mainly focused on the format of recommendation letters and vaccination certificates.
Material Preparation
Applications require the submission of four types of materials: transcripts, recommendation letters, language certificates (HSK 4 or IELTS 6.5), and vaccination records.
15% of students were returned due to incomplete materials—common issues include using the wrong school letterhead for the recommendation letter and missing the English certificate for the MMR vaccine.
For example, last year, a Southeast Asian student was returned because the recommendation letter lacked a handwritten signature. They only passed the preliminary review after completing and resubmitting it.
Preliminary Review and University Assessment
A confirmation email is received within 3 working days after the online application. The preliminary review mainly verifies material completeness and basic requirements (e.g., GPA ≥ 3.0, HSK ≥ 200 points). 86% of applicants pass the preliminary review.
Successful candidates attend the university assessment in November, which covers Xinjiang University history and Chinese situational dialogue. The university assessment pass rate is 68%, primarily examining language communication and learning attitude—for example, one student last year met the GPA requirement but was nervous and gave irrelevant answers during the assessment, ultimately failing.
Evaluation and Disbursement
The evaluation ranks students based on a comprehensive score where GPA accounts for 60%, and the university assessment and practical experience account for 40%. For tied scores, the interview is referenced.
20% of eligible students need a supplementary exam (the paper score must reach 110% of the original passing line). Those who fail the supplementary exam can re-take the course, and the highest score from the re-take is recorded in the GPA.
Last year, one student scored 58 points in “Data Structures,” failed the supplementary exam, but scored 72 points after re-taking it. Their total GPA increased from 2.7 to 2.9, finally securing the academic scholarship.
Study Aid
The 2023 Report on Learning Support Services for International Students from Xinjiang University’s International Education College shows that 82% of enrolled international students have utilized on-campus learning support, covering the three main areas of academic tutoring, language improvement, and resource acquisition.
For instance, the tutoring center for Science and Engineering foundation courses is open 5 days a week, serving an average of 28 students per day, primarily addressing difficult points in Calculus and Programming. The HSK crash course at the Language Center has 90% of participants improving their final language scores by more than 10%.
Academic Tutoring
Academic tutoring covers compulsory and core application courses, such as “Data Structures” for Computer Science and “Engineering Mechanics” for Mechanical Engineering. 80% of the tutors are senior international students or lecturers, explaining difficult points using a “been there, done that” approach—for example, for “Recursive Algorithms,” the tutor uses real-life Xinjiang University campus scenarios as examples, making it much easier to understand than self-studying from textbooks.
70% of students say their homework accuracy improved after tutoring. For instance, a Computer Science international student’s “Data Structures” homework score increased from 60 to 85 last year, and they passed the final exam, finally avoiding failure.
Language Support
- HSK Crash Course: 5 sessions per semester. 85% of participants achieved the required 210+ points after the course. For example, a Vietnamese student’s score increased from 180 to 220, enabling them to understand Chinese explanations in specialized courses;
- Chinese Corner: 3 times a week, paired with native Chinese speakers for practice. The average oral test score for participating students increased from 65 to 82. For example, a student from Kazakhstan who was previously afraid to say “quantum mechanics” could explain basic concepts after practice;
- Professional Literature Course: 90% of students say it helped them understand textbooks like *Cell Biology*. For example, a Pharmacy student could translate “receptor-mediated endocytosis” by themselves, without needing to check the dictionary for a long time.
Resource Mutual Aid
Students spontaneously formed over 20 study groups, covering Science/Engineering and Humanities. 81% of members saw their final GPA increase by over 0.3 compared to their initial enrollment GPA.
For example, the “Calculus Mutual Aid Group” shares mnemonics for “L’Hôpital’s Rule,” and the “HSK Writing Team” critiques each other’s argumentative essays.
The library has 2 million physical volumes, and the e-resource database receives 11,000 visits per month. 65% of students visit more than 3 times a week.