Subjects to Study
Studying Chinese Language and Teaching Chinese in China: Degrees and Costs
Chinese language, Chinese literature and International Chinese Language Education degrees in China: programs, HSK levels, the teachers' scholarship and tuition.
5 min read · Updated 5 Nov 2026 · Verified
If you love Chinese itself, you can make it your degree: study the language, its literature, or how to teach it. This guide is about degree programs. If you want a year of Chinese before a degree in another subject, see Learn Chinese first, then start your degree.
What the degrees are called
Bachelor's. In the Ministry of Education's 2026 Catalog of Undergraduate Majors, the Chinese language and literature group (中国语言文学类) includes:
- Chinese Language (汉语言): a language degree. Zhejiang University runs a version for international students.
- Chinese Language and Literature (汉语言文学): language and literature. At the universities in our database it asks for a higher HSK level than Chinese Language.
- Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (汉语国际教育): for future Chinese teachers.
- Special majors such as Applied Linguistics, Chinese Language and Culture (中国语言与文化), Sinology and China Studies (汉学与中国学), Applied Chinese (应用中文) and, new in 2026, Language Science (语言科学).
Master's and PhD. China's graduate catalog (2022 edition) has the academic discipline Chinese Language and Literature (中国语言文学) and the professional degree International Chinese Language Education (国际中文教育). The professional degree can be awarded at master's and doctoral level.
Programs in our database
These come from each university's own admission catalog (Nankai 2027, the others 2026). All are taught in Chinese. Tuition is per year.
| University | Program | Level | Tuition | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhejiang University | Chinese Language (for International Students) (International College), 4 years | Bachelor's | 19,800 CNY | HSK 5 (180+); CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese (humanities). Applicants with good Chinese below this level may be admitted on condition after a video interview, and must reach HSK 5 (180) within a year |
| Zhejiang University | Chinese Language and Literature (School of Literature), 4 years | Bachelor's | 19,800 CNY | HSK 6 (210+); same CSCA subjects |
| Sun Yat-sen University | Chinese Language (Department of Chinese Language and Literature), 4 years | Bachelor's | 26,000 CNY | HSK 4 (180+); CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese |
| Sun Yat-sen University | Chinese Language and Literature (Department of Chinese Language and Literature, or the Department of Chinese on the Zhuhai campus), 4 years | Bachelor's | 26,000 CNY | HSK 5 (180+); same CSCA subjects |
| Nankai University | Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (College of Chinese Language and Culture, Balitai campus), 4 years | Bachelor's | 20,000 CNY | HSK 4 (180+); CSCA mathematics |
| Nankai University | Chinese Language, business Chinese track (汉语言（经贸汉语）) (College of Chinese Language and Culture), 4 years | Bachelor's | 20,000 CNY | Same as above |
| Nankai University | Chinese Language and Literature (College of Literature), 4 years | Bachelor's | 20,000 CNY | HSK 5; CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese |
| Northeast Normal University | Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (School of Literature), 4 years | Bachelor's | 16,000 CNY | HSK 4; CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese (humanities) |
| Northeast Normal University | Chinese Language (School of International Chinese Language Education, Jingyue campus), 4 years | Bachelor's | 16,000 CNY | CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese (humanities) |
| Northeast Normal University | International Chinese Language Education (Jingyue campus), 2 years | Master's | 18,600 CNY | See the catalog |
| Northeast Normal University | Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (对外汉语), or Chinese Philology (汉语言文字学), 3 years | Master's | 18,600 CNY | See the catalog |
Our program search lists every Chinese language program we have.
Fees at other universities
From the fee pages of universities in our database, per year unless stated:
- Beijing Language and Culture University: bachelor's 25,800 CNY (2023 fee schedule); master's 30,000–49,000 CNY (2025 brochure).
- Beijing Normal University (2026): International Chinese Language Education master's 32,500 CNY a year, 65,000 CNY for the two years. Its School of International Chinese Language Education asks Chinese-taught master's applicants for HSK 6 with 220 and HSKK advanced 65, and PhD applicants for HSK 6 with 240 and HSKK advanced 65; the PhD takes four years.
- Shanghai International Studies University (2026): bachelor's in Chinese Language 22,000 CNY and in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages 24,800 CNY; International Chinese Language Education master's 26,000 CNY.
- Tongji University: International Chinese Language Education master's 25,000 CNY a year (50,000 CNY in total).
Other universities in our database with strong Chinese programs include East China Normal University, Zhejiang Normal University, Central China Normal University and Shaanxi Normal University.
The International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship
The International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, from the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), funds bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees in International Chinese Language Education, as well as shorter Chinese courses. Under the 2026 rules published by host universities:
- It covers tuition, accommodation and insurance and pays a monthly stipend: 2,500 CNY for bachelor's students and 3,000 CNY for master's students.
- Bachelor's: HSK 4 with 210 and an HSKK intermediate score of 60. Master's: HSK 5 with 210 and HSKK intermediate 60. PhD: HSK 6 with 200 and HSKK advanced 60, or HSK 7. Some universities ask for more.
- Age: 16 to 35 on 1 September of the intake year, or up to 45 for in-service Chinese teachers.
- You need a recommendation from a recommending institution, such as a Confucius Institute, an HSK test center, a university Chinese department abroad or a Chinese embassy.
- Applications open on 1 March at chinese.cn. In 2026, they closed on 15 May for September intakes.
Which degree is right for you?
- You want to use Chinese at work, in business, tourism or translation: Chinese Language (汉语言), or a track such as Nankai's business Chinese.
- You want to teach Chinese: Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, then an International Chinese Language Education master's. The teachers' scholarship above is made for this path.
- You love Chinese literature: Chinese Language and Literature. Expect HSK 5 or HSK 6.
Tips
- HSK opens the door. Plan your HSK and HSKK tests around the deadlines: see our HSK requirements guide.
- Prepare for the CSCA. Bachelor's applicants take the CSCA, usually mathematics and professional Chinese: see our CSCA guide.
- Teaching at home. To teach in schools in your country, check whether you also need a local teaching qualification.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a degree in Chinese language in China?
Yes. Chinese Language (汉语言) is a four-year bachelor's. In our database, Zhejiang University's version for international students costs 19,800 CNY a year and needs HSK 5 (180), Sun Yat-sen's costs 26,000 CNY and needs HSK 4 (180), and Northeast Normal University's costs 16,000 CNY.
What is International Chinese Language Education?
It is the field of teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages. At bachelor's level the major is called 汉语国际教育; at graduate level, International Chinese Language Education (国际中文教育) is a professional degree that China's graduate catalog allows at both master's and doctoral level.
Is there a scholarship for studying to teach Chinese?
Yes, the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship from the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. It covers tuition, accommodation and insurance and pays a monthly stipend (3,000 CNY for master's students). Master's applicants need HSK 5 with 210 and an HSKK intermediate score of 60, plus a recommendation from an institution such as a Confucius Institute.
Which HSK level do I need for a Chinese degree?
From HSK 4 (Sun Yat-sen's Chinese Language, Northeast Normal's Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages) to HSK 6 with 210 points (Zhejiang's Chinese Language and Literature). Each university sets its own level.