Subjects to Study
Studying Economics, Finance and Business in China: Programs and Costs
Economics, finance, accounting and MBA programs in China for international students: real programs in Chinese and English, HSK and CSCA, tuition and where to look.
5 min read · Updated 5 Nov 2026 · Verified
Economics, finance and business are among the most popular subjects for international students in China. You can study them in Chinese at most universities, and in English at many master's programs. This guide covers what the degrees are called, real programs and fees, and how to get in.
What the degrees are called
Bachelor's. In the Ministry of Education's 2026 Catalog of Undergraduate Majors, these subjects sit in two categories:
| Category | Groups | Majors (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| Economics (经济学) | Economics; Public Finance; Finance; Economics and Trade | Economics (经济学), Public Finance (财政学), Taxation (税收学), Finance (金融学), Financial Engineering, Insurance (保险学), Actuarial Science, Fintech (金融科技), International Economics and Trade (国际经济与贸易) |
| Management (管理学) | Business Administration; Management Science and Engineering; E-commerce; Tourism Management; and others | Business Administration (工商管理), Marketing, Accounting (会计学), Financial Management (财务管理), International Business, Auditing, Human Resource Management |
The 2026 edition added Digital Finance (数字金融), Digital Trade (数字贸易), Low-Altitude Economy and Management (低空经济与管理) and Business Artificial Intelligence (商业人工智能), which were not in the 2025 edition.
Master's and PhD. China's graduate catalog (2022 edition) has academic disciplines such as Theoretical Economics, Applied Economics, Business Administration (工商管理学) and Management Science and Engineering. Its professional degrees include:
- Finance (金融), International Business (国际商务), Insurance, Taxation, Applied Statistics and Digital Economy: master's only
- MBA (工商管理) and MPA (公共管理): master's only
- Accounting (会计) and Auditing (审计): master's and professional doctorate
Programs in our database
These come from each university's own admission catalog (Nankai 2027, the others 2026). Tuition is per year unless stated.
Taught in Chinese (bachelor's):
| University | Program | Tuition | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhejiang University | Economics, Finance, Public Finance, International Economics and Trade (School of Economics), 4 years | 24,800 CNY | HSK 5 (210+); CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese (humanities) |
| Zhejiang University | Business Administration, Accounting (School of Management), 4 years | 24,800 CNY | HSK 6 (220+); same CSCA subjects |
| Nankai University | Finance (School of Finance, Jinnan campus), 4 years | 20,000 CNY | HSK 6 (180+); CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese |
| Nankai University | Business Economics (School of Economics, Balitai campus), 4 years | 20,000 CNY | HSK 5; same CSCA subjects |
| Nankai University | Business Administration (taught in Chinese and English), Marketing, Financial Management (Business School, Balitai campus), 4 years | 20,000 CNY | HSK 4; same CSCA subjects |
| Sun Yat-sen University | Economics (Lingnan College, or the International School of Business and Finance on the Zhuhai campus), 4 years | 26,000 CNY | HSK 5 (180+); CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese |
| Sun Yat-sen University | Business Management (School of Business; also on the Shenzhen campus), 4 years | 26,000 CNY | Same as above |
| Northeast Normal University | Finance (Business School, Jingyue campus), 4 years | 16,000 CNY | HSK 5; CSCA mathematics, professional Chinese (humanities) |
Taught in English (master's and PhD, Zhejiang University):
| Program | Length | Tuition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Economy (School of Economics) | 2 years | 108,000 CNY in total | Supervisor's acceptance recommended |
| Finance, professional degree (ZJU International Business School, Haining international campus) | 2 years | 180,000 CNY in total | |
| Business Management: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Global Leadership (School of Management) | 2 years | 36,800 CNY | |
| Management Science and Engineering: Business Analytics and Innovation (School of Management) | 2.5 years | 36,800 CNY | |
| Full-time GMBA (School of Management); MBA (ZJU International Business School, Haining) | 2 years | 218,000 CNY in total | Not open to Chinese Government Scholarship students |
| PhD in Accounting, Business Management, Management Science and Engineering and other management fields | 3.5 years | 42,800 CNY | Supervisor's acceptance required |
| PhD in International Trade (School of Economics) | 3.5 years | 42,800 CNY |
Northeast Normal University also teaches master's degrees in Finance and in Business Management in Chinese (3 years, 18,600 CNY a year). Our program search lists every economics program and business program we have.
Fees at other universities
From the fee pages of universities in our database:
- Central University of Finance and Economics (2026): bachelor's 25,000 CNY a year taught in Chinese; the English-taught Finance program at its Chinese Academy of Finance and Development 40,000 CNY a year.
- University of International Business and Economics: bachelor's 24,800 CNY a year in Chinese or 49,750 CNY in English; most English-taught master's 99,160 CNY for two years; the Chinese-taught MBA 114,000 CNY a year and the English-taught IMBA 128,640 CNY for two years.
- Tsinghua University (2027): master's in economics and management 30,000 CNY a year; the Master of Finance at the School of Economics and Management or the Shenzhen International Graduate School 198,000 CNY for the whole program.
- Peking University (2025 rates): Guanghua School of Management's two-year Master of Finance (Chinese-taught) 128,000 CNY and full-time MBA (English-taught) 188,000 CNY, each for the whole program.
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2026): the English-taught Master of Finance at the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance 94,000 CNY a year; its full-time Finance MBA 368,000 CNY in total.
- Shanghai International Studies University (2026): professional master's in Finance 94,000 CNY a year, International Business 79,000 CNY and Digital Economy 104,000 CNY.
Other specialist universities in our database include the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law and Renmin University of China.
How to get in
Bachelor's (mostly taught in Chinese):
- HSK 4 to HSK 6, depending on the program: see the table above. Starting with little Chinese? See Learn Chinese first, then start your degree.
- CSCA in mathematics and professional Chinese: see our CSCA guide.
Master's and PhD:
- English-taught programs ask for proof of English, such as IELTS or TOEFL, as each university requires.
- Read the fee line carefully. Many finance and MBA programs are charged for the whole program, not per year.
- Check scholarship rules. Zhejiang's MBA programs are not open to Chinese Government Scholarship students. For master's and PhD programs that are, see our CSC guide.
Tips
- Check the campus. Zhejiang's International Business School is on the Haining international campus, not in Hangzhou; Sun Yat-sen's International School of Business and Finance is in Zhuhai; Nankai's business programs are on the Balitai campus and its finance programs on the Jinnan campus.
- Business Chinese is a degree too. Nankai teaches a Chinese Language bachelor's with a business Chinese track (汉语言（经贸汉语）): see Studying Chinese language and teaching Chinese in China.
- Keep learning Chinese even in an English-taught program. It is a compulsory course for degree students and opens up internships later.
Frequently asked questions
Can I study finance or business in China in English?
Yes, mostly at master's level. Zhejiang University teaches English-taught master's degrees in Chinese Economy, Finance, Business Management and Business Analytics, plus MBAs. Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Advanced Institute of Finance teaches a Master of Finance in English. At bachelor's level, the Central University of Finance and Economics teaches Finance in English (40,000 CNY a year) and the University of International Business and Economics has English-taught programs at 49,750 CNY a year.
What HSK do I need for an economics bachelor's in China?
It depends on the program. In our database, Nankai asks for HSK 4 for Business Administration and Marketing, HSK 5 for Business Economics and HSK 6 for Finance. Sun Yat-sen asks for HSK 5 (180), and Zhejiang for HSK 5 (210) in economics and HSK 6 (220) in business administration and accounting.
How much does a master's in finance cost in China?
Some are charged per year: 94,000 CNY a year at Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Advanced Institute of Finance (English-taught) and at Shanghai International Studies University. Others are charged for the whole program: 128,000 CNY for Peking University's two-year Guanghua Master of Finance (Chinese-taught), 180,000 CNY for Zhejiang University's English-taught program and 198,000 CNY for Tsinghua's.
Can I get a Chinese Government Scholarship for an MBA?
Not at Zhejiang University: its catalog says its MBA programs are not open to Chinese Government Scholarship students. Check each university's catalog.