Address: 3688 Nanhai Avenue, Nanshan District, 518060 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Engineering, Information Technology, Materials, Optoelectronics, Economics, Law, Art and Design, Health Sciences
Shenzhen University was founded in 1983 as a full-time comprehensive university in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. Peking University, Tsinghua University and Renmin University supported its founding, and Deng Xiaoping gave personal approval. Zhang Wei, a former vice-president of Tsinghua, was the first president. Its undergraduate programmes were certified by the Ministry of Education in 1995, master’s programmes were accredited in 1996, and in 1997 the university was reorganised into a structure of faculties and colleges.
The Houhai campus covers 1.34 square kilometres on the coast of Houhai Bay, in Nanshan District. The Xili campus, in the University Town of Shenzhen, covers 1.38 square kilometres and was under construction when the source was written. Together the campuses cover about 2.72 square kilometres.
In 2025 the university had 48,865 students: 29,869 undergraduates, 16,575 master’s students, 1,601 doctoral students and 820 international students. It employed 3,455 staff, including 2,267 teachers, 561 technicians, 627 administrative staff, 782 postdoctoral researchers and 228 foreign teachers.
Twenty-seven schools and colleges teach there. They include humanities, international studies, media and communication, economics, management, law, art and design, materials science, physics and energy, chemistry and environmental engineering, mathematical sciences, information engineering, computer science and software engineering, architecture and urban planning, civil engineering, mechatronics and control, electronic science and technology, life sciences and oceanography, optoelectronic engineering, the Health Science Center, psychology and sociology, and the Institute for Advanced Study. The university offers 96 undergraduate majors, 38 first-grade master’s disciplines, 18 professional master’s disciplines and 10 first-grade doctoral disciplines.
The Nobel laureate Barry Marshall was appointed chair professor in 2024. Seven academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and ten academicians of both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering are linked to the university. The Nature Index 2025 ranked it 56th in the world and 30th in mainland China. Affiliated hospitals include Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen University General Hospital and Shenzhen University Affiliated South China Hospital. Check the current tariff. Teaching is mainly in Chinese.
Domains taught:
Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Marine Science, Materials, Optics, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University Affiliated South China Hospital, and the Institute for Advanced Study.
Research:
Materials science, optoelectronic engineering, computer science, electronic science, life sciences and oceanography, with 17 academicians of the Chinese academies.
Famous Alumnis:
Barry Marshall, Ma Huateng
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3455
Current students***:
48865
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Young comprehensive university in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, two campuses, close to technology firms, 27 schools and colleges.
Cons
Large and quickly growing, campuses far apart, teaching mainly in Chinese.
Best For
Students who want a young, fast-growing comprehensive university in the technology hub of Shenzhen.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Among national alternatives, Zhengzhou University stands out for its focus on materials, life sciences and data analytics, and it is slightly larger, at about 72,600 students against roughly 48,865 here, and is also a public institution.
For students who like the physics, materials and life sciences focus of this university but want another option nearby, Nanchang University fits well: it covers food science and chemistry as well, and has almost the same size, at about 50,193 students.
Think of Soochow University when physics, materials and life sciences is the priority: it is slightly smaller, at about 39,000 students against roughly 48,865 here, and is also a public institution.
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of physics, materials and life sciences can consider Henan University, and it has almost the same size, at about 50,000 students, and is also a public institution.
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen takes a similar route through electrical and electronics, life sciences and data analytics, and it is far smaller, with about 12,000 students against roughly 48,865 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Students considering a move abroad can look at University of Central Florida in the United States, where optics, life sciences and data analytics also form the core, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
Students considering a move abroad can look at George Mason University in the United States, where life sciences, data analytics and software engineering also form the core, and it covers finance and statistics as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 39,638 students against roughly 48,865 here.
On content, University of Macau in Macau and this university are close, as both teach electrical and electronics, materials and life sciences; it is far smaller, with about 15,000 students against roughly 48,865 here, and is also a public institution.
Abroad, Curtin University (Australia) covers marine science, physics and materials in a comparable way, and it covers astroscience and chemistry as well, and is slightly larger, at about 61,193 students against roughly 48,865 here.
National Cheng Kung University, based in Taiwan, is built around electrical and electronics, materials and life sciences much like this university, and it covers industrial design and civil engineering as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 22,404 students against roughly 48,865 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Shenzhen University?
In Nanshan District, Shenzhen, with the Houhai and Xili campuses.
When was it founded?
In 1983, in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, with the support of Peking, Tsinghua and Renmin universities.
Who was the first president?
Zhang Wei, a former vice-president of Tsinghua.
How many students does it have?
48,865 in 2025, including 29,869 undergraduates and 820 international students.
How many schools and colleges are there?
Twenty-seven.
How many undergraduate majors does it offer?
Ninety-six.
Which Nobel laureate is linked to it?
Barry Marshall, appointed chair professor in 2024.
How is it ranked in the Nature Index?
56th in the world and 30th in mainland China in 2025.
Which hospitals are affiliated?
Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen University General Hospital and Shenzhen University Affiliated South China Hospital.
What does it cost?
Check the current tariff.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Electronics, Engineering, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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