Founded in 1958 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), USTC is a leading research university specializing in science and engineering, known for its high-quality education and research output.
The University of Science and Technology of China, USTC, is small compared with other Chinese flagship universities, with about 25,000 students and 2,000 staff. It sits in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province, and its campus around Jinzhai Road is closely linked to institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The university was founded in Beijing in 1958 by the Academy and moved to Hefei in 1970.
USTC is best known for quantum science. Pan Jianwei, who graduated from the university and now leads one of the main quantum groups in the world, directed the Micius satellite, launched in 2016 to test quantum key distribution from orbit, and the Jiuzhang photonic quantum computer, announced in 2020. The university also hosts the Hefei National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, the first facility of its kind in China, and a large group working on nuclear and plasma science.
The Special Class for the Gifted Young, started in 1978, admits teenagers after secondary school and gives them an accelerated path into physics, mathematics and engineering. Research areas include quantum information, artificial intelligence and robotics, space science and materials science. The strong ties to the Academy’s institutes allow undergraduates to work in real laboratories early in their studies.
Teaching is mainly in Chinese, with a limited number of English-taught graduate programmes. Chinese students are admitted through the gaokao, and international applicants apply directly and need to show language ability. Tuition for international students is higher than for Chinese citizens, and scholarships are available through the Chinese Government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Hefei is a mid-sized city with a growing technology sector, lower rents than Beijing or Shanghai and fast rail links to both. About 80,000 people have graduated from USTC, and many hold academic positions in China and abroad.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Geotechnics, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong ties with Chinese Academy of Sciences institutes. International collaborations with leading science and technology universities.
Research:
Quantum Information & Technology, AI & Robotics, Synchrotron Radiation, Space Science, Nuclear Science & Technology.
Famous Alumnis:
Pan Jianwei, Liu Qingfeng
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2000
Current students***:
25000
Foreign students***:
Cumulative former students***:
80000
Pros
Excellence in fundamental sciences and advanced technology, high research intensity, strong government support, selective student body.
Cons
Located in Hefei (less international than Beijing/Shanghai), very focused on science and engineering.
Best For
Leading university for science and technology, particularly strong in physics and computer science.
Southern University of Science and Technology works in much the same fields, chiefly bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and microbiology and genetics, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Where this university leans on bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and microbiology and genetics, Anhui University does the same, and it covers industrial design as well, and is slightly larger, at about 28,000 students against roughly 25,000 here.
A good alternative in the same country is Wuhan University, which likewise covers astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
East China University of Technology follows much the same lines as this university, with geotechnics, nanotechnologies and microbiology and genetics as common ground, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Think of Tsinghua when aerospace, bioinformatics and nanotechnologies is the priority: it covers transportations and industrial design as well, and is larger, enrolling about 50,000 students against roughly 25,000 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
For astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics outside the home country, Université PSL in France is a natural reference; it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and is slightly smaller, at about 17,000 students against roughly 25,000 here.
UTokyo in Japan pursues a similar profile in astroscience, aerospace and bioinformatics, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers marine science and transportations as well.
Beyond national borders, Tokyo Tech stands out as a comparable school for astroscience, aerospace and bioinformatics; it is smaller, enrolling about 10,000 students against roughly 25,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Beyond national borders, University of Warsaw stands out as a comparable school for astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and is larger, enrolling about 40,000 students against roughly 25,000 here.
The closest overseas parallel on astroscience, aerospace and bioinformatics is Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, located in Switzerland; it covers metrology and food science as well, and has almost the same size, at about 24,500 students.
*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 USTC?
The main campus is at 96 Jinzhai Road in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province.
How large is USTC?
About 25,000 students and 2,000 staff.
Who founded USTC?
The Chinese Academy of Sciences founded it in Beijing in 1958, and it moved to Hefei in 1970.
What is USTC best known for?
Quantum physics and quantum information, computer science, materials science, synchrotron radiation and space science.
What are Micius and Jiuzhang?
Micius is a quantum communication satellite launched in 2016, and Jiuzhang is a photonic quantum computer announced in 2020. Both involved USTC researchers led by Pan Jianwei.
What is the Special Class for the Gifted Young?
It is an accelerated programme started in 1978 for talented teenagers, leading into physics, mathematics and engineering.
What language is used for teaching?
Mainly Chinese, with a limited number of English-taught graduate programmes.
How do international students apply?
They apply directly to the university and fees are higher than for Chinese citizens. Scholarships are available through the Chinese Government and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
What is the Hefei National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory?
It is a research facility at USTC, the first synchrotron radiation laboratory of its type in China.
Is Hefei well connected?
Yes, fast trains link Hefei to Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing.
*: 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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