About the university

Shanghai University of International Business and Economics (SUIBE), formerly the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, is a public regular higher education institution under the Shanghai Municipal Government. It was one of the first two degree-granting institutions set up by the former Ministry of Foreign Trade (today the Ministry of Commerce) and is often called the cradle of China's foreign trade and economics professionals.

SUIBE is the only university in the Yangtze River Delta that has long specialised in international business and economics. Its strongest disciplines are Applied Economics and Statistics, supported by Management, Law, Literature, Science, Engineering, Area Studies and Education.

Key facts

Strengths

• International trade, international finance and the digital economy
• WTO Chair institution (first in China) and WTO Asia-Pacific Training Center
• International accreditations: BGA Gold, EFMD for Finance and International Economics and Trade, UN Tourism TedQual for Tourism Management
• Strong ShanghaiRanking subject positions: International Economic Development and Cooperation (A+), Event Economy and Management, Asset Evaluation, Applied Statistics, Auditing, International Economics and Trade

For international students

In the 2026/27 intake all degree programs for international students are taught in Chinese. Undergraduate applicants must take the CSCA test (Chinese for Liberal Arts and Mathematics) and hold HSK 4; graduate applicants need HSK 5. Admission is based on documents and an interview. SUIBE hosts Chinese Government, Shanghai Government and International Chinese Language Teachers scholarship students and enrols degree students from nearly 50 countries. The brochure does not mention an application fee.

Fees (intake 2027, per the latest brochure)

Campuses

SUIBE has three campuses in Shanghai with a total area of about 670,000 square metres. International degree students study at the main Songjiang campus.

Facilities

• University library and IT center
• Campus clinic and shuttle bus between campuses
• Canteens and supermarket next to the international student dormitory

International student dormitory

The international student dormitory is located in Songjiang District, near the main campus.

• Shared facilities: shared bathroom, basic kitchen, coin-operated laundry, washroom, canteen and supermarket
• Internet access and air conditioners can be rented
• Electricity and hot water for showers are paid with prepaid cards
• Medical insurance: 800 CNY per year (mandatory)

Scholarships for international students (intake 2027)

Deadlines (intake 2027)

Conditions

• All scholarship programs are Chinese-taught; study starts in September 2027
• Scholarship holders may not hold other Chinese government scholarships at the same time
• Silk Road bachelor applicants without HSK 4, without both CSCA scores, or with any CSCA score below 50 may still be admitted, but must first complete a one-year preparatory program
• Scholarship holders pass an annual review to keep the scholarship; CGS holders may not change major or study length
• Applicants who pass SUIBE's interview but do not receive a scholarship can switch to self-funded study
• Interviews: about early March for the High-Level Graduate Program, late May for Silk Road, early June for the Shanghai Government Scholarship

History of SUIBE

SUIBE scholars took part in drafting the Hong Kong Basic Law, China's GATT/WTO accession negotiations, the opening-up of Pudong and the creation of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

SUIBE in rankings

Top majors in ShanghaiRanking (China)

International cooperation

SUIBE has partnerships with 168 overseas universities and international organisations in 48 countries and regions and enrols degree-seeking international students from nearly 50 countries.

• Joint talent programs with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Colorado State University and RMIT University
• WTO Chair institution and WTO Asia-Pacific Training Center; cooperation with WTO, APEC and UNCTAD
• Two Confucius Institutes and one Confucius Classroom in Central and Eastern Europe; the Confucius Institute at the University of Ljubljana is recognised as a Globally Advanced Confucius Institute
• Student exchanges abroad every semester, study visits to the University of Oxford and WTO headquarters
• New partnerships in 2026, including a memorandum with the University of Osijek (Croatia)
• Host university for Chinese Government, Shanghai Government and International Chinese Language Teachers scholarships

Шанхай (上海) — экономическое сердце Китая и один из крупнейших мегаполисов мира, известный как «Восточный Париж». Город контрастов, где историческая набережная Вайтань с европейской архитектурой смотрит на футуристические небоскребы района Пудун. Это глобальный финансовый центр и главные международные ворота страны.

Студентам Шанхай предлагает образование мирового класса (Fudan University и Shanghai Jiao Tong University — неизменно в топ-3 страны), самую большую в мире сеть метро и уникальные возможности для карьеры в штаб-квартирах транснациональных корпораций. Город кипит энергией: здесь проходят международные выставки, фестивали и спортивные события, создавая идеальную среду для нетворкинга и культурного обмена.

Для родителей важно: доступность передовой международной медицины, наличие двух огромных аэропортов с прямыми рейсами по всему миру и развитая инфраструктура для иностранцев, облегчающая адаптацию. Несмотря на масштабы, город остается безопасным, чистым и предлагает высочайшие стандарты жизни, гарантируя ребенку перспективное будущее в центре мировой экономики.