Architecture Schools and Programs in China

Architecture Studies in China

Beijing Commercial Business District, China

Architecture in China is taught in the architecture schools of large universities, often together with urban and rural planning and landscape architecture. The bachelor's degree is longer than most other degrees, and admission for international students usually includes a portfolio or drawings.

Our directory lists 5 universities in China that teach Architecture: two in Changsha and one each in Beijing, Shanghai and Fuzhou. Most programmes are taught in Chinese; a few are offered in English.

How Architecture degrees are organised

Undergraduate architecture is often a five-year programme. Fuzhou University, for example, started its architecture major in 1989 and changed it to a 5-year programme in 1993. Central South University (CSU) gives 4 to 5 years as the length of its undergraduate programmes for international students.

After the bachelor's degree, students can take a master's degree, either academic or professional, and then a doctorate. The English-taught Master of Architecture at Tongji University shows a typical structure: 2.5 years of full-time study and a minimum of 40 credits, with specialisations in architectural design, urban design, interior design and architectural heritage conservation.

Where to study

• Beijing: Tsinghua University lists Architecture among its Chinese-English taught undergraduate programmes for international students. It also offers an English-taught programme in Urban Regeneration and Design at its Zijing College.
• Shanghai: the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) of Tongji University lists English programmes at three levels: an international undergraduate programme, a master's programme and a PhD programme in architecture. It also has dual degree agreements with schools abroad, among them the Technische Universität Berlin. According to the college, its architecture programme received accreditation from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 2023.
• Changsha: the School of Architecture and Art of Central South University was established in 2011, when the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning merged with the School of Art. It offers undergraduate majors in Architecture and in Urban and Rural Planning, among others. Changsha University of Science & Technology has a School of Architecture with undergraduate majors in architecture, urban and rural planning and landscape architecture.
• Fuzhou: the School of Architecture and Urban-Rural Planning of Fuzhou University has three undergraduate majors: architecture, urban and rural planning and landscape architecture.

Admission and language

International students apply to each university through its own online system. The requirements below are examples from two universities; the current application guide of each university is the one that applies.

• Tsinghua University (2027 intake): applicants need a valid high school graduation certificate and must be at least 18 years old on 1 September 2027. For Chinese-English taught programmes, which include Architecture, the university requires HSK level 5 or above with more than 60 points each in listening, reading and writing, plus proof of English for non-native speakers. English-taught programmes do not require proof of Chinese. Applicants to the Architecture Division go through a portfolio review.
• Central South University (2022 guide, the latest on its site): science and engineering majors require at least 220 points in HSK 4. Applicants below that level take a one-year preparatory Chinese course first. Applicants to design-related majors have to provide drawings or other materials.

Tuition fees

Fees are set by each university, in renminbi (RMB), and differ strongly between Chinese-taught and English-taught programmes:

• Tsinghua University, Architecture (Chinese-English taught): RMB 30,000 per year, plus an application fee of RMB 800
• Tsinghua University, Urban Regeneration and Design (English-taught): RMB 100,000 per year
• Tongji University, English-taught Master of Architecture: RMB 100,000 per year

Tsinghua also charges RMB 800 per year for basic insurance. Accommodation is paid separately.

Student visa

Chinese embassies issue the X1 visa to those who intend to study in China for more than 180 days and the X2 visa for stays of no more than 180 days. For the X1 visa, university students present the Confirmation Form for Study in China (form JW201 or JW202) and the admission letter. These requirements come from the Chinese Embassy in the United States (updated in September 2025); the embassy or consulate of the applicant's country of residence gives the list that applies there.

Recognition and careers

The schools' programmes point to work in architectural and urban design, planning and heritage conservation. The right to use the title of architect is regulated country by country. Graduates who want to practise outside China should ask the professional body or ministry of that country whether the Chinese degree is recognised and which exams or practical training are required.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an Architecture degree take in China?

Often five years for the bachelor's degree; Fuzhou University's architecture major has been a 5-year programme since 1993. A master's degree adds about 2.5 years in the case of Tongji University's English-taught programme.

Can I study Architecture in China in English?

Some programmes are in English, for example Tongji University's Master of Architecture and Tsinghua University's Urban Regeneration and Design programme. Tsinghua's Architecture programme is Chinese-English taught and requires HSK level 5.

How much does it cost?

Tsinghua University charges RMB 30,000 per year for Architecture and RMB 100,000 per year for its English-taught programmes (2027 intake). Tongji University's English-taught Master of Architecture costs RMB 100,000 per year.

Do I need a portfolio?

Often, yes. Tsinghua University holds a portfolio review for applicants to its Architecture Division, and Central South University asks applicants to design-related majors for drawings or other materials.