Painted interpretation inspired by Donghua University’s Yan’an Road campus tower and red university letters
Donghua University official seal

DHUShanghai, China

International undergraduate study

Donghua University

东华大学

Textiles, design and innovation in Shanghai

  • Founded 1951
  • Project 211
  • Double First-Class
Verified official DHU sourcesUpdated 8 October 2026
QS ranking#851–900
LocationShanghai
Teaching languageChinese and English
Degree length4 years
Tuition guideRMB 22k–98k
Application status2026 closed

01/ 11Overview

A remarkable place to begin.

Founded in 1951. A Shanghai university shaped by textiles, materials and design, with technical and creative degrees across two teaching campuses.

Explore DHU’s story and strengths

History & identity

Founded as East China Textile Engineering Institute in 1951, the university became China Textile University in 1985 and Donghua University in 1999. It is a public university directly under the Ministry of Education, with Project 211 and Double First-Class status.

Academic strengths

Textiles, materials and design shape Donghua’s identity. The international undergraduate catalogue also offers engineering, computing, business, humanities and languages across Songjiang and Yan’an Road campuses.

  • Create and engineer

    Connect a textile and design heritage with undergraduate choices in fashion, materials and engineering.

  • An international creative outlook

    Donghua’s Shanghai International College of Fashion & Innovation (SCF) offers two design degrees through its partnership with the University of Edinburgh.

  • Two sides of Shanghai

    Choose a subject based at leafy Yan’an Road or spacious Songjiang, with Shanghai’s cultural life beyond campus.

02/ 11Language requirements

What language do you need?

Chinese language HSK 4 / 180 to apply; HSK 5 / 180 to enrol For the 54 Chinese-taught undergraduate options Scores, alternatives & exam details
Application stage
HSK 4 at 180 or above; submit HSKK results too.
Before registration
Reach HSK 5 at 180 or above. Conditional offers require a new qualifying report before enrolment.

Accepted alternatives

  • Fully Chinese-medium high-school study may waive the HSK certificate with signed/stamped school evidence

For the 2026 intake, language tests must be dated after 1 September 2024. Applicants who finished Chinese-medium school before that date must submit HSK and HSKK. Language tests or interviews may be requested.

English language IELTS Academic 5.5 / TOEFL iBT 72 For SCF’s two English design degrees Scores, alternatives & exam details
Application stage
IELTS Academic 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 72 or above.
Before registration
Retain the original language report; attend any requested language assessment.

Accepted alternatives

  • Fully English-medium high-school study may waive IELTS or TOEFL with signed/stamped school evidence

For the 2026 intake, language tests must be dated after 1 September 2024. Applicants who finished English-medium school before that date must submit a test report. The English portfolio video remains required.

03/ 11Entry requirements

Your grades. Your starting point.

Compare the published requirement with a competitive target.

Official requirementPublished by DHU

Competitive estimateChinaStudyGuide target

Our competitive estimate is planning guidance, not an official admission requirement.

04/ 11CSCA

Do you need CSCA?

General admissionRequired
Chinese Government ScholarshipRequired
Which CSCA subjects do you need?
Chinese

Chinese degrees: Humanities Chinese for design, humanities and languages; STEM Chinese for the other subjects. English degrees are exempt.

Chinese-taught only
Mathematics

All 56 options. Take the Chinese paper for Chinese degrees and the English paper for SCF’s two design degrees.

Required
Physics

Business, computing, mathematics, physics and most engineering degrees. Required alongside Chemistry for seven engineering options.

By programme
Chemistry

Functional Materials, materials and environmental degrees; also Fashion Design & Engineering, biomedical, chemical and building/energy engineering.

By programme

Both sciences are required for Fashion Design & Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Light Chemical Engineering, Building Environment & Energy Application Engineering, and Energy & Environmental System Engineering. Business degrees require STEM Chinese, Mathematics and Physics. No minimum CSCA score is published.

Chinese degrees use Chinese papers throughout. Programme-by-programme paper list ↗ · Official CSCA website ↗

05/ 11Admission routes

Find your way in.

Choose Chinese-taught study or English design at SCF.

Application dates & eligibility
Official route details

06/ 11Application process

From application to arrival.

Step 01

Choose & test

Choose one major and take its CSCA papers in the required language. Prepare the language evidence for your teaching route.

Documents that deserve an early start

Application materials

Personal statement

All applicants

Write about 1,000 words or Chinese characters in your programme’s teaching language. Explain your subject choice and study plans; include your name, major, email and date.

Art portfolio

Design programmes only

Chinese art/design degrees: at least two pencil sketches, two colour paintings and three subject-related design renderings. English degrees: an approximately three-minute portfolio video explaining your original work in English.

Recommendation letters

Scholarship applicants only

Ask two high-school teachers to write in Chinese or English. For the 2026 cycle, letters must be dated after 1 September 2024 and include signed referee details and email addresses.

All other required documents

  • CV

    Write in the programme’s teaching language; include education dates to the month, skills and relevant activities or awards.

  • Passport, photograph & travel history

    For 2026 entry, provide an ordinary passport valid beyond 1 February 2027, a personal ID photograph and applicable China visa/entry pages. Keep the same passport through enrolment.

  • School records

    Upload your diploma or official expected-graduation certificate and all high-school transcripts with the grading scale. Final graduation must be completed by the end of August 2026.

  • Language & CSCA results

    Submit the required HSK/HSKK or IELTS/TOEFL evidence, any signed school-language exemption evidence, and the full required CSCA score report.

  • Non-criminal record

    For the 2026 intake, use a certificate issued by the competent local authority after 1 November 2025.

  • Financial support

    Complete Donghua’s signed financial-support form, including a guarantor for scholarship applicants. For 2026, use a signing date after 1 November 2025.

  • Scholarship forms & medical records

    CSC Type A: upload your signed CSC application form and agency details. SGS needs no separate municipal form. Scholarship applicants need the fully completed Foreigner Physical Examination Form, hospital seals and test reports, examined after 1 November 2025 for the 2026 cycle.

  • Guardian & nationality evidence

    Under-18 applicants need the signed mainland-China guardian guarantee. Where applicable, provide nationality, parentage and residence evidence required by the Chinese-origin rules.

Upload clear colour scans of originals, normally as PDFs; ID photos and portfolio videos use their own formats. Records outside Chinese or English need the original, translation and notarisation. Retain originals for registration.

DHU application portal Email admissions

07/ 11Subjects

What will you study?

56 options
Browse all 56 options

DHU undergraduate admission catalogue

MajorSchool / departmentLanguage
Fashion Design & EngineeringCollege of Fashion & DesignChinese
Fashion & Apparel DesignCollege of Fashion & DesignChinese
Product DesignCollege of Fashion & DesignChinese
Environmental DesignCollege of Fashion & DesignChinese
Visual Communication DesignCollege of Fashion & DesignChinese
Digital Media ArtCollege of Fashion & DesignChinese
Art & TechnologyCollege of Fashion & DesignChinese
Fashion & Accessory Design (Fashion Innovation)Shanghai International College of Fashion & Innovation (SCF)English
Environmental Design (Fashion Interior Design)Shanghai International College of Fashion & Innovation (SCF)English
International Economy & TradeSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
Business AdministrationSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
FinanceSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
MarketingSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
AccountingSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
Financial ManagementSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
Information Management & Information SystemSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
Electronic CommerceSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
Supply Chain ManagementSchool of Business & ManagementChinese
Administrative ManagementCollege of HumanitiesChinese
Public RelationsCollege of HumanitiesChinese
CommunicationCollege of HumanitiesChinese
LawCollege of HumanitiesChinese
EnglishCollege of Foreign LanguagesChinese
JapaneseCollege of Foreign LanguagesChinese
Textile EngineeringCollege of TextilesChinese
Non-woven Materials & EngineeringCollege of TextilesChinese
Functional MaterialsCollege of TextilesChinese
Mechanical EngineeringCollege of Mechanical EngineeringChinese
Industrial DesignCollege of Mechanical EngineeringChinese
Intelligent Manufacturing EngineeringCollege of Mechanical EngineeringChinese
Electronic Information EngineeringSchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Communication EngineeringSchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Electrical Engineering & AutomationSchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
AutomationSchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Artificial IntelligenceSchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Computer Science & TechnologySchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Software EngineeringSchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Information SafetySchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Data Science & Big Data TechnologySchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Intelligence Science and TechnologySchool of Information & Intelligent ScienceChinese
Composite Materials & EngineeringCollege of Materials Science & EngineeringChinese
Polymer Materials & EngineeringCollege of Materials Science & EngineeringChinese
Inorganic Non-metal Material EngineeringCollege of Materials Science & EngineeringChinese
Bioengineering (Biopharmaceuticals)College of Biological Science & Medical EngineeringChinese
Biomedical EngineeringCollege of Biological Science & Medical EngineeringChinese
Applied ChemistryCollege of Chemistry & Chemical EngineeringChinese
Light Chemical EngineeringCollege of Chemistry & Chemical EngineeringChinese
Environmental ScienceCollege of Environmental Science & EngineeringChinese
Environmental EngineeringCollege of Environmental Science & EngineeringChinese
Building Environment & Energy Application EngineeringCollege of Environmental Science & EngineeringChinese
Energy & Environmental System EngineeringCollege of Environmental Science & EngineeringChinese
Civil Engineering (Green Construction)College of Environmental Science & EngineeringChinese
Mathematics & Applied MathematicsSchool of Mathematics & StatisticsChinese
Statistics (Financial Statistics and Risk Management)School of Mathematics & StatisticsChinese
Applied Physics (Integrated Circuits and New Energy)College of PhysicsChinese
Optoelectronic Information Science & EngineeringCollege of PhysicsChinese

How you choose your majorSelect one major when applying. All 56 choices last four years. Design, business and humanities are at Yan’an Road; the other listed schools are at Songjiang. English and Japanese are Chinese-taught degrees. SCF’s two English design routes remain separate from the Chinese design degrees.

Official admission catalogue

08/ 11Annual budget

What will one year cost?

Estimated annual total · RMB67,225

Tuition

RMB / year24,000Published tuition reference

Accommodation

RMB / year16,425Living-cost estimate

Food

RMB / year18,000Living-cost estimate

Transport

RMB / year2,400Living-cost estimate

Other costs

RMB / year6,400Living-cost estimate
What’s included in the estimate?

Tuition

Published tuition for your selected programme.

Accommodation

A Yan’an Road multiple-bed room allowance, before utilities.

ChinaStudyGuide estimate: 365 × RMB 45; campus charging dates and room allocation may differ.

Food

Campus meals, groceries and occasional meals out.

ChinaStudyGuide estimate: 12 × RMB 1,500.

Transport

Local metro, bus and occasional taxi journeys.

ChinaStudyGuide estimate: 12 × RMB 200.

Other costs

Books, phone, utilities, personal essentials and medical insurance.

ChinaStudyGuide estimate: RMB 5,600 essentials + published RMB 800 annual insurance.

Tuition follows the 2026 catalogue; room tariffs come from the university’s 2023 housing pages. Living costs cover 12 months and are planning estimates. The RMB 800 application fee, travel, visa charges and deposits are excluded; future-intake fees are unpublished.

09/ 11Scholarships

Big ambitions. Extra support.

National scholarship

Chinese Government Scholarship · Type A

FundingFull or partial award
Competition*Very high

Coverage

  • Tuition support
  • Accommodation and stipend under full awards
  • Medical insurance under full awards

For eligible Chinese-taught degrees; country agreements determine the award and programme availability. The two English design degrees are excluded. Annual review governs continued funding.

Application
Apply to your country’s dispatching authority and CSC system, then select CGS-Category Type A in Donghua’s portal and upload the signed CSC form. Pre-admission requests opened 1 December 2025. Meet your authority’s deadline and Donghua’s 15 April 2026 deadline.
CSCA
Required for undergraduate admission and scholarship applications; use your major’s full Chinese-paper combination.
Selection
High-school graduation, the country scheme’s age and nomination rules, academic review and CSC approval. Donghua’s general scholarship guide uses ages 16–25.
Official scholarship details
Municipal scholarship

Shanghai Government Scholarship · Types A & B

FundingA: full / B: tuition + insurance
Competition*High

Coverage

  • Both types: tuition and medical insurance
  • Type A: on-campus dormitory fee waiver
  • Type A: RMB 2,500/month undergraduate stipend

Chinese-taught degrees only. Type B excludes housing and living expenses. The offer fixes the funded period, normally four years; annual review is required.

Application
Select CGS-Category Type B or SGS in Donghua’s application portal. No separate municipal application or SGS form is required. Undergraduate applications ran 1 March–15 April 2026.
CSCA
Required through undergraduate admission; programme-specific Chinese papers apply.
Selection
High-school graduates aged 16 to under 25, excellent academic and extracurricular performance, and no other concurrent Chinese scholarship. SGS’s under-25 rule overrides the general scholarship age band.
Official scholarship details

The 2026 entrance-scholarship cycle is closed. Choose either CSC Type A or SGS when applying; both support Chinese-taught degrees. SCF’s English design degrees are self-funded. *Competition is a ChinaStudyGuide estimate; acceptance rates are unpublished.

Explore the scholarship guide

10/ 11Accommodation

Find your Shanghai base.

On campus

International student dormitories

Campus-dependent room types and fees.

Book after admissionLocations & practical details
Locations
Yan’an Road: RMB 45 multiple-bed, 60/75 double or 110 single per person/night. Songjiang: RMB 35 multiple-bed; the RMB 50 double rooms are allocated to PhD students.
Best for
Students wanting campus access and a shared international community; room type depends on campus and allocation.
Plan for
Reserve through your Donghua application account after admission. Pay the semester fee before check-in; internet, electricity and most hot water are additional.
Off campus

Private rental in Shanghai

More flexibility, with rent and commute to manage.

Arrange independentlyLocations & practical details
Locations
Choose near your assigned Yan’an Road or Songjiang campus; daily cross-city journeys can be lengthy.
Best for
Students needing a different room arrangement or an alternative when campus housing is unavailable.
Plan for
Budget separately for rent, utilities and deposits. Verify the lease, landlord and required accommodation registration before committing.

Have a housing backup. Reserve housing only after your admission and assigned campus are clear. Published tariffs are from 2023; current room availability and charging periods are set in your booking instructions. Keep a private-rental option in your budget.

11/ 11Student life

A campus to call home. A city to discover.

Painted interpretation of Donghua-inspired red-brick teaching buildings and leafy campus paths
Yan’an Road campus paths
Painted AI interpretation of Shanghai’s Huangpu waterfront and skyline
Beyond the campus gates

Shanghai after class

Shanghai brings design exhibitions, museums and neighbourhood cafés within reach. Explore the Bund and Huangpu waterfront after class, with your campus location setting the journey home.

Campus routine

Lectures, project work and design practice share the week with campus meals, sports and student activities. Donghua’s international cultural festival brings students together around their home cultures.

Your neighbourhood

Yan’an Road places you in urban Changning; Songjiang offers a larger university-campus setting farther from central Shanghai. Your subject’s assigned campus shapes the everyday rhythm.

Weekends in Shanghai

Explore the Huangpu waterfront, museums, exhibitions and leafy shopping streets. From Songjiang, allow more travel time for city-centre outings.

Keep exploring

More universities. More possibilities.

Official sources & latest updates

Checked 8 October 2026. The latest published undergraduate guide covers September 2026; applications are closed. Next-intake undergraduate dates and fees have not yet been announced. The overall QS 2027 band is 851–900.

The undergraduate guide opens applications on 1 March; the SGS notice’s 1 December opening also covers postgraduate study. The Chinese guide states HSK 5 at least 180 for enrolment; the catalogue uses “above 180”. SGS requires under 25 despite the general scholarship age band extending to 25. Academic targets, living costs and scholarship competition are ChinaStudyGuide estimates.