Ten reasons to study at XMU

1. Enchanting Xiamen

Xiamen, a beautiful coastal city in southeast China, enjoys a mild, pleasant subtropical climate characterized by warm winter and cool summer, with an average annual temperature of 21ºC. The city has won a string of honours, including the “UN Habitat Scroll of Honour” award, “Nations in Bloom” award, “China’s Best Tourist City” and “Model of Innovation-oriented City”. Former US President Richard Nixon called Xiamen “Hawaii of the East”. The dynamic and vibrant city life and delightful living environment in Xiamen have made the city one of the world’s best places to live, study and work.

2. “Strength of the South”

Xiamen University (XMU), founded in 1921 by Tan Kah Kee, a well-known patriotic overseas Chinese leader, was the first Chinese university founded by an overseas Chinese. It is the only university that enjoys privileged support from both the national “211 Project” and the “985 Project” in China’s Special Economic Zones. XMU is recognized as a first-class national institution of higher learning with an international reputation as a centre of scholarly excellence, and ranks among the top 20 of the over 2,000 universities and colleges in China. With a history of ninety-one years and rich heritage, XMU provides overseas students with a nurturing and stimulating academic atmosphere which will help their development.

3. Garden-like campuses

XMU campuses are situated around the Xiamen Bay, opposite Taiwan across the sea, commanding a beautiful view of green hills and the blue sea. It boasts one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. Located on the southern tip of Xiamen Island, the Siming Campus lies in close proximity to several places of interest and is adjacent to a sliver beach. The newly built Xiang’an Campus is situated in Xiang’an District of Xiamen, bounded by the Xiangshan Scenic Area on the north and the sea on the south. XMU campuses resemble a beautiful garden, with serene lakes, lush foliage and buildings of the unique Kah Kee architectural style. The Xiang’an Campus contains the School of Life Sciences, MedicalSchool, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Oceanography and Earth Sciences, College of Environment and Ecology, College of Energy, Overseas Education College and Southern Base of Confucius Institute Headquarter.

4. Highly professional faculty and well-established disciplines

XMU implements the strategy of strengthening itself through human resource development. Thus, XMU has attracted a large number of top-notch professors, and has become a “talent highland” of prestigious scientists and leading scholars. The University has a highly qualified faculty of more than 2,500, including over 1,600 professors and associate professors. Currently, professors and researchers with doctorates from world-renowned universities are playing an increasingly important role. XMU consists of a graduate school and 26 schools and colleges with 66 departments, as well as over 11 research institutes, offering a comprehensive range of programmes, including humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering and technology sciences, management science, artistic science, and medical science.

5. International exchange and cooperation

XMU is becoming increasingly internationalized and is actively engaged in multilateral and global cooperation. It has established partnerships with over 300 higher-learning institutions around the world. It also actively participates in exchange programmes and collaborative research projects, and regularly hosts international academic conferences. XMU operates 15 Confucius Institutes around the world, which play an important role in promoting cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. Students during their studies at XMU have an opportunity to participate in academic exchange programmes or pursue further studies at world-renowned universities.

6. Reasonable study expenses

The tuition fee and the cost of living in XMU are lower than most of the other prestigious universities in China and beyond. There are various scholarships available to international students, including Chinese Government Scholarships, Confucius Institute Scholarships, Confucius China Study Plan Scholarships, Fujian Provincial Government Scholarships and Xiamen University Scholarships. Full scholarships cover tuition, accommodation, food, healthcare and insurance costs, while partial scholarships cover one or several items covered by full scholarships.

7. Accommodation and food

The overseas student apartments on campus are set in picturesque surroundings and enjoy sea views and fresh sea air. The dorms are well-equipped with modern facilities and the Overseas Student Service Centre provides attentive services. Overseas students can also choose to dine in any of the 10 canteens on campus that provide a wide variety of cuisines.

8. First-class facilities

XMU boast a comprehensive range of teaching and research facilities and an efficient public service system. The University’s library holds a collection of over four million paper-based volumes and 37,330 gigabytes of e-books. Furthermore, the University’s high speed information network is among the most sophisticated in China. The XMU Knowledge Resource Portal offers students access to an enormous body of literature online. Through the library, students can visit other renowned universities’ libraries in China and beyond.

9. Student-oriented care

Currently there are over 3,000 overseas students from more than 100 countries and religions in XMU. Although coming from different parts of the world, overseas students enjoy the student-oriented care and feel at home. Major foreign festivals like Christmas and Songkran are celebrated on campus. Moreover, the University hosts a Chinese Corner, an English Corner and a French Saloon on a weekly basis to increase the networking between international students and Chinese students. Many international students find it easy to blend into the local culture. International students practicing Tai Chi in groups by the Furong Lake are a unique sight on campus.

10. Colourful campus life

XMU is committed to the all-round development of its students, regularly hosting a wide range of cultural and sports events to create a good atmosphere for cross-cultural communication. The Chinese Bridge Contest, the Xiamen International Marathon Race and the XMU Foreign Karaoke Contest are among the most popular competitions for international students each year. Furthermore, XMU provides students with a comprehensive range of sports and cultural facilities, including football pitches, tennis courts, badminton courts, swimming pools, a golf driving range, piano rooms, and concert halls.