OlaChina.Org

Study at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Herbs First

Universities
Oct 1, 2026
Wooden traditional Chinese medicine cabinet with drawers labelled with herb names such as gardenia, cinnamon twig and ephedra

To study at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is to learn TCM where the herbs actually grow. Sichuan is often called one of China’s great sources of medicinal plants, and this school was built around that fact. It opened in 1956 as one of the four earliest TCM universities of the new republic (Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine [CDUTCM], n.d.). It never joined Project 211. Even so, in 2022 it made the national Double First-Class list, for one discipline: Chinese materia medica. So the honest question is this. Is a herb-focused school in western China a smart place for a foreign student — or a niche? Below: what the 2026 admissions guides say, what a year costs, and one surprising corner of the campus, its Tibetan medicine school.

Quick Links Before You Study at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Why Study at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: the Herb School

Double First-Class for Chinese materia medica

First, the label. The Ministry of Education’s 2022 list names CDUTCM with a single discipline: Chinese materia medica, or 中药学 (Ministry of Education et al., 2022). That is the study of the medicines themselves — where they come from, how they are processed, how they work. It is not a 985 or 211 school, though. Our guide to China’s 985 and 211 universities explains how the lists differ. For the wider field, see top universities in China.

Beyond that one listing, the university claims four national key disciplines: Chinese materia medica, acupuncture and tuina, TCM ophthalmology and otolaryngology, and TCM gynaecology. It also says pharmacology and toxicology sits in the ESI global top 0.1% (CDUTCM, n.d.). ESI counts citations, so read it as a research signal rather than a teaching grade.

A school built on Sichuan’s herbs

Here is the part most guides skip. The university co-hosts a state key laboratory for the medicinal resources of southwest China. It also runs a national TCM germplasm bank for Sichuan and a national engineering centre for processing herbal slices. And it claims some firsts: the country’s first graduates in Chinese materia medica and its first PhD in the field. So the herb focus is not marketing. It is, more or less, the school’s whole identity.

The Tibetan medicine school

Then there is the School of Ethnic Medicine. Founded in 2007, it calls itself the first ethnic-medicine school set up at any Chinese TCM university. It teaches Tibetan medicine and Tibetan pharmacy from bachelor’s to doctorate, and more than half of its students come from ethnic minorities (CDUTCM School of Ethnic Medicine, 2024). That tradition, Sowa Rigpa, is also on the UNESCO heritage list; our piece on Sowa Rigpa and Lum medicinal bathing tells that story.

One caution, though. Neither Tibetan medicine nor Tibetan pharmacy appears on the 2026 programme lists for international students. So treat the school as part of campus life — lectures, a museum visit, a conversation — not as a degree you can count on. If it matters to you, ask the office directly.

What You Can Study at CDUTCM as a Foreigner

Bachelor’s: mostly in Chinese, one in English

The 2026 undergraduate list is short. Nearly everything is taught in Chinese (CDUTCM International Education College, 2025a):

  • Five years, in Chinese: Chinese Medicine; Clinical Chinese and Western Medicine; Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina; Clinical Medicine.
  • Five years, in English: Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina — the only English-taught degree on the list.
  • Four years, in Chinese: Pharmacy, Nursing, Optometry and Marketing.

Notice what is missing: Chinese materia medica itself. At bachelor’s level, foreign students reach it only indirectly, through Pharmacy.

Master’s and PhD: Chinese only

At graduate level the flagship finally appears. The 2026 list offers Chinese materia medica as a three-year master’s and a four-year PhD, alongside TCM internal medicine, formulas, acupuncture and a dozen more. Every one of them is taught in Chinese (CDUTCM International Education College, 2026). That is the trade-off, really. The best thing here needs fluent Mandarin.

Admissions: How to Apply to Chengdu University of TCM

Who can apply

  • Bachelor’s: aged 17–35, with a high-school diploma or equivalent.
  • Master’s and PhD (self-funded): a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree, aged 40 or under.
  • Chinese: HSK 4 for any Chinese-taught programme. Native speakers, and graduates of Chinese-taught degrees in China, may be exempt after review. Our guide on what HSK level you need for university puts that bar in context.
  • English-taught track: the 2026 guide does not name an English test. Ask before you apply.

The CSCA and the June deadline

For 2026, every bachelor’s applicant needed a CSCA score report. Chinese-taught programmes listed professional Chinese plus mathematics; the English acupuncture degree listed mathematics only (CDUTCM International Education College, 2025a). Applications for both bachelor’s and self-funded graduate places ran until 30 June 2026, and registration followed in September. The 2027 notices should appear in late 2026, so check then.

Documents

  • passport valid for over a year, and a recent photo;
  • notarised diploma and transcripts, translated if not in Chinese or English;
  • HSK 4 certificate (Chinese-taught programmes);
  • a personal statement of at least 1,000 words;
  • physical exam form, a signed commitment letter and a police certificate;
  • a bank statement in your name: 30,000 CNY for a bachelor’s, 40,000 CNY for a graduate degree;
  • for graduate applicants, two recommendation letters.

Tuition and Scholarships at Chengdu University of TCM

What a year costs in 2026

  • Bachelor’s, medical programmes: 25,000 CNY a year in Chinese, 30,000 CNY in English.
  • Bachelor’s, science and management: 16,000 and 14,000 CNY a year.
  • Master’s: 30,000 CNY (Chinese-taught). PhD: 38,000 CNY (Chinese-taught).
  • Twin room: 2,400 CNY a year at Wenjiang, 1,200 CNY at Shierqiao.
  • Insurance about 1,000 CNY a year; application fee 600 CNY.

For scale, that looks fairly low for a Double First-Class medical school. Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, its better-known rival, is worth comparing on fees and on clinical depth. Fees can change, of course, so treat the 2026 figures as a guide.

Scholarship options

Here the news is decent. For graduate students, the Chinese Government Scholarship covers tuition and housing, plus 3,000 CNY a month for master’s and 3,500 CNY for PhD students. The 2026 university deadline for that route was 2 February 2026 (CDUTCM International Education College, 2025b). Self-funded freshmen can also try the Sichuan and Chengdu government awards, listed at 20,000 CNY a year for undergraduates, or a university award that waives fees. Amounts may change. Our guide to scholarships in China covers the national picture.

Living in Chengdu as an International Student

Two campuses

The International Education College sits at Wenjiang, the large suburban campus on Liutai Avenue, so that is likely where you will live. The older Shierqiao campus sits in the city proper, next to the affiliated Sichuan Provincial Hospital of TCM. The metro even names a station after the university and the hospital. In practice, then, expect quiet study at Wenjiang and clinical life in town.

Cost of living and city life

Chengdu is cheaper than the coastal giants. A student who eats in canteens can probably live on 2,000–3,000 CNY a month — a rough guess, not a quote. And the city is easy to like: teahouses, spicy food, pandas, a calm pace. Our Chengdu city guide covers the neighbourhoods and the food.

Practical Tips Before You Commit

  • Get to HSK 4 early. Almost every route runs through Chinese.
  • Book the CSCA in time. A bachelor’s file without it is incomplete.
  • Check licensing at home. A Chinese TCM or acupuncture degree helps only if your own regulator recognises it. Rules differ widely and change.
  • Apply directly. Use the official system, not an agent’s promise.
  • Ask about Tibetan medicine. If that is your reason to come, get the answer in writing first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chengdu University of TCM a Double First-Class school?

Yes, since 2022, for Chinese materia medica. It is not a 985 or 211 school.

Can I study in English?

Only one 2026 bachelor’s degree is English-taught: Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina. Graduate programmes are all in Chinese.

How much does it cost to study at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

In 2026, medical bachelor’s tuition was 25,000–30,000 CNY a year, and a dorm bed 1,200–2,400 CNY.

Can foreigners study Tibetan medicine there?

Not on the 2026 international lists. The school exists, but ask before you plan around it.

When is the deadline?

For 2026, 30 June for self-funded places and early February for the CSC graduate route. Watch for the 2027 notices.

Conclusion: Is It Worth It to Study at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

For someone drawn to the medicines themselves, the choice to study at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine makes real sense. Fees are modest, Chengdu is kind to students, and the herb research is genuinely national-level. On the other hand, English options are thin, and the Tibetan medicine school is more of a neighbour than a door. So learn Chinese first, check your licensing rules, and apply by June. Once the offer comes, our China student visa guide covers the next step.

References