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Learn Chinese at Fudan: The 2027 Language Program Guide

Chinese
Sep 19, 2026
Guanghua Building twin towers at Fudan University Handan campus, Shanghai, on a sunny day

If you want to learn Chinese at Fudan, the classes are the easy part. Fudan’s language program is well organised, fairly priced, and taught in the middle of Shanghai. The harder part is something the brochure mentions only in passing: where you will live. Campus rooms for language students are, in the school’s own words, “extremely limited.” So this guide covers the program itself. Just as importantly, it covers the housing gap and the 2027 dates you need to plan around.

Who Runs the Program When You Learn Chinese at Fudan

Fudan’s language courses belong to the International Cultural Exchange School (ICES). It is one of China’s first four national bases for teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages. Besides the non-degree language program, it runs bachelor’s degrees in Chinese and business Chinese, plus a master’s in teaching Chinese (Fudan ICES, 2026a).

Classes are held on the Handan campus, the university’s historic main site in Yangpu, northeast Shanghai. For the wider picture of the university, see our Fudan University guide.

Also, you will not be the only foreigner in the room. Groups from partner schools such as LSE, Edinburgh, Goethe University Frankfurt and Doshisha join every year. That tends to make classes mixed, and a little competitive.

How the Fudan Chinese Language Program Is Structured

The long-term program uses ten levels, lettered A to J:

  • Fundamental: levels A–D.
  • Intermediate: levels E–H.
  • Advanced: levels I–J.

Each level lasts about nine weeks. So a semester covers two levels. You take an online placement test on arrival, and it decides where you start. Expect around 18 class hours a week (Fudan ICES, 2026a).

The core courses are intensive reading, extensive reading, listening and speaking, and writing. At the top levels, these shift toward news listening, newspaper reading and a “society focus” class. Electives include Chinese proverbs, Chinese film, and music and poetry. Advanced students can sometimes sit in on undergraduate electives, too.

What does that mean in practice? Honestly, nine-week levels move fast. A total beginner could reach the intermediate band within a year, at least on paper. That pace suits people with a clear goal, like an HSK level for university entry. It may feel rushed if you are learning for pleasure. And, conveniently, ICES students can sit the HSK in Shanghai whenever they feel ready.

2027 Dates and Fees to Learn Chinese at Fudan

The September 2026 intake has already started, so the realistic targets now are spring 2027, summer 2027 and autumn 2027. Here is what the current brochures say, with notes where the 2027 figures are not out yet.

Semester and year programs

  • Application fee: 400 RMB, non-refundable.
  • Tuition: 10,500 RMB per semester, or 21,000 RMB per year. The brochure calls this a reference price, and final figures come from Fudan’s finance office.
  • Current semester: 31 August 2026 to 8 January 2027. The one-year option runs until 2 July 2027.
  • Autumn window (last cycle): 23 March to 12 June.
  • Who can apply: foreign citizens aged 18 to 60, in good health.

These figures come from the autumn 2026 brochure (Fudan ICES, 2026a). For spring intakes, the last published window ran from 10 October to 10 December. So if you want to start in February or March 2027, watch the ICES admissions page from early October (Fudan ICES, n.d.).

The summer option (SCI)

Can’t commit to a semester? The Summer Chinese Language Immersion program runs in four-week blocks. In 2026, the July session ran 6–31 July and the August session 3–28 August. The fee was 5,600 RMB per session, or 11,200 RMB for both, with applications open 9 March to 29 May. Housing and optional trips cost extra (Fudan ICES, 2026b). Expect the 2027 dates to follow a similar pattern.

How the price compares

Interestingly, Fudan charges the same semester tuition as Nanjing University: 10,500 RMB (see our guide to learning Chinese at NJU). Tsinghua’s long-term program, by contrast, was listed at 13,600 RMB a semester. In other words, a top-three name does not automatically mean top-tier fees.

Where to Live While You Learn Chinese at Fudan

This is the housing catch, and it is the part most agency pages skip. ICES states plainly that dormitory space is extremely limited. Non-degree students are expected to arrange their own housing near campus. The school publishes a short list of nearby student apartments and hotels. However, it stresses the list is for reference only. It is not a recommendation, and the school takes no responsibility for disputes (Fudan ICES, 2025).

So what should you do?

  • Budget for it early. Shanghai rent is the biggest cost of the whole year, often more than tuition.
  • Look around Wujiaochang. It is the commercial hub closest to the Handan campus, and it is well connected by metro.
  • Register your address. Whatever you rent, you must complete police accommodation registration within 24 hours of moving in. Hotels do it for you. With a private flat, you and your landlord handle it.
  • Don’t sign a long lease sight unseen. A short hotel or apartment stay for the first week or two gives you time to look.

How to Apply to Learn Chinese at Fudan

You apply directly through Fudan’s online system at istudent.fudan.edu.cn/apply. Paperwork is light: the online form plus a passport copy. Occasionally, the school asks for more.

  1. Register and activate an account.
  2. Choose Personal Application, student type Language Student, institution International Cultural Exchange School, teaching language Chinese. Leave the program name blank and search.
  3. Pick Chinese Language Program from the list, then click Apply.
  4. Upload your documents and pay the 400 RMB fee straight away.
  5. Wait for the status to move from “In Review” to “Accepted.” The admission package then takes another two to four weeks and arrives by email.

One warning from the brochure deserves bold type. Double-check your email address. Once you submit, you cannot change it, and that is where the admission package goes.

Which visa you will need

Your visa depends on how long you study. For 180 days or more, Fudan issues a JW202 form, which leads to an X1 student visa. For shorter stays, it issues a DQ form, which leads to an X2 visa. You can download either from the Study in China website once admission is complete. Also, do not renew your passport before registering at Fudan. A new passport number would invalidate the form (Fudan ICES, 2026a). Our China student visa guide walks through the consulate side.

Practical Tips Before You Go

  • Arrive a few days early, not weeks. The brochure warns against using your student visa for early entry.
  • Keep the placement test honest. Landing one level too high at a nine-week pace is hard to recover from.
  • Use the clubs. Fudan has close to a hundred student societies, which is the fastest way to speak outside class.
  • Set up payments early. Link a card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you land. Daily life in Shanghai runs on them.
  • Ask by email. The language office answers at yuyansheng@fudan.edu.cn.

Still deciding whether to learn Chinese at Fudan or elsewhere? Our overview of Chinese language programs in China puts Fudan next to the other big names.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to learn Chinese at Fudan?

Tuition is 10,500 RMB per semester or 21,000 RMB per year, plus a 400 RMB application fee. The summer program costs 5,600 RMB per four-week session. Housing is extra, and you will usually arrange it yourself.

When should I apply for 2027?

For a spring 2027 start, the window last ran from 10 October to 10 December. For autumn 2027, expect roughly late March to mid-June. The summer program usually opens in March and closes at the end of May.

Do I need any Chinese to join?

No. The ten-level system starts at complete beginner (level A). A placement test on arrival decides your level.

Does Fudan provide a dorm for language students?

Rarely. ICES says dormitory space is extremely limited, and most non-degree students rent near the Handan campus. The school shares a reference list of nearby options but does not recommend any of them.

Which visa do Fudan language students get?

Students staying 180 days or longer receive a JW202 form for an X1 visa. Shorter programs, including the summer course, receive a DQ form for an X2 visa.

References

More ways to learn Chinese in China