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Study at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine: Materia Medica Route

Universities
Oct 4, 2026
Stone gateway with red lanterns at the Hanzhongmen campus of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, with a grey teaching building behind

To study at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine is to choose the herbal side of TCM, and to ask a fair question first: is this school only for future TCM doctors with fluent Chinese? Not quite. Founded in 1954, NJUCM calls itself the “cradle” of higher TCM education. It trained China’s first TCM teachers and wrote the first national textbooks. Its Double First-Class discipline, however, is Chinese materia medica (中药学) — the science of medicinal herbs, not clinical practice. And that is exactly where its English-taught graduate options cluster. So the answer splits in two. Below: what is taught in Chinese, what is not, plus the 2026 rules, fees, scholarships and life in Nanjing.

Quick Links Before You Study at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine

Why Study at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine?

Double First-Class status, not 211

NJUCM was never a 985 or 211 school. Even so, the 2022 Double First-Class list names it for Chinese materia medica (Ministry of Education et al., 2022). Interestingly, the same list names its neighbour China Pharmaceutical University for the very same discipline. So Nanjing holds two of the country’s top herbal-medicine programmes. Our guide to China’s 985 and 211 universities explains why a specialist school can sit outside 211 and still lead its field.

Strong in the lab, not only the clinic

Here is the real draw for science-minded students. In ESI, pharmacology and toxicology sits in the global top 0.1%, the university says. Seven more fields reach the top 1%. It also hosts a National Key Laboratory for process control and intelligent manufacturing of Chinese medicine (Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine [NJUCM], 2026). Meanwhile, the clinical side stays deep. NJUCM lists 15 affiliated hospitals, including Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, its First School of Clinical Medicine.

A long international record

NJUCM was among the first TCM universities cleared to teach foreign students at every level, from language classes to PhD. It has trained more than 10,000 of them. It is also a WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine. Then there is Europe. NJUCM helped found the Swiss University of Chinese Medicine, which it describes as Switzerland’s only officially recognised TCM university. Today, though, the international cohort is small: 433 students out of about 22,000. That can be a plus. Staff tend to know you by name.

Programmes: Chinese for the Clinic, English for the Lab

Ten bachelor’s degrees, all in Chinese

The 2026 undergraduate guidebook lists ten majors (NJUCM International Education College, 2025a). Five-year degrees cover Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and tuina, TCM health preservation, TCM rehabilitation, and integrated Chinese and Western clinical medicine. Four-year options include Pharmacy of Chinese Materia Medica, Pharmacy, Nursing, rehabilitation therapy and even computer science. Every applicant needs HSK 4 with 180 points or more. In short, no English-taught bachelor’s appears on the 2026 list.

Graduate study: where English appears

Now the twist. The 2026 postgraduate list marks dozens of research directions “Offer English-medium Program” (NJUCM International Education College, 2026a). Almost all sit in the School of Pharmacy and the School of Medicine. Think Chinese materia medica, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, cell biology and epidemiology. Several PhD supervisors in Chinese materia medica take English-medium students too. By contrast, the clinical TCM majors — internal medicine, gynaecology, acupuncture — carry no English mark. So if you want to treat patients, plan on Chinese.

Admissions: How to Study at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine in 2026

Language requirements

  • Bachelor’s: new HSK 4, 180 points or more.
  • Chinese-taught master’s and PhD: new HSK 5, 180 points or more.
  • English-taught graduate programmes: applicants from non-English-speaking countries pass a language test set by the university. No TOEFL or IELTS score is named in the 2026 guide.

Not there yet? The college runs a two-semester Chinese preparatory class for future TCM students. It aims to lift beginners to HSK 4 and HSK 3 holders to HSK 5. Our guide on what HSK level you need for university explains the gap between levels.

Bachelor’s: CSCA, documents and an interview

  • CSCA test: professional Chinese (humanities or STEM) plus mathematics; some pharmacy and science majors require the STEM version. See our CSCA exam guide.
  • Papers: passport, diploma, HSK certificate, photo, financial proof, a police certificate and a health check.
  • Window: 1 December 2025 to 15 May 2026; scholarship applicants were advised to finish by 10 May.
  • Next: an online interview, then offers emailed in mid-to-late June 2026.

Master’s and PhD

Graduate applicants need a bachelor’s (for a master’s) or a master’s (for a PhD). They also need two letters from associate professors or above in the field. The 2026 window ran from January to June, with offers in July 2026. Assessment covers core knowledge, research ability and language, by on-site, phone or video interview. Note one catch: the clinical professional master’s in Chinese medicine requires a five-year TCM bachelor’s from a university in mainland China. Applications go through the online system, and after an offer come the JW202 form and an X1 visa. Our China student visa guide walks through that step.

Tuition and Scholarships at NJUCM

Fees

ItemCost per year (CNY)
Bachelor’s (2026 guidebook)24,000
Master’s32,000
PhD40,000
Chinese language or TCM preparatory class15,200 (books included)
Dorm, double room8,000 per bed
Application fee (once)600

The bachelor’s tuition, dorm and application fee come from the 2026 guidebook. The graduate and language rates come from the college’s fee table, checked in October 2026 (NJUCM International Education College, n.d.). That table does not show a separate rate for English-taught programmes, so confirm it by email before you budget. Compared with Guangzhou’s 25,000 CNY, the bachelor’s fee is slightly lower.

Scholarship options

  • CSC High-Level Graduate programme: free tuition and housing, insurance, and 3,000 CNY a month for master’s or 3,500 CNY for PhD students. The 2026 deadline was 10 March, noon Beijing time; age limits are usually 35 and 40 (NJUCM International Education College, 2025b).
  • Silk Road CSC scholarship (bachelor’s): full cover plus 2,500 CNY a month, for the five-year TCM degree in Chinese. The first 2026 batch ran 1 March – 15 May, for applicants aged 25 or under from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam (NJUCM International Education College, 2026b).
  • Jiangsu Provincial Government Scholarship: 18,000 CNY per person.
  • Nanjing Municipal Government Scholarship: 10,000 CNY for a bachelor’s student.
  • NJUCM Outstanding International Student Scholarship: 1,000–3,000 CNY a year for undergraduates.

The last three figures come from the 2026 undergraduate guidebook. Bilateral CSC places, meanwhile, run through your home country’s sending office. Our guide to scholarships in China covers the wider picture.

Student Life in Nanjing

Two campuses

Xianlin, in Qixia district, is the main campus and home to the International Education College. It sits in Nanjing’s eastern university town — green, spread out and fairly quiet. Hanzhongmen, on Hanzhong Road, is the older city campus, pictured at the top of this page. It feels more urban, with the old city close by.

City life and costs

Nanjing usually costs less than Shanghai, and the high-speed train gets you there in about an hour and a half. Summers are hot and humid; winters feel damp and cold. Also, the city is full of students, so cafés, bookshops and cheap food are easy to find. For medicine in English in the same city, compare Nanjing Medical University, which runs an MBBS. Our Nanjing city guide covers sights, transport and food.

Practical Tips Before You Apply

  • Pick your side first. Clinic means Chinese; lab research may mean English. Decide before you choose a supervisor.
  • Contact a supervisor early. The graduate list names supervisors by research direction, so a short, specific email helps.
  • Take the CSCA early. The guidebook says so plainly; scores feed directly into the review.
  • Try a short course. The college also runs short acupuncture and clinical courses, a low-risk way to test the school.
  • Check licensing at home. A Chinese TCM or pharmacy degree helps only if your own regulator accepts it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I study at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine in English?

At graduate level, yes, in selected pharmacy, materia medica and biomedical directions. Every 2026 bachelor’s is taught in Chinese.

What HSK level does NJUCM require?

HSK 4 (180+) for bachelor’s degrees and HSK 5 (180+) for Chinese-taught master’s and PhD programmes.

How much is tuition?

24,000 CNY a year for a bachelor’s in 2026; the fee table lists 32,000 CNY for a master’s and 40,000 CNY for a PhD.

Is NJUCM a Double First-Class university?

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

When should I apply?

Early. In the 2026 cycle, bachelor’s applications closed on 15 May and graduate applications in June. The 2027 guidebook will probably appear around late 2026, judging by this cycle.

Conclusion: Should You Study at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine?

For a future TCM doctor with solid Chinese, the case to study at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine is strong: historic standing, moderate fees and big hospitals. For a pharmacy or life-science graduate, though, it may be even more interesting. The herbal science that earned its Double First-Class place is also where English-taught research lives. Either way, start with the language question, then the scholarship deadlines. And if Nanjing does not fit, the other TCM schools linked above make a useful shortlist.

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