Shanghai International Studies University holds a distinction that most prospective students overlook entirely. Its Graduate Institute of Interpretation and Translation — known simply as GIIT — is the only Asian institution ranked among the world’s top 15 conference interpreting schools by the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC). Globally, schools like this sit alongside Geneva, Paris, and Vienna. SISU sits in Shanghai. That contrast alone is worth paying attention to.
This guide covers what SISU offers international students, what daily life there actually looks like, and whether this university matches your goals.
What Is Shanghai International Studies University?
Founded in December 1949, Shanghai International Studies University started as a school for Russian-language training, established to prepare China’s early diplomats and translators. Over the following decades, it expanded into a full-scale university — today home to courses in 54 languages, from Arabic and Swahili to Sumerian and Classical Nahuatl (Wikipedia, 2025).
SISU is part of China’s Double First-Class Construction program and Project 211. Its linguistics department ranked 95th globally in QS subject rankings as of 2025 (QS World Rankings, 2025). The university maintains partnerships with over 440 institutions across 62 countries and regions (SISU, 2025).
There are two campuses. The Hongkou campus sits in central Shanghai, compact and city-adjacent. The Songjiang campus is larger and quieter — located in Shanghai’s Songjiang New District, about an hour from the city center. Most international programs run across both.
Why GIIT Changes the Calculation
Here is the thing about SISU that separates it from other language universities in China. GIIT was founded in 2003, inaugurated by a senior official from the United Nations Office at Geneva. Within two years, it earned AIIC’s highest ranking — the only institution in mainland China to fully comply with AIIC’s criteria for professional conference interpreting programs (GIIT, 2025).
What does that mean in practice? SISU is among 21 universities worldwide that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations. Students from GIIT have completed internships at:
- UN headquarters in New York
- UN Office at Geneva
- UN Office at Vienna
- UN Office at Nairobi
- European Parliament in Brussels
SISU has also signed framework agreements with both the European Parliament and the European Commission. These are not symbolic partnerships. Since 2005, SISU has sent students into active interpreting roles at real UN and EU meetings (SISU, 2016).
The graduation exam alone reflects this standard. Before earning their professional diploma, Conference Interpretation students must pass six subjects, with juries drawn from the UN, EU, and AIIC. Fail any one subject — no diploma. That pressure produces results. Graduates regularly go on to become official UN interpreters and translators.
Comparable programs at schools in the West — Geneva, Paris, Leeds — share SISU’s AIIC tier. What SISU offers that those schools rarely do: immersion in Mandarin Chinese alongside a globally recognized diploma. For international students who already have strong Chinese proficiency, this is a legitimate entry point into the world of international organizations.
Programs Available for International Students
Shanghai International Studies University offers a range of degree options for international students beyond the GIIT track. Key programs include:
- Master of Translation and Interpreting (MTI) — three tracks: Conference Interpretation (CI), Master of Interpreting (MI), Master of Translation (MT)
- MA and PhD in Translation Studies — launched in 2005, the first of their kind at a Chinese university
- China Studies Program (English-taught) — a two-year program covering Chinese history, politics, economics, and society; designed specifically for international students
- Intensive Chinese Language Program — a non-degree pathway for students building Mandarin proficiency before entering a degree program
- Undergraduate degree programs — available in select disciplines, some taught in Chinese
The China Studies program is particularly worth mentioning for international students who are not focused on interpreting. It runs entirely in English and offers a structured way to understand China through academic rather than tourist frameworks. Classes have included students from 16 countries simultaneously (SISU, 2025).
Daily Life at SISU
Campus life at SISU has a specific rhythm. The Hongkou campus puts students close to Shanghai’s Yangpu and Hongkou districts — metro access is straightforward, and the campus sits near Luxun Park and the city’s older waterfront neighborhoods. The Songjiang campus is more contained, with on-campus facilities including a swimming pool, gym, and multiple sports courts.
Cultural events cycle through the year. The School of English Language and Literature runs a Shakespeare Drama Festival. The School of Japanese Cultural and Economic Studies hosts its version of Kōhaku. The Department of European Studies holds a Cervantes Festival. The Intercultural Festival brings international students together across language communities. These are not optional. They are part of what makes the campus genuinely multilingual in practice, not just in theory.
International students note the concentration of students with serious linguistic goals — this shapes the social environment. It is common to hear three or four languages across a single corridor. Study habits skew intense, particularly among CI students, who report spending nearly all available time outside class practicing simultaneous interpreting.
For orientation in Shanghai more broadly, OlaChina’s Shanghai guide covers neighborhoods, transport, and food in detail.
Costs and Scholarships
Tuition at SISU for international students runs approximately:
- Master’s degree: RMB 26,000 per year (~USD 3,600)
- PhD: RMB 32,000 per year (~USD 4,400)
These figures are considerably lower than comparable interpreting programs in Europe or North America, where annual tuition for similar courses often exceeds USD 15,000–20,000.
Several scholarship options are available:
Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) — Full coverage: tuition, accommodation, medical insurance, and monthly stipend. Highly competitive. Apply through SISU’s international office or via the Chinese embassy in your home country (China Scholarship Council, 2025).
Shanghai Government Scholarship (SGS) — Also covers tuition and accommodation, with monthly stipends of CNY 2,500 (undergraduate), CNY 3,000 (master’s), or CNY 3,500 (doctoral). Open to all nationalities (SISU, 2025).
Silk Road Scholarship — Aimed at students from Belt and Road Initiative countries pursuing master’s or doctoral programs in designated fields.
Each scholarship has its own deadline. SGS applications typically close in late March. CSC Category B (SISU’s independent enrollment) applications for 2025 closed in January. Check the SISU Office of International Student Affairs for current cycles.
Admission Requirements and Key Steps
For degree programs, SISU generally requires:
- Valid non-Chinese passport
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates (notarized if from outside China)
- Health examination record
- Language proficiency evidence — Chinese proficiency (HSK) required for Chinese-taught programs; CI programs set their own intake standards
- Application fee: typically RMB 400–500
- Letters of recommendation and a personal statement
For the CI track specifically: the selection process includes an interview and a language aptitude test. Applicants should expect a rigorous screen — this is not a program where admission is straightforward.
After acceptance, students staying more than 180 days apply for an X1 visa. Within 30 days of arrival, that visa converts to a Residence Permit for Study. Students staying under 180 days apply for an X2 visa. For a full breakdown of China student visa requirements, see OlaChina’s Study in China guide.
Practical Tips Before You Apply
- Language first. Unless you are entering an English-taught program like China Studies, strong Mandarin is the baseline, not a bonus. HSK 5 or above is a realistic target for most degree programs.
- Apply early for scholarships. CSC Category B at SISU closes in January — well before most other Chinese universities announce their cycles.
- Choose your campus deliberately. Hongkou is better if you want city access. Songjiang is better if you want a quieter environment for intensive study.
- For CI applicants specifically: the program is selective and demanding. Research GIIT’s current intake requirements directly at giit.shisu.edu.cn before submitting an application.
- Connect with SISU’s international office. The contact email is global@shisu.edu.cn. Response times are generally prompt during non-holiday periods.
Shanghai International Studies University is not the largest or most broadly ranked Chinese university. What it is, is specific. For students who want to work in multilingual international environments — international organizations, diplomatic translation, global conferences — few universities in Asia offer a more direct route. The AIIC ranking is not marketing language. It reflects a genuine institutional standard. Whether that standard aligns with your goals is worth thinking through carefully.
References
China Scholarship Council. (2025). Chinese Government Scholarship — University Program. https://www.campuschina.org/
Graduate Institute of Interpretation and Translation, SISU. (2025). About GIIT: Milestones. http://www.giit.shisu.edu.cn/giite/milestones.html
QS World University Rankings. (2025). Shanghai International Studies University: Rankings, Fees & Courses Details. https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/shanghai-international-studies-university
Shanghai International Studies University. (2025). Introducing SISU. https://en.shisu.edu.cn/about/introducing-sisu/
Shanghai International Studies University. (2016). Found in Translation: How China’s Most Elite Interpreters and Translators Are Cultivated. http://en.shisu.edu.cn/resources/features/found-in-translation
Wikipedia. (2025). Shanghai International Studies University. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_International_Studies_University
