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Study at Shanghai University of Sport: Not Just for Athletes

Universities
Nov 11, 2026
The green-tiled, palace-style Green Tile Building at Shanghai University of Sport in Yangpu, Shanghai, under a blue sky

To study at Shanghai University of Sport is to join a school that many people assume is only for elite athletes. That assumption is mostly wrong. The school opened in 1952 as the East China Institute of Physical Education. Later it took the name 上海体育学院, and in June 2023 the Ministry of Education approved its new Chinese name, 上海体育大学 (General Administration of Sport of China, 2023). In English it is Shanghai University of Sport, or SUS. It is not a 985 or 211 school. Still, the 2022 Double First-Class list names it for one discipline: Sport Science, 体育学 (Ministry of Education, 2022).

So who is it really for? More than half of its 2026 bachelor’s majors had nothing to do with competing. Journalism, marketing, data science and psychology all sat on the list. Wushu, by contrast, did ask for real skill. And a few master’s degrees were taught in English. This guide sorts out which door fits you, using the 2026 brochures.

Quick Links Before You Study at Shanghai University of Sport

  • admission.sus.edu.cn, the International Student Service Platform. Applications go through it, and it posts the brochures.
  • www.sus.edu.cn, the university’s main website, in Chinese.
  • Office of International Students Services: lxs@sus.edu.cn, +86-21-65507715, Room 115, Building 4, Lane 531, Qingyuan Ring Road, Yangpu District.
  • Beijing Sport University, the other big national sports school, for comparison.

Why Study at Shanghai University of Sport

Double First-Class in Sport Science, not 211

The February 2022 list, 教研函〔2022〕1号, has a one-line entry for the school: 上海体育学院：体育学 (Ministry of Education, 2022). The old name appears because the rename came a year later. The school had also made the first round in 2017 (General Administration of Sport of China, 2023). By contrast, Beijing Sport University is a Project 211 school, so the two do not carry quite the same labels. For what each label means, see our guide to China’s 985, 211 and Double First-Class universities. And if you want the very top of the table, our list of top universities in China covers it.

Wushu at the centre

Martial arts is where SUS stands out. It has its own School of Wushu. On the day the new name went up in September 2023, it signed a strategic agreement with the International Wushu Federation (General Administration of Sport of China, 2023). Its 2026 summer course for overseas wushu coaches covered changquan, nanquan and taijiquan, plus sword, broadsword and staff (SUS, 2026). The campus also holds the Chinese Wushu Museum, which calls itself the first museum devoted entirely to wushu culture (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, n.d.).

More than training: media, business and science

The 2026 bachelor’s list had two halves (SUS, 2025a). The sports half included physical education, sports training, fitness training, soccer, leisure sports and Martial Arts and Traditional Ethnic Sports. The other half included journalism, broadcasting and hosting, sports economics and management, marketing, sports rehabilitation, applied psychology, and data science. In other words, someone who wants to write about sport or run it has a place here too.

Admissions: How to Apply to Shanghai University of Sport

Bachelor’s: HSK, CSCA and a short video

Every bachelor’s major was taught in Chinese. The 2026 window ran from 1 December 2025 to 30 May 2026 (SUS, 2025a). The main conditions were:

  • A high-school diploma, with a GPA of at least 2.5 or an average of 70.
  • CSCA scores in Chinese (liberal arts) and Mathematics. Our explainer on the CSCA exam covers the test.
  • A self-introduction video of up to three minutes, in Chinese or English.
  • Proof of funds of at least RMB 100,000, or a financial guarantee letter.
  • Sports Training and the wushu major asked for a real level of sporting skill. Choreography asked for dance talent.

The HSK level: read both versions

Here the brochure trips people up. Its Chinese text asked for HSK 4 for sports majors and HSK 5 for the others. Its English text, however, said HSK 4 for every major (SUS, 2025a). Scholarship applicants needed HSK 5 either way. So, if you aim for journalism or psychology, plan on HSK 5 and confirm with the office. Our guide to the HSK level for university explains what each band involves.

Master’s and PhD, including five English-taught degrees

Chinese-taught master’s degrees took three years, and PhDs took four. Applicants sent a study plan, a CV and two letters from professors or associate professors. The 2026 file closed on 30 May 2026. Again, the language line differs by version: the Chinese text said HSK 4 with at least 180 points, while the English text said level 5 (SUS, 2025b). Sport management, journalism and communication, and wushu (listed as Traditional Chinese Sports) were all on the master’s list.

Then comes the surprise. SUS also ran two-year master’s degrees taught in English (SUS, 2025c):

  • Traditional Chinese Exercise and Rehabilitation Health.
  • Olympic Sports and Health Communication.
  • Elite Sports Science.
  • Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience in Sport and Exercise.
  • International Sport Governance and Management.

Each took only five to ten students. Applicants had to be under 35, with IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 80, though self-funded students might get a lower bar. The self-funded deadline was 31 May 2026. Notably, the sport governance programme had no Chinese Government Scholarship places that year.

Tuition and Scholarships at Shanghai University of Sport

Tuition and fees

The fee tables attached to the 2026 brochures listed these yearly rates (SUS, 2025a, 2025b):

  • Bachelor’s: RMB 22,000 for most majors, and RMB 24,000 for science-based ones such as sports rehabilitation, psychology and data science.
  • Master’s: RMB 25,000.
  • PhD: RMB 33,000.
  • Application fee: RMB 500 or USD 80, non-refundable.

The English-taught page attached the same master’s table, but it did not quote a separate rate for the English track. Ask the office before you budget. Interestingly, these fees sit a little below Beijing Sport University’s 2026 range.

Scholarship options

Three schemes ran through the school in 2026. The Chinese Government Scholarship high-level graduate programme closed on 28 February 2026. The Shanghai Government Scholarship and the SUS President’s Scholarship both closed on 30 April 2026 (SUS, 2025b). For the English-taught master’s, an award covered tuition, campus housing and medical insurance, plus RMB 3,000 a month. The government award could run three years, while the President’s award ran two (SUS, 2025c). Bachelor’s scholarship applicants should be 25 or under. Our guide to scholarships in China shows how these schemes fit together.

Living in Shanghai as an SUS Student

Campus and housing in Yangpu

The campus sits at 650 Qingyuan Ring Road in Yangpu, in the north-east of the city. It is a university district: Fudan University has its main campus in Yangpu too. The scholarship terms confirm that the school has on-campus rooms for international students. Even so, the 2026 brochures did not publish a room rate for self-funded students. Ask lxs@sus.edu.cn for the current price before you plan a budget.

City life

Shanghai is not a cheap city. On the other hand, it is easy to live in. The metro is dense, and phone payments work almost everywhere. Our Shanghai travel guide covers the districts, the food and getting around.

Visiting the Shanghai University of Sport Campus

Even non-applicants may want to see the Green Tile Building, the school’s office block and its landmark. The architect Dong Dayou and his team designed it. Work began in July 1930 and finished in October 1933 (The Paper, 2024). Its palace-style roofs in green glazed tile give it the name. The Chinese Wushu Museum is also on campus. Shanghai’s official tourism site lists it as open Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00 to 16:00. Campus entry rules can change, though, so check before you go.

Practical Tips

  • Watch for the 2027 brochures. The 2026 ones went up in mid-December 2025. When we checked on 10 November 2026, the 2027 ones were not yet posted.
  • Scholarship deadlines come first. The government award closed three months before the self-funded window.
  • Applying for wushu or sports training? Send proof of your level, such as competition results.
  • Note the nationality rules. If a parent is or was a Chinese citizen, extra passport and residence conditions apply.
  • Not sure this school fits? Compare other universities in China.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Is Shanghai University of Sport a 985 or 211 school? No. It holds Double First-Class status for Sport Science, named in the 2017 and 2022 rounds.
  2. Is it the same school as Shanghai Institute of Physical Education? Yes. 上海体育学院 became 上海体育大学 in 2023.
  3. Can I study in English? Only at master’s level, in five English-taught programmes in 2026. Bachelor’s degrees were taught in Chinese.
  4. Do I need to be an athlete? Only for sports training, the wushu major and a few others. Journalism, marketing and data science did not ask for it.
  5. What does it cost? In 2026, RMB 22,000 to 24,000 a year for a bachelor’s and RMB 25,000 for a master’s.

Conclusion: Should You Study at Shanghai University of Sport?

If you want to study at Shanghai University of Sport, start with your language. With HSK 4 or 5, the whole Chinese-taught list opens, from wushu to sports journalism. With English only, the five small master’s programmes are the way in, and places are few. Either way, you get a Double First-Class sport school in a lively part of Shanghai, at fees that are fairly modest for the city. Once the letter arrives, read our China student visa guide.

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