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Study at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: English Options

Universities
Oct 2, 2026
Round glass-fronted building of the Shanghai Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine on the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine campus

To study at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is to test a question most TCM applicants ask sooner or later: can you learn Chinese medicine properly without fluent Chinese? At most TCM schools the honest answer is “not really.” Shanghai is a partial exception. Founded in 1956 as one of the first four TCM universities of the new republic, SHUTCM is now on the national Double First-Class list for two disciplines, not one (Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine [SHUTCM], n.d.). It also offers more English-taught routes than its peers. Still, those routes cost more, and they come with fine print. So this guide reads the 2026 admissions documents line by line: who can apply, in which language, and what a year really costs.

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

Why Study at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Two Double First-Class disciplines

Start with the label, since it is the one people check. The Ministry of Education’s 2022 list names SHUTCM for Chinese medicine (中医学) and Chinese materia medica (中药学) (Ministry of Education et al., 2022). Few TCM universities hold both. Even so, SHUTCM was never a 985 or 211 school; our guide to China’s 985 and 211 universities explains why that matters less than it sounds. For the wider field, see top universities in China.

Ten hospitals behind one campus

Clinical training is the second reason. The university lists ten affiliated hospitals, covering every tertiary TCM and integrated-medicine hospital in Shanghai. Three of them — Longhua, Shuguang and Yueyang — are national clinical research bases (SHUTCM, n.d.). In plain terms, there are a lot of patients. And for a medical student, that is the whole game.

Where TCM standards get written

Here is the detail most English guides miss. SHUTCM hosts the secretariat of ISO/TC 249, the international committee that writes standards for traditional Chinese medicine. It also works on the WHO’s classification of traditional medicine. So the school sits close to the rules that decide how TCM is defined abroad. That is unusual — and, for a student who plans to practise outside China, quietly useful.

Unsurprisingly, the campus is busy with foreigners. The university reports 3,039 international students, about half of them on degree programmes. Its own phrase for the goal is “the first choice for international students learning TCM.” Treat that as ambition rather than a ranking, though.

Which Language? Three Ways to Study at SHUTCM

The English-taught bachelor’s in acupuncture

The headline option is a five-year Traditional Chinese Medicine (Acupuncture) degree, taught in English, leading to a Bachelor of Chinese Medicine. It runs on three trimesters a year. However, there is a catch: it opens as an independent class with a minimum of five students (SHUTCM International Education College [IEC], 2025a). If too few people enrol, the class may not run. So ask the office before you turn down other offers.

Chinese-taught bachelor’s degrees

In Chinese, the menu is longer. The 2026 guide lists eleven programmes (SHUTCM IEC, 2025b):

  • Five years, separate international classes: Chinese Medicine; Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina.
  • Four years, alongside Chinese students: Chinese Materia Medica, three rehabilitation tracks, audiology and speech, food hygiene and nutrition, and nursing.
  • Four years, Chinese language: two Chinese degrees with a TCM or TCM-trade focus.

Master’s and PhD in English — or Japanese

At graduate level, things open up. Both the master’s and the doctoral prospectus say teaching can be in Chinese or English, and some courses even in Japanese (SHUTCM IEC, 2025c). Each runs three years. Again, though, an English or Japanese master’s class needs at least five students. And you can only pick a supervisor from the published mentor catalogue.

Not ready for a degree? There are two softer doors. A TCM preparatory programme takes students with HSK 3, and non-degree “advanced study” can be taken in English for Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

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

Bachelor’s requirements

  • Everyone: a foreign passport, a high-school diploma and a CSCA score. The CSCA exam is new, so plan for it early.
  • English-taught acupuncture: CSCA mathematics, sat in English; TOEFL above 90 or IELTS above 6, unless you are a native speaker or studied in English.
  • Chinese-taught degrees: HSK 4 with at least 180 points, taken within two years. Our guide on what HSK level you need for university explains that bar. Medical tracks add CSCA Chinese and mathematics.
  • Health: the Chinese-taught guide advises against applying with colour blindness or certain vision and hearing limits. Check this before you pay a fee.

Graduate requirements and the mentor step

For a master’s, you need a bachelor’s degree; for a PhD, a master’s. Chinese-taught programmes ask for HSK 5 at 180 points or more. English-taught ones ask for TOEFL 90 or IELTS 6.5, and set no Chinese requirement at all (SHUTCM IEC, 2025d). Applicants without a TCM background need a degree in medicine or a related science.

The unusual part comes first, actually. Before you apply, you must contact a mentor, get their signed consent, and pass a written “summary test.” After the deadline comes an interview, online or in person.

2026 deadlines

  • Bachelor’s (both languages): 1 December 2025 – 30 June 2026; offers from May.
  • Master’s and PhD: 1 December 2025 – 15 May 2026; offers by mid-July.
  • Everything goes through the online portal. Emailed documents are not processed.

Those are the 2026 dates. The 2027 cycle will likely open around December 2026, so watch the college site from late autumn.

Tuition and Scholarships at SHUTCM

What English costs, in numbers

This is where the English route shows its price. The 2026 guides list these yearly tuition fees, all for full-time study:

Programme (2026)Taught in ChineseTaught in English
Bachelor’s (TCM, acupuncture and others)28,000 CNY42,000 CNY
Master’s34,000 CNY51,000 CNY
PhD50,000 CNY60,000 CNY

On top of that come insurance at 800 CNY a year and an application fee of 450 CNY (bachelor’s) or 800 CNY (graduate). Housing is priced in a separate dormitory notice and may change. The Chinese-language degrees cost 20,000 CNY a year. For a rough comparison, English-taught acupuncture at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine was listed at 30,000 CNY for 2026. Shanghai, then, charges a clear premium for English.

Scholarship options

Fortunately, several awards can soften that. The Chinese Government Scholarship applies, through an embassy or the university itself. The Shanghai Government Scholarship has two tiers: Type A covers tuition, a shared dorm bed, insurance and a monthly allowance; Type B covers tuition and insurance. For 2026 its window ran from 1 January to 30 June, with age caps of roughly 25, 35 and 40 for bachelor’s, master’s and PhD applicants (SHUTCM IEC, 2025e). SHUTCM also offers Belt and Road and pre-enrolment awards. Amounts change yearly, so confirm them. Our guide to scholarships in China covers the national picture.

Student Life in Zhangjiang, Shanghai

A campus in a science city

The campus sits at 1200 Cailun Road, in the Zhangjiang science city of Pudong. Biotech firms and labs fill the streets around it, and Fudan University keeps a campus in the same district. It is quieter than downtown, which suits long study days. Meanwhile, the city centre is a metro ride away.

The museum next door

On campus stands the Shanghai Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine — the round building on this page. It holds Neolithic stone and bone needles and a copper acupuncture figure cast in 1744. For a first-year student, it is a decent way to see how far back the textbook goes. Check the museum’s own site for opening days before you go.

Cost of living

Shanghai is among China’s most expensive cities, so budget more than you would for Chengdu or a smaller provincial capital. Campus housing keeps the biggest bill down. Then again, the payoff is a truly international city. Our Shanghai city guide covers districts, transport and food.

Practical Tips Before You Apply

  • Confirm the class will run. English and Japanese classes need five students. Ask in writing.
  • Contact mentors early. For graduate study, the consent form comes before the application.
  • Check licensing at home. A Chinese TCM degree helps only if your own regulator recognises it, and rules vary widely.
  • Keep your passport stable. The guides advise at least ten months’ validity, and details cannot change mid-application.
  • Apply directly. Use the official portal; agents cannot add anything the guides leave out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I study at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in English?

Yes. The 2026 guides offer an English-taught acupuncture bachelor’s and English-taught master’s and PhD study, subject to class-size minimums.

Is SHUTCM a Double First-Class university?

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

How much is tuition?

For 2026, bachelor’s tuition was 28,000 CNY a year in Chinese and 42,000 CNY in English. Graduate fees ran from 34,000 to 60,000 CNY.

Do I need HSK?

Only for Chinese-taught degrees: HSK 4 for a bachelor’s, HSK 5 for a master’s or PhD.

When should I apply?

From 1 December. In 2026, graduate applications closed on 15 May and bachelor’s on 30 June.

Conclusion: Should You Study at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine?

If your Chinese is not there yet, the case to study at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is fairly strong. It pairs two Double First-Class disciplines with real English routes, a deep hospital network and a seat near the global TCM standards table. On the other hand, English tuition runs up to half again as much as Chinese, and small classes may not open. So confirm the class, line up a scholarship, and check your licensing rules first. Once the offer arrives, our China student visa guide covers the next step.

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