China’s Private Universities Are Possibly Changing the Country’s Education Landscape

Chongqing—Unusually, some private universities in China are demonstrating the same level of popularity as public ones. Newcomers, including Westlake University and Fuyao University of Science and Technology, attracted top scorers with admission thresholds rivaling those of the country's elite institutions. 

In 2025, the admission score for West Lake University, which, according to its official website, is both supported by public and private funding and a vanguard in the reform of the higher education system in China, reached 669 in Chongqing, just one point lower than Nanjing University, one of China's C9 League members, akin to the Ivy League in the United States. 

Similarly, the admission score of Fuyao University of Science and Technology, established by renowned Chinese entrepreneur Cao Dewang, reached 658 in Henan Province, surpassing another C9 institution, Harbin Institute of Technology.

Both universities stand out in China's education sector, where public institutions have long dominated in terms of prestige and recognition. 

The fundamental structure of China's higher education system originated from the 1952 restructuring of colleges and departments, which transformed the university system modeled after the British and American systems during the Republic of China era into one modeled after the Soviet Union, designed to serve socialist construction. Since then, public universities have become the mainstream of higher education, a trend that continues to this day. 

Since the 1980s, China has gradually restored the right to establish private universities. However, the strength and influence of private universities still pale in comparison to their public counterparts. Private universities in China were perceived, by some, as profit-driven institutions and alternatives for those unable to gain admission to public universities. This reputation is directly reflected in admission scores, as public universities generally have higher cutoff scores than private ones. 

Why do some private universities attract top scorers?

Unlike the lackluster performance of many traditional private institutions, new research-oriented private universities are thriving. 

They typically adopt boards of trustees or directors to oversee the president — a model pioneered by Westlake University. As the highest decision-making body, the board is responsible for setting policies, overseeing budgets, and appointing or dismissing the president. Its members include donors, leading academics, and public figures. This mechanism grants the school greater autonomy, faster decision-making, and reduces bureaucracy. 

In terms of discipline layout, these universities don’t aim for a broad, all-encompassing range of subjects but focus their resources on national priorities and emerging industries. 

For example, Westlake University concentrates on science, engineering, and life sciences, Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, focuses on basic research and cross-disciplinary engineering, while Fuyao University of Science and Technology specializes in intelligent manufacturing, new materials, and artificial intelligence. 

Another hallmark is the small scale. Years after its establishment in 2018, Westlake University still admits fewer than 100 undergraduates annually, with a total enrollment cap of around 5,000. Similarly, Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, and Fuyao University of Science and Technology are both designed to keep enrollment under 10,000 students. 

This "small but elite" model results in lower student-to-faculty ratios — Westlake University's ratio stays below 10:1, while Fuyao University of Science and Technology’s ratio approaches 5:1, much lower than the typical 15:1 at top public universities. 

At the same time, their talent development model integrates education, research, and industry. Many offers combined bachelor's-master's-doctoral tracks and invite top global scholars and industry experts to mentor students, thanks to the fiscal strength and social connections contributed by their rich founders. 

The emergence of these new private universities has given China's higher education a new direction, a fresh perspective, and new possibilities. "We can develop toward higher quality," said Yu Zeyuan, dean of the International College and professor at the Faculty of Education at Southwest University. 

Private universities still face challenges in enrollment

Apart from the success of Fuyao and Westlake, many private universities still face steep enrollment shortfalls, leaving tens of thousands of seats unfilled. 

In Guangdong, 14 of more than 20 private undergraduate institutions reported having vacancies this year, and even after three rounds of supplementary admissions, several remained under-enrolled.

Elsewhere, Guangxi and Heilongjiang opened a fourth round of undergraduate admissions, with Guangxi dropping the minimum score requirement entirely in the final round. Yunnan went further, holding a sixth round. By the end, admission thresholds had fallen 30 to 40 points below the original cutoffs, with most of the affected schools being private undergraduate institutions. 

Private universities in China have long been perceived as less prestigious and academically rigorous than their public counterparts, which has led to challenges in attracting high-score students during enrollment. Additionally, since these institutions must operate on a self-financing basis, they face increased financial pressures, making it more difficult to invest in improving teaching quality and research capabilities.

Compared with public universities, the tuition at many private institutions is also higher, but some parents and students don't see more value for money; they choose not to enroll in private undergraduate programs.

But Yu said that a bachelor's degree still matters for civil service and public institution jobs. Many students also opt for private universities that accept their exam scores rather than technical or vocational colleges, in order to obtain a bachelor's degree.

Chongqing student He Han, who scored 470 on this year's Gaokao and chose the insurance program at Chongqing Finance and Economics University, a private institution, still felt like a good choice. He was determined that his first degree be a bachelor's, and the lower admission thresholds at private universities made that possible.

"My score wasn't high enough for the program I wanted at public universities, and I didn't see the point of settling for a less suitable major," he said. Still, he acknowledged that tuition at private institutions is higher. His program costs 15,000 yuan ($2103.2) per year - well above the roughly 6,000 yuan charged at public universities.

Private universities that are not so popular must shift their positioning from merely filling the gap in degree offerings to developing a differentiated path from public universities. Furthermore, the mindset of running private universities must change, from seeing them as profit-driven enterprises to viewing education as a public service, he added. 

According to data from the Ministry of Education, as of June 2025, China has 2,919 regular higher education institutions, including 829 private universities. 

The 2024 National Education Development Statistical Bulletin shows that in 2024, 10.52 million students were enrolled in private regular and vocational undergraduate and associate degree programs, representing 27.04% of all students in these categories nationwide. In other words, roughly one in every four college students in China now attends a private institution.