Suzhou University Scholarship for International Students

About the university

Soochow University (SUDA) is a key comprehensive university in Jiangsu Province, located in Suzhou, Jiangsu. It is administered by the People's Government of Jiangsu Province and is co-constructed by the Ministry of Education and the Jiangsu Provincial Government as a "Double First-Class" initiative university, as well as a co-constructed university with the China National Space Administration. It is among the first batch of universities included in the national "211 Project" and "2011 Plan." The university's predecessor, the private Soochow University, originated from the Soochow University College founded in 1900. In August 1952, the Chinese Language Department, Physics Department, Chemistry Department, and Biology Department of the private Soochow University, along with the Sunan College of Culture and Education and the Mathematics and Physics Department of the private Jiangnan University, merged to form Sunan Normal College, located on the original site of the private Soochow University. In December of the same year, it was renamed "Jiangsu Normal College." In February 1982, the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government approved the conversion of Jiangsu Normal College into a provincial comprehensive university named "Soochow University." In the same month, Suzhou Finance and Economics School merged into Soochow University. In June 1982, the State Council officially approved the change from Jiangsu Normal College to Soochow University. In 1995, Suzhou Sericulture College merged into Soochow University. In 1996, Soochow University was selected as a "211 Project" university. In 1997, 2000, and 2012, Suzhou Institute of Silk Textile Technology, Suzhou Medical College, and the Suzhou Campus of Nanjing Railway Vocational and Technical College successively merged into Soochow University. In 2017 and 2022, Soochow University was successively selected as a first-batch and second-round "Double First-Class" initiative university. As of May 2025, the university has four campuses: Tiancizhuang, Dushu Lake, Yangcheng Lake, and Weilai, covering an area of 4,586 mu (approximately 305.7 hectares) with a building area of over 1.66 million square meters. It has 37 colleges (departments), 132 undergraduate programs, 47 first-level master's degree programs, 35 professional master's degree programs, 31 first-level doctoral degree programs, 1 professional doctoral degree program, 30 postdoctoral research stations, 5,983 faculty and staff members, 27,881 full-time undergraduates, 14,870 master's students, 2,019 doctoral students, and 1,064 international students. The predecessor of Soochow University was Soochow University (founded in 1900 as Soochow University College), located in Tiancizhuang, southeast of Suzhou's ancient city. The private Soochow University pioneered Western-style education, blending Chinese and Western cultures, and was one of the earliest universities in China to adopt a modern university disciplinary system. In the history of Chinese higher education, the private Soochow University was the first to offer legal education (Anglo-American law), the first to offer graduate education and confer master's degrees, and the first to establish a university journal. During the 1952 restructuring of colleges and departments, the Chinese Language Department, Physics Department, Chemistry Department, and Biology Department of the private Soochow University, along with the Sunan College of Culture and Education and the Mathematics and Physics Department of the private Jiangnan University, merged to form Sunan Normal College, which was renamed "Jiangsu Normal College" later that year. In February 1982, the university resumed the name "Soochow University." Subsequently, Suzhou Finance and Economics School (1982), Suzhou Sericulture College (1995), Suzhou Institute of Silk Textile Technology (1997), Suzhou Medical College (2000), and the Suzhou Campus of Nanjing Railway Vocational and Technical College (2012) successively merged into Soochow University. Historical evolution of Soochow University: In 1871, the American Methodist Episcopal Church, South (hereinafter referred to as the "Mission") established the Yang Memorial School on Shiquan Street in Suzhou. In 1879, it moved to Tiancizhuang and was renamed "Buffington Institute." In 1898, at the annual meeting of the Mission, it was decided that the Buffington Institute, which had been operating for over 20 years with mediocre results, would be closed at the end of the year, and its "houses, land, and all instruments" would be merged into the Suzhou Anglo-Chinese College. In November 1895, Reverend Sun Le Wen of the Mission's Gongxiang Church in Suzhou established the Suzhou Anglo-Chinese College, located on Gongxiang Lane, commonly referred to as "Gongxiang Anglo-Chinese College." Suzhou Anglo-Chinese College (after the merger of Buffington Institute, 1899-1900) → Soochow University College (1900-1911). In October 1899, the 14th annual meeting of the Mission was held at the First Church in Tiancizhuang. After six days of discussion, it was decided to establish a university based on the Suzhou Anglo-Chinese College, moving to the old site of Buffington Institute in Tiancizhuang, initially offering liberal arts, theology, and medicine, as the highest institution of the Mission. On May 12, 1900, the Mission established the Board of Trustees of Soochow University; in the same year, the Suzhou Anglo-Chinese College moved to the old site of Buffington Institute in Tiancizhuang, establishing Soochow University College (abbreviated as "Soochow"), also known as "Soochow Academy," becoming one of the early church universities established by American Christians in China. It officially opened on May 8, 1901, with Sun Le Wen as the first president. In 1905, Soochow established separate liberal arts and science departments, offering undergraduate programs from preparatory classes, and campus construction continued to expand.