Government Scholarship for Studying Abroad in Shanxi

About the university

Shanxi University (originally Shanxi University Hall), abbreviated as SXU, is located in Taiyuan and Datong, Shanxi Province. It is a national "Double First-Class" construction university, a "province-ministry co-built university" by the Ministry of Education and the People's Government of Shanxi Province, and a participant in the 111 Plan, 101 Plan, Yingcai Plan, the Ministry of Education's Top Talent Training Base 2.0 for Basic Disciplines, the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Typical Experience University, and the Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture Inheritance Base. Founded on May 8, 1902, Shanxi University Hall was one of the first three national universities in China, alongside the Imperial University of Peking and Peiyang University, pioneering modern higher education in China. It was renamed Shanxi University School in 1912, designated as National Shanxi University in 1918, and renamed Shanxi University in 1931. During the War of Resistance against Japan, it moved to southern Shanxi, Sanyuan in Shaanxi, Qiulin, and other places, and was suspended from 1937 to 1939. In 1949, the College of Science of China University merged into Shanxi University. In 1953, the university was dissolved, but reestablished in 1959. In 1961, it merged with Shanxi Normal College and retained the name Shanxi University. In 1962, Shanxi Institute of Physical Education and Shanxi Art Institute merged into the university. In 1998, it became a key construction university in Shanxi Province. In 2005, it became one of the earliest province-ministry co-built universities. In 2012, it was included in the "Comprehensive Strength Enhancement Project for Universities in Central and Western China." In 2018, it became a province-ministry jointly built university by the Ministry of Education and the People's Government of Shanxi Province. In 2022, it was selected as a "Double First-Class" university. As of May 2025, the university has four campuses: Wucheng, Dongshan, Dadongguan, and Datong, covering a total area of 3,507.69 mu (about 233.85 hectares), with a building area of 1,544,800 square meters. It has 28 colleges, 87 undergraduate programs, 17 postdoctoral research stations, 3,255 faculty and staff (including 2,285 full-time teachers, of whom 1,421 have senior professional titles), 25,073 full-time undergraduates, 9,525 full-time master's students, 1,588 part-time master's students, and 1,679 full-time doctoral students. Shanxi University Hall also has historical ties with the "Lingde Hall" Academy. In 1882 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign), Zhang Zhidong succeeded as Governor of Shanxi. Noting that "the morale of the literati is declining and their studies are abandoned" and "the only shortage now is talent," he immediately discussed with the Education Commissioner Wang Xuezhuang and established the "Lingde Hall" Academy. In September 1901, Cen Chunxuan, Governor of Shanxi, following the Qing government's decree that "all provincial academies should establish university halls in provincial capitals," merged the Jinyang Academy and Lingde Hall Academy in Bingzhou to prepare for the establishment of Shanxi University Hall. (Image source omitted) Founders of Shanxi University: Timothy Richard (left) and Cen Chunxuan (right); Ding Baoquan (Supervisor of Shanxi University Hall); Shen Dunhe (Supervisor of Shanxi University Hall); William Edward Soothill (President of Shanxi University Hall); Moir Duncan (First Chief Instructor). On May 8, 1902, Shanxi University Hall was officially established. On June 26, the Western College opened, with Moir Duncan serving as the Chief Instructor of the Western Studies College. In the same year, Shanxi University Hall established a Translation Institute in Shanghai. Panoramic view of the Engineering Building of Shanxi University Hall. In 1903, according to the "Memorial on School Regulations" promulgated by the Qing government, which stipulated that an institution must have three faculties to be called a university, other provinces followed the regulations and changed their schools to higher schools. Only the Imperial University of Peking, Peiyang University, and Shanxi University Hall were named universities nationwide. In September 1912, Sun Yat-sen, who had just concluded his visit to Beijing, accepted the invitation from Shanxi Governor Yan Xishan and other dignitaries to inspect railways and mines in Shanxi. At 10 a.m. on September 19, thousands of people from all walks of life in Taiyuan held a welcome meeting at Shanxi University. In his speech, Sun Yat-sen first praised Shanxi's contribution to the Wuchang Uprising, then shifted his tone, pointing out that "destruction is easy, but construction is very difficult." He reminded everyone that China was still in a dangerous era, with foreign powers coveting it, and called on the people to prioritize the nation and unite. After concluding his three-day inspection, he remarked: "Shanxi, a traditionally isolated province, achieved revolution so swiftly. What I see now are all new phenomena. With its natural coal and iron resources, Shanxi's future is boundless."