95.2% of University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) undergraduates who graduated in 2025 were employed or in further study, and 47.7% of those who went on to postgraduate study received offers from a world top-10 university.
UNNC was founded in 2004 as the first Sino-foreign cooperative university in China with independent legal personality, approved by the Ministry of Education. The students earn a University of Nottingham degree, and the University of Nottingham is 97th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 16th in the UK.
In this article we introduce why international students are studying in UNNC, the campus, life in China, scholarships, and how to apply.
5 reasons students choose UNNC
Here is what separates UNNC from other options:
1) A University of Nottingham degree, taught in China: UNNC students graduate with a University of Nottingham degree. A QAA review found UNNC’s teaching and learning quality consistent with the UK campus.
2) Multi-campus mobility across the Nottingham global network: UNNC has partnerships with 160 universities in more than 40 countries and regions, and some undergraduates spend two years at the University of Nottingham UK.
3) Ningbo City – With a population larger than London’s, Ningbo is the world’s 3rd largest port, one of China’s highest GDP-per-capita levels, 2 hours by high-speed train to Shanghai.
4) Living costs are roughly half what you would pay in the UK: Day-to-day living in Ningbo is about 4,000 – 5,000 RMB a month. Compared with Nottingham in the UK, since it is the same university, cost-of-living estimates put Ningbo at close to half. UNNC estimates a full undergraduate year at about 150,000 to 190,000 RMB, covering tuition, accommodation, compulsory insurance and living costs, before any scholarship.
5) Strong graduate employment and progression outcomes: Nearly 90% of 2025 undergraduates went on to further study, and 86.7% of them received offers from a world top-50 university.
A Globally Ranked Education
UNNC holds a 5-star QS Stars rating, features 6 subjects in the ShanghaiRanking’s 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, and has 54 scholars named in the World’s Top 2% Scientists list published by Stanford University and Elsevier.
UNNC Business School also holds Triple Crown accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA, which fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide have achieved.
Class sizes are smaller than at most large Chinese universities, and greater access to international faculty, which is a quality-of-teaching advantage.
Pioneering Research Links the UK and China
54 UNNC scholars appear in the single-year edition of the Stanford University and Elsevier list of the world’s top 2% scientists.
Students learn from academics working at the frontier of their fields, and many get hands-on research experience on projects that connect the UK and China.
UNNC and the Ningbo Municipal Government set up the China Beacons Institute in 2020 to turn research into new technology, with work spanning intelligent manufacturing, green chemicals and energy, and life science and healthcare.
The University of Nottingham was a founder member of the Russell Group, the UK’s group of leading research universities. Its Nobel laureates include Sir Peter Mansfield, awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for MRI, and Sir Clive Granger, who won the 2003 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.
Wide Range of Programmes in English
UNNC offers 32 undergraduate degrees and 27 taught postgraduate programmes across business, engineering, science, and the humanities and social sciences, so students can pursue almost any career path.
Some of the most popular programmes for international students are:
- Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence: Core computer science plus machine learning, computer vision and neural networks, with optional robotics. Graduates in computer science have joined employers including Microsoft, Google, ByteDance and Tencent.
- Business: Nottingham University Business School China offers first-class business programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate and executive levels and holds Triple Crown accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA, a distinction fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide have earned. Here are some of the popular programmes:
- International Communications Studies: A standout choice for future media and communications professionals, this BA covers media, journalism, digital communications and cultural studies, with a language strand from year two that includes French. A Chinese pathway teaches Mandarin from beginner to advanced level. Of 170 undergraduates who graduated from the School of International Communications in 2024, 149 went on to further study at universities including Oxford, Cambridge and UCL.
- International Studies: This BA combines history, politics and international relations, and a language variant offers Chinese, French, German, Japanese or Spanish. In 2023, 77.1% of the 71 graduates who went on to postgraduate study were admitted to world top-50 universities.
- Applied Linguistics and TESOL: The one-year MA TESOL is built around a core Applied Linguistics and TESOL module, with a choice of dissertation or teaching portfolio. Students drawn to research can take the MA Applied Linguistics instead.
There are other programs such as Bachelor’s and Master’s in Engineering, Master’s in Intelligent Infrastructure and Management and many more.
See the full list here.
Modern Campus and Facilities
UNNC’s green, modern campus gives students room to study, train and unwind between classes.
Sports facilities include 82 fitness stations, table tennis, badminton courts, multi-use studios, and pool tables, and are open 7 days a week.
Campus catering covers Chinese, Western, Japanese, and Indonesian food across the canteens.
Walk the campus yourself through UNNC’s 360 degree virtual tour before you apply, or watch the campus tour here.
Living in Ningbo City
Ningbo is a city of over 8 million population with a full subway system, good hospitals, and every modern convenience you would need, and two hours from Shanghai and forty minutes from Hangzhou by train. Ningbo has one of the largest ports in the world and the related activity and companies present business, engineering, and logistics internship opportunities.
International Community
The campus and community is international – built as an almost exact replica of the UK campus. Nearly 10,000 students are enrolled, and staff and students come from more than 70 countries and regions. UNNC also has partnerships with 160 universities across more than 40 countries, so students have wide opportunities for exchange and study abroad options.
Students can join 20 student organisations and 78 societies and clubs.
Employability & Further Study
With the rapidly changing global economy, employability is an essential aspect of choosing where to study and one of the advantages of UNNC.
UNNC’s 2024/25 Careers and Employability Report shows how far a UNNC degree can take graduates, both in industry and at the world’s leading universities.
95.2% of 2025 undergraduates were employed or in further study, and 87.4% went on to further study.
The university actively supports students through one-on-one careers advising, an International Career Week and an annual job fair.
Tuition Fee and Cost of Living
UNNC offers a University of Nottingham degree at a competitive price, and tuition includes library access, IT services and free sports facility membership.
- Undergraduate: 120,000 RMB (approximately 16,700 USD) per year
- Postgraduate (most programmes): 130,000 RMB (approximately 18,100 USD) per year
Scholarships for International Students at UNNC
UNNC offers generous scholarships to international undergraduates who hold an offer, rewarding academic excellence from the first year.
Nearly 30% of undergraduates were awarded a scholarship for entry, and about 32.5% of current students are eligible for additional merit or performance-based awards.
Awards range from a 10% family tuition reduction to the Provost International Excellence Scholarship, which covers 100% of first-year tuition. The scholarship deadline for 2027 entry is 31 May 2027.
See all UNNC scholarships and deadlines here.
Accomodation Options
International students who accept a place are guaranteed an on-campus room, with fully furnished private single bedrooms. Accommodation costs about 11,000 to 20,000 RMB per academic year, depending on room type.
Read more about accommodation at UNNC here.
Learn more about University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC)
Learn more and apply for UNNC’s programmes.
- Introducing the University ofNottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) - November 12, 2026
- 10 Scholarships for the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) 2027 - October 28, 2026
- Applications for 2027 Intake Are Closing Soon – Last Chance to Book a Call - October 27, 2026