Tsinghua University

Tsinghua University is one of China's leading universities, located in Beijing, and renowned for its academic excellence and research contributions. Tsinghua has produced many influential alumni, including several Chinese heads of state and Nobel laureates. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines, including science, engineering, humanities, law, and management. As of 2021, Tsinghua University has over 50,000 students, including over 4,000 international students from over 130 countries. The university's diverse student body and its international partnerships and collaborations contribute to its reputation as a global academic powerhouse.

Tsinghua University was founded in 1911 as the Tsinghua Xuetang (清华学堂), a preparatory school for students who were to be sent to the United States to study. The school was established with the Boxer Indemnity Fund, which was paid by the Chinese government to the United States and other foreign powers as reparations for the Boxer Rebellion of 1900.

The original purpose of Tsinghua Xuetang was to train future leaders of China in the American system of education. The school offered a rigorous curriculum in English, mathematics, science, and the humanities. Students were also required to participate in sports and other extracurricular activities.

In 1912, the school was renamed Tsinghua College (清华学校). In 1925, the university section of Tsinghua College was founded, and the school was officially renamed Tsinghua University.

Tsinghua University quickly became one of the most prestigious universities in China. It attracted some of the best and brightest students from all over the country. The university also recruited a number of world-renowned scholars to its faculty.

In the early years of the Republic of China (1912-1949), Tsinghua University was a center of intellectual and political ferment. Students at the university were involved in many of the major social and political movements of the time.

In 1937, Tsinghua University was forced to close due to the Japanese invasion of China. The university reopened in 1946, after the end of World War II.

In 1949, the People's Republic of China was established. Tsinghua University became one of the National Key Universities of the new government.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Tsinghua University was focused on engineering and the natural sciences. The university played a major role in China's industrialization and technological development.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Tsinghua University began to expand its academic offerings to include the humanities and social sciences. The university also began to develop international partnerships with other universities around the world.

Today, Tsinghua University is a global leader in higher education and research. It is ranked among the top universities in the world in a number of disciplines, including engineering, science, and business. Tsinghua University is also a major center of innovation and technological development.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2025, Tsinghua University is positioned as the #20 top university in the world, which makes it the #2 top university in China. The university's global rank is improved by 5 points from last year.