01
Colleges and Universities Expand Enrollment Madly
Although the school entrance examination has simply ended, the scores haven’t been introduced, and the admission course of has not began but, and though candidates are saying that this yr’s math, chemistry, and biology exams have been tough, one factor is definite: this yr’s school admission price will certainly be increased than final yr’s.
Reasons are as follows: First, the variety of take a look at – takers decreased by 450,000 in comparison with final yr.
This yr, 12.9 million folks took the nationwide school entrance examination. This determine is 450,000 lower than in 2025. It is the second consecutive yr of decline after a lower of 70,000 in the variety of candidates in 2025.
Charting: Urban Finance; Data: Ministry of Education, National Bureau of Statistics
Second, schools and universities have began to develop enrollment madly.
On June 10, Southeast University formally introduced that in 2026, it is going to add 600 undergraduate admission quotas, with a complete enrollment scale of 4,825. The admission quotas for majors in quick – provide nationally and the college’s advantageous majors will likely be elevated throughout the board. On June 4, Nanjing University expanded its undergraduate enrollment by 300 in 2026. Compared with 2021, the newly – added undergraduate enrollment scale in 2026 has exceeded 1,000.
In addition, Xi’an Jiaotong University introduced an enrollment growth of 360. Lanzhou University expanded its enrollment by 300. The complete undergraduate enrollment scale of Huazhong University of Science and Technology reached 7,505, a rise of 200. Wuhan University of Technology plans to recruit 9,798 college students nationwide in 2026, a rise of 218.
Nanchang University expanded its enrollment by 110, Hefei University of Technology by 100, and Zhengzhou University by 150.
Tsinghua University, Peking University, Zhejiang University, Wuhan University, Chongqing University, Central South University, South China University of Technology, Sun Yat – sen University, China Agricultural University, Shandong University, Nankai University, and so on. have all introduced enrollment expansions.
In addition to those established key universities, Southern University of Science and Technology, which is comparable in energy to 985 – degree universities, is predicted to recruit greater than 1,400 college students nationwide, a rise of 30 to 40.
The enrollment scope of Shenzhen Institute of Technology has expanded from 8 provinces to 13 areas, and the variety of college students has elevated from 360 to 600, a rise of greater than 60%. The enrollment plan of Beijing Vocational University of Science and Technology has soared from 600 to about 1,800, a rise of 1,200, and 8 new majors specializing in synthetic intelligence, low – altitude financial system, and so on. have been added; Shenzhen Polytechnic University is predicted to recruit greater than 2,500 college students, doubling in comparison with final yr, and plans so as to add 25 vocational undergraduate majors.
The energy of those two vocational universities is corresponding to that of 211 – degree universities.
Fuyao University of Science and Technology, established final yr, plans so as to add Shanxi, Gansu, and Guizhou for undergraduate enrollment, and the whole enrollment plan has elevated from 50 to 100.
Greater Bay Area University recruits undergraduates from 5 provinces (areas) together with Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Henan, and the Hong Kong and Macao areas. Compared with the primary – yr enrollment of solely 80 undergraduates in Guangdong, the variety of college students has elevated by 110.
In reality, school enrollment has been increasing in the previous few many years. Therefore, the general progress development of the school entrance examination admission price may be very apparent. In some particular person years, the admission price fluctuated and decreased because of the fast enhance in the variety of school entrance examination candidates.
The undergraduate admission price has proven a downward development general since 2014 as a result of the enrollment growth velocity is decrease than the expansion price of the variety of school entrance examination candidates.
However, this yr, the variety of school entrance examination candidates has decreased whereas the enrollment growth continues. Therefore, there isn’t any doubt that the undergraduate admission price will rise.
02
Why the Mad Enrollment Expansion?
Why do key universities begin to develop enrollment madly?
In the “15th Five – Year Plan” launched firstly of this yr, the assertion relating to training may be very clear: Expand the enrollment scale of excessive – high quality undergraduate training… Promote the development of high quality and growth of upper training. Expand excessive – high quality increased training assets by way of a number of channels, enhance the development of excessive – degree analysis – oriented universities, and strengthen software – oriented undergraduate schools and universities.
The basic purpose is to coach extra related abilities for the nation’s industrial upgrading. This is identical because the logic behind the rising problem coefficient of the school entrance examination math in current years. Mathematics is the muse of all physics, chemistry, and biology, and it is usually the underlying assist for strategic rising industries similar to synthetic intelligence, built-in circuits, excessive – finish manufacturing, and aerospace.
As the Chinese financial system strikes from the true – property period to the period of scientific and technological innovation, the demand for top – degree science and engineering abilities is rising geometrically. Whether it’s the competitors in giant fashions, the breakthrough in chips, or the event of recent vitality and excessive – finish gear manufacturing, in essence, what’s being competed isn’t land and capital, however expertise reserves.
Therefore, the enrollment growth of 985 – degree universities is not only to permit extra folks to go to school, however to order abilities in advance for the commercial competitors in the subsequent decade and even twenty years. Especially in key nationwide fields similar to synthetic intelligence, built-in circuits, biomedicine, and new vitality, a lot of engineers, researchers, and progressive abilities with a strong mathematical and bodily basis are wanted.
Therefore, we are able to see that the scholars admitted by way of the enrollment growth of the above 985 – degree universities are principally absorbed into the majors which are in pressing want in society.
Tsinghua University: The key enrollment growth instructions are synthetic intelligence, quantum data, and new vitality.
Peking University: The key enrollment growth instructions are arithmetic, physics, and medical drugs.
Zhejiang University: The key enrollment growth instructions are marine engineering and clever gear.
Southeast University: Three new majors, Low – Altitude Technology and Engineering, Medical Devices and Equipment Engineering, and Systems Science and Engineering, have been added. As a consequence, the variety of undergraduate majors has elevated to 86, and the advantageous majors similar to Integrated Circuit Design and Integrated System and Electrical Engineering and Automation proceed to develop enrollment.
Xi’an Jiaotong University: The enrollment growth is principally concentrated in fields urgently wanted by the nation, similar to embodied intelligence, clever manufacturing, vitality, vitality storage, and electrical energy. In addition, in response to the nation’s main strategic wants and aiming at future scientific and technological frontiers and the event of recent – high quality productiveness, the college has added 2 undergraduate majors, Embodied Intelligence and Data Science.
Huazhong University of Science and Technology: Among the 200 newly – added enrollment quotas, 163 are for widespread engineering majors similar to Interdisciplinary Engineering (Future Technology Experimental Class), Computer Science (School of Computer Science), Electrical Engineering and Automation, Optoelectronic Information Science and Engineering, Electronic Information (School of Integrated Circuits), Robotics Engineering, and Artificial Intelligence.
Lanzhou University: The enrollment growth is principally for “Four New” majors, majors urgently wanted by nationwide methods, first – class disciplines, and primary disciplines.
Beijing Vocational University of Science and Technology: Two new undergraduate majors, Integrated Circuit Design and Integrated System and Intellectual Property, have been added. At the identical time, the general enrollment has been expanded by 90, and all of the newly – added enrollment plans are allotted to key new – engineering fields similar to new supplies, computer systems, synthetic intelligence, and built-in circuits.
Southern University of Science and Technology: The key enrollment growth path is strategic majors in pressing want, similar to synthetic intelligence.
From this attitude, the enrollment growth of 985 – degree universities and the rise in the issue of the school entrance examination math are literally two sides of the identical coverage association.
The former is accountable for increasing the size of expertise coaching, and the latter is accountable for screening and coaching abilities with mathematical and bodily potential.
The final objective is just one: to supply a steady provide of abilities for China’s industrial upgrading and scientific and technological breakthroughs.
In a way, the size of the enrollment growth of 985 – degree universities right this moment could not decide this yr’s admission price, however China’s place in the worldwide scientific and technological competitors in ten years.
This article is from the WeChat official account “Urban Finance”. Author: Urban Finance. Republished by 36Kr with permission.