XJTLU to welcome over 3,000 new undergraduates

10 Aug 2015

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University is set to welcome more than 3,000 new undergraduate students in September, recruited from across China and around the world.

Admissions numbers have increased since last year thanks to the University’s growing reputation and unique educational model, modern facilities and international teaching and learning environment.

Of the total number of students, 2,850 are undergraduate Chinese students recruited from 31 provinces, cities and autonomous regions around the country, predominately through the Chinese college entrance exam known as the Gaokao.

The Gaokao is held annually and is a prerequisite for entrance into almost all higher education institutions at undergraduate level in China, including XJTLU.

The exam has four major sections - mathematics, Chinese and English, along with either arts or science subjects. Students choose to study arts or science based on what type of programme or university they wish to gain admission to.

Students are given a score that is a weighted sum of their subject marks, and it is this score that determines which universities they may apply for.

For entry into XJTLU, and other top universities, students need to achieve a score higher than their province’s ‘first tier entry’ score, which is set by the local Department of Education and varies among provinces.

Increase in quality

The quality of Chinese undergraduate students being admitted to XJTLU continues to increase, with average Gaokao scores in most provinces higher than previous years.

This year, average scores of students from all provinces admitted to XJTLU are 24 (arts subjects) and 42 (science subjects) points higher than the minimum first tier entry score, compared to last year’s averages of 22 points (art) and 35 points (science) higher, an increase of 9 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Additionally, students with the very best scores have achieved results higher than those last year, demonstrating that XJTLU is becoming an attractive choice for top students.

Expanded direct entry

This year also saw an expanded direct entry system that allowed around 1,700 students from Guangdong, Jiangsu province and Tianjin city to apply to XJTLU without depending solely on their Gaokao score.

Through the system, which is only available to select universities across the country, 185 students were accepted to study based on their performance in XJTLU’s own entrance exam (30 percent of their score), their performance at high school (10 percent) and their Gaokao result (60 percent).

Global reach

More than 100 international students have accepted offers to study at XJTLU, with application numbers more than doubling in comparison to last year. The University’s wide range of top-quality programmes taught in English in China has attracted applications from students from more than 80 countries worldwide.

New full-time undergraduate students will begin programmes in September, along with around 30 exchange students from universities such as Liverpool and Leeds in the United Kingdom, Groningen and The Hague University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, and The Polytechnic University of Turin in Italy, as well as a number of partner universities in Ontario, Canada.

They join the ever-growing population of international students currently studying at XJTLU, helping to make the University a truly global environment.

“Increased student numbers are testament to our growing reputation,” said Vice President Professor Minzhu Yang, who oversees student recruitment and is a member of the University’s senior management team.

“However, while increased numbers are important, the quality of our students is crucial and I’m delighted that we’re receiving applications from and admitting the very best students in China and from around the world.

“I look forward to welcoming all new students to the XJTLU community!”

New students will register from Monday 31 August, while the 2015 opening ceremony, which officially welcomes students to the University, will be held on Sunday 23 August.

10 Aug 2015