China’s Upstart Universities Are Beating Elite Rivals in Admissions Race
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A new crop of elite, heavily funded research universities in China is shaking up the country’s higher-education landscape, attracting top students with admissions standards that now rival or exceed those of many of the nation’s most prestigious legacy institutions.
As results from the 2025 Gaokao, China’s national college-entrance examination, roll in, a cohort of recently established universities including Westlake University, Fuyao University of Science and Technology, and Ningbo Eastern Institute of Technology posted minimum cutoff scores that surpassed those of traditional top-tier schools.
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- Newly established, elite Chinese research universities like Westlake, Fuyao, and Ningbo Eastern Institute surpassed traditional top-tier schools in 2025 Gaokao admission scores.
- Westlake University and others, founded with major private and state funding, attract top students and emphasize research, international exchange, and specialized training.
- Fuyao University and Ningbo Eastern Institute debuted with multibillion-yuan endowments, focusing on applied research and engineering, outscoring established institutions regionally.
- Fuyao Glass
- Fuyao Glass refers to the company chaired by industrialist Cao Dewang. He founded Fuyao University of Science and Technology through a 100 billion yuan donation from his Heren Charity Foundation. This new university focuses on applied research to combat shortages in high-end manufacturing talent.
- Will Semiconductor
- Will Semiconductor's founder, Yu Renrong, made a significant 30 billion yuan ($4.1 billion) donation to establish the Ningbo Eastern Institute of Technology. This university, co-funded by the Ningbo city government, is a new, elite, and internationalized institution focusing on engineering and technology.
- 2018：
- Westlake University was founded with the approval of China’s Ministry of Education.
- 2022：
- Westlake University's undergraduate program began with a pilot class.
- 2025：
- Westlake University's undergraduate program expanded to nationwide recruitment.
- 2025：
- Results from the 2025 Gaokao showed recently established universities, including Westlake University, Fuyao University of Science and Technology, and Ningbo Eastern Institute of Technology, posted minimum cutoff scores surpassing traditional top-tier schools.
- 2025：
- In Chongqing, Westlake University’s minimum admission score was 669, outscoring established powerhouses’ medical schools.
- 2025：
- Westlake University recruited for the first time in Henan province through the general Gaokao, filling all 20 slots with students who scored above 685 (minimum 674).
- 2025：
- Fuyao University of Science and Technology conducted its first recruitment, setting a minimum score of 616 for science-track students in Guangxi, surpassing other established universities’ cutoffs.
- 2025：
- Ningbo Eastern Institute of Technology, in its first recruitment year in Zhejiang province, set a minimum score of 656, outperforming other institutions.
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