The Double First Class initiative is a Chinese government project aiming to build world-class universities and world-class academic disciplines by providing focused funding to institutions that show excellence in research and teaching.
What China's Double First Class university plan is, which universities qualify, and why it matters when you choose where to study.
'Double First Class' (双一流) is the Chinese government's flagship plan to build world-class universities and world-class disciplines by 2050. It replaced the older 985/211 system and is now the official classification used for funding, scholarships and recognition.
What it means
Universities and specific disciplines are designated as either 'First Class University' or 'First Class Discipline'. A university can be First Class overall, or have individual First Class disciplines even if the whole university is not in the top tier.
Why it matters for international students
- Scholarship priority — Double First Class universities receive larger CSC quotas
- Research quality — designated disciplines get the heaviest funding
- Degree recognition — Double First Class status is recognized by employers and PhD programs worldwide
- Employment — Chinese employers, especially state-owned firms, prefer Double First Class graduates
Examples of Double First Class universities
- Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan, SJTU, ZJU (also C9)
- HUST, Wuhan University, Sichuan University, Beihang
- Southeast University, Ocean University of China, Donghua University
- SUSTech, Jinan University, Nanjing Medical University
Nearly every university featured on this site is Double First Class — it is the default standard for quality in modern Chinese higher education.
How to use it when choosing
- Prefer Double First Class universities over non-designated ones for the same field
- For a specific subject (e.g. optics, marine science, architecture), check whether that discipline is First Class — sometimes a mid-ranked university is world-class in one field
- For scholarship applications, Double First Class status often means a higher funded quota
Understanding Double First Class lets you read Chinese university rankings the way Chinese students and employers do.
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The StudyInChina Education Team is a group of admissions advisors, scholarship specialists and former international students who have guided thousands of applicants into Chinese universities. This article is reviewed for accuracy and updated regularly.
Last updated 9 Sept 2026
