Campus Deep-Dive: Fudan University — Shanghai's Top Campus for Business and Media
September 4, 2026 · CSCA Gateway Team
Fudan University (复旦大学), founded in 1905 in Shanghai, is one of the best comprehensive universities in China and is often called Shanghai’s top campus alongside Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Fudan is widely known for its journalism, economics, and management programs, making it a favorite among international students targeting careers in business and media in China.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Shanghai
- Founded
- 1905
- Membership
- C9 League, Project 985, Project 211
- Strengths
- Journalism, Economics, Management
Latest Rankings
- QS World University Rankings 2026
- #30 globally
- Shanghai Ranking / ARWU 2025
- #41 globally
- EduRank 2026
- #189 globally, #7 in China
Top Programs
Fudan has China’s oldest Journalism program (founded 1929), nicknamed "home to journalists worldwide" for its global reputation. Fudan School of Management and School of Economics are also among China’s most prestigious for business and economics. Overall, Fudan is considered one of China’s strongest universities in the humanities and social sciences.
How This Relates to CSCA
For applicants to business, economics, or media programs at Fudan, a strong CSCA Chinese language score matters since many programs require Mandarin business-communication proficiency. For more quantitative majors like Economics, a strong CSCA Mathematics score also remains an important factor in admissions.
What to Prepare
- A strong CSCA Chinese language score, especially for journalism, management, and economics majors that demand high communication proficiency
- A solid CSCA Mathematics score for economics and quantitative business majors
- Interest or experience in media/business as a portfolio plus, since Fudan is fairly selective for its flagship programs