Top Universities in Beijing Beyond Tsinghua & Peking
September 19, 2026 · CSCA Gateway Team
Beijing isn’t just home to Tsinghua and Peking University (already covered in full in our "Campus Deep-Dive" series) — China’s capital actually has 8 Project 985 member universities, the most of any city in China. This article focuses on the other strong Beijing campuses that often get overlooked.
1. Beihang University (北京航空航天大学)
Founded in 1952, a Project 985 and 211 member. QS 2026: #388 globally; ARWU: #101-150 band; EduRank 2026: #435 globally, #26 in China. According to EduRank, Beihang ranks #2 in the world for both Reliability and Quality Engineering AND Aviation — a genuinely strong claim. Also strong in Robotics. Home to the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering and School of Astronautics. Admits around 1,200 international students.
2. Renmin University of China (中国人民大学)
Founded in 1937, a Project 985 and 211 member. QS 2026: #521-566 band; ARWU: #301-400 band; EduRank 2026: #603 globally, #37 in China — the weakest global rankings of this group, but arguably the strongest domestic brand prestige. Its Law School is considered #1 in China, as are its Economics and Journalism/Communication programs. Admits around 1,630 international students.
3. Beijing Institute of Technology (北京理工大学)
Founded in 1940, a Project 985 and 211 member. QS 2026: #259 globally — the best QS figure among Beijing’s 985 campuses besides Tsinghua/Peking; ARWU: #101-150 band; EduRank 2026: #501 globally, #31 in China. Strong in defense/military technology (radar, missiles, armored vehicles — its historic specialty) and Automotive/Mechanical Engineering.
4. China Agricultural University (中国农业大学)
Founded in 1905, a Project 985 and 211 member. QS 2026: #504 globally; ARWU: #151-200 band; EduRank 2026: #618 globally, #40 in China. According to EduRank, its Agricultural Engineering ranks #1 in the world — the only verified world #1 claim among this group of Beijing campuses. Also strong in Animal Science and Veterinary Science. Admits around 500 international students.
5. Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (北京邮电大学)
A Project 211 member (not 985), founded in 1955. QS 2026: #1001-1200 band; EduRank 2026: #946 globally, #63 in China. China’s top specialist for Computer Science and Telecommunications/Electrical Engineering — the country’s best ICT/telecom-focused school, especially relevant for computer science applicants.
How This Relates to CSCA
Beihang and BIT weigh CSCA Mathematics and Physics scores strictly for their engineering/aerospace majors. China Agricultural University adds Chemistry/Biology as an important factor for agriculture/veterinary majors. Renmin places more weight on CSCA Chinese language scores for law/humanities tracks, while BUPT focuses on Mathematics and Physics for computer science/electrical engineering majors.