When Marco Polo, the famous European traveler, visited China from 1271-1292, he called Hangzhou “the greatest city which may be found in this world.” Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, visiting in the 1300s, was similarly impressed by its greatness: he said Hangzhou was “the biggest city I have ever seen on the face of the earth!”
Chinese people think so too! There is a famous saying in Chinese: 上有天堂，下有苏杭 (Shàng yǒu tiāntáng, xià yǒu sū háng). It means “Above is Heaven, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou.” The beauty of these two cities is just as great as that of Heaven itself.
Aside from its incredible natural beauty and deep history, Hangzhou is a top destination for international students and boasts some of the best universities in China. Explore the city that has captivated generations of travelers with us! Hangzhou might just be your new favorite place to live and study.
Stunning Natural Beauty and History
If you are eager to explore some of China’s most famous natural sights like lakes, mountains, and lofty temples, look no further–Hangzhou has it all. The city is built around the famous freshwater West Lake. There are multiple temples, islands, boat rides, pools, pagodas, and other sites of classical beauty and nature. In fact, West Lake is so well known that it is said to be the reincarnation of one of China’s four ancient beauties.
Hangzhou is home to more than just West Lake, however. Nearby the city center is the famous Grand Canal–a major north-south shipping route in dynastic China. Aside from Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian temples, the city is also home to the oldest Catholic church in China and one of the oldest mosques. Zhejiang Cuisine, the style of food in Hangzhou, is one of the eight main cuisine styles in China. On your days off from classes, you can conveniently visit the Longjing tea fields, ride gondolas through the water towns in Tongji and Wuzhen, and even take a bullet train to Shanghai for the weekend!
Top City for Commerce and Scientific Research
When you think of tech and business cities in China, you might think of Shenzhen or Shanghai. But it’s time to add Hangzhou to the list. The city is repeatedly rated as the best commercial city in China by Forbes magazine. It’s home to Alibaba Group and other major internet and tech companies like Motorola, Nokia, and Siemens. It ranks 6th in China for the number of billionaires, 23rd in the world for scientific research, and the 3rd city in China to host the Asian Games! If you study in Hangzhou, you will have amazing opportunities to find internships, post-graduate careers, mentors, and other networking connections.
Study in Hangzhou: Home to Asia’s Top Universities
Of course, in this environment, Hangzhou is home to some of China’s best universities for business and scientific research.
Zhejiang University of Science and Technology
Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (ZUST) is an exceptional Sci-Tech university built on Sino-German collaboration. Ranked #5 in Asia by QS World Rankings #45 in the world by QS World Rankings, ZUST has popular Chinese language courses as well as English-taught Bachelor’s and Master’s in popular topics like Engineering, Big Data, Mathematics, and Applied Statistics.
ZUST, since its foundation, has entered into cooperation with Germany, and now it’s an important platform for education and technology cooperation between Zhejiang Province and Germany. Up today, ZUST has successfully established formal cooperation with over 50 universities in countries including Germany, USA, Italy, UK, Australia, France, Japan, Korea, Holland, Belgium, and Romania.
ZUST offers plenty of scholarships for foreign students and very affordable fees. With a diverse international student body, experience with international students, and high-quality academics and professors, ZUST is a great option for students wanting to advance their skills in science and technology.
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University is another top school. Zhejiang University focuses on assiduous study and research, and science and technological innovation. It has launched a number of international high-end academic platforms and gathered masters, scholars, and high-level research teams in various disciplines.
They offer scholarships to foreign students, including the Chinese government scholarship, and have multiple campuses across Hangzhou. Offering Chinese courses, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhDs, check out Zhejiang University if you want to study in Hangzhou!
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