According to the 2025 Best Universities Ranking released by Times Higher Education (THE) earlier this month, China leads Asia with six universities in the global top 50.
Tsinghua University and Peking University hold the highest rankings, at 12th and 13th respectively, followed by the University of Hong Kong (35th), Fudan University (36th), the Chinese University of Hong Kong (44th), and Zhejiang University (47th).
A campus of the University of Tokyo in Japan. Photo courtesy of the university |
Singapore has two universities in the top 50: the National University of Singapore (17th) and Nanyang Technological University (30th). Japan’s sole entry in the top 50 is the University of Tokyo, ranked 28th.
According to THEinternational students make up between 10% and 17% of the total student population at these universities. At the two Singaporean institutions, this figure is even higher, reaching 26% to 29%.
In terms of tuition, the most expensive program is the medical course at Nanyang Technological University, costing S$83,350 (US$62,980). The lowest tuition fee is at Zhejiang University, which charges 18,000 yuan (US$2,524) for Chinese language and culture courses.
Top universities in Asia and their annual tuition fees
No. | Name | Rank | USD per year |
1 | Tsinghua University | 12 | 3,650–9,800 (26,000–70,000 yauns) |
2 | Peking University | 13 | 3,650–4,200 (26,000–30,000 yauns) |
3 | National University of Singapore | 17 | 13,570–57,800 (S$17,950–76,450) |
4 | University of Tokyo | 28 | 3,500 (535,800 yen) |
5 | Nanyang Technological University | 30 | 6,000–63,000 (S$17,950–83,350) |
6 | University of Hong Kong | 35 | 25,500–28,000 (HK$198,000–218,000 ) |
| 7 | Fudan University | 36 | 3,200–11,200 (23,000–80,000 yuan) |
| 8 | Chinese University of Hong Kong | 44 | 23,000 (HKD 178,000) |
| 9 | Zhejiang University | 47 | 2,500–6,000 (18,000–42,800 yuan) |
In the 2021-2022 academic year, Vietnam led the region in outbound students, with over 132,000 studying abroad, according to a report by international education consultancy Acumen.
Data from ICEF Monitoran international education information platform, reveals that Vietnamese students are the largest group of international students in South Korea and Japan, totaling 70,200 and 36,300 students respectively.
The Chinese Embassy in Vietnam reported that around 27,000 Vietnamese students studied in China in 2022.
According to the ICEFAsian study destinations are increasingly favored for their job opportunities post-graduation, cost-effective options due to proximity, and the presence of multiple universities in global rankings.
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