University of Michigan - Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute
Shanghai, CHINA

University Info   |   Exchange Student Info

Fast Facts

• offers the #1 English-taught electrical/mechanical/material engineering program in China.   
• provides cross-discipline courses in smart health and energy.
• has one of the biggest campuses in China. 
• is located in Shanghai, the most popular destination in China.

Introduction

The UM-SJTU Joint Institute (JI) is an equal-partner institution founded in 2006 by the University of Michigan (UM) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). JI offers full undergraduate and graduate programs in mechanical engineering (ME), in electrical and computer engineering (ECE) as well as in material science (MSE). The programs follow the curriculum of the University of Michigan and are fully in English. All courses, including those in engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, humanities and social sciences are taught exclusively in English by JI faculty. 

As of July 2021, JI has around 60 faculty members from China, the United States, Canada, Poland, Germany, France, and many other countries. 

Around 1,200 students are enrolled in the four-year undergraduate program, while the graduate program numbers around 200 Masters and PhD students.  

Students at JI are recruited from all over China and represent some of the best young talent. The courses offered at JI are taught at a correspondingly high academic level. 

JI is very active in developing international partnerships and exchanges, so Global E3 students will meet a continually increasing number of international students on the JI campus. 

Terms of Exchange

Study Level

• Undergraduate students: Accepted
• Graduate students: NOT Accepted
• Computer Science students: Accepted

Eligibility Requirements

• Students should have the equivalent of a 3.0 on a 4.0 GPA grade scale. Borderline students may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Students must be in their third or fourth year of study during the exchange period.

Language of Instruction

English

English Proficiency Requirements

• Minimum TOEFL iBT score – 84
• Minimum IELTS score – 6.5

Study Period

Summer and Fall

Exchange applications are not accepted for the Spring term.

Students applying for the Summer semester should complete the Global E3 application by February 15.

Academic Calendar   |   Semester Dates (including exam period)

JI has two main academic terms: Summer and Fall. The start of the summer term (mid-May) is shortly after the end of the spring term of the majority of the US universities. The fall term starts in early or mid-September and ends before Christmas. For most institutions, this allows students to spend their summer or fall term at JI with no impact to their remaining academic year.

• Fall: 14 weeks (of which one is a holiday week) from mid-September to late December
• Spring: 10 weeks from late February to late April
• Summer: 13 weeks from mid-May to mid-August

These term dates include the time taken for final examinations. 

Students are asked to coordinate your arrival dates with the JI International Programs office to ensure airport pick-up and availability of dormitory rooms. Typically, arrival should be a few days before the start of the term.

Academic Information

Disciplines Available

• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Material Science Engineering

Courses in Business, Humanities, and Social Sciences (Intellectual Breadth) as well as Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry (Science) are available as part of these programs.

Engineering students from other disciplines (e.g., aerospace, industrial, and nuclear engineering) may find that courses from the above programs fit into their curriculum.

Exchange students may participate in capstone design/major design experience projects. These have in the past been successfully transferred back to home institutions.

Course Contents

Course Descriptions and currently offered courses

Course Contents

Students can only take courses at the Joint Institute, not other schools or institutions at Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Workload per Semester

12 credits minimum for undergraduates

Courses taken for AUDIT do NOT generate credits (or graduate units) and CANNOT be used in calculating full-time status. Students who are unable to enroll full-time because of an extraordinary health or academic reason must obtain approval from an international student advisor BEFORE dropping or withdrawing from a course.

Additional Application Materials

Students nominated by IIE to the JI will also be required to submit the following. Students applying for the Summer semester should complete the Global E3 application by February 15.

• Online SJTU application -- students will be required to complete the Online Application for International Exchange Student after being admitted
• Official transcript
• Resume/CV
• Recommendation letter
• Copy of passport
• Passport photo
• TOEFL/IELTS test results if English is not the students' first language.

Recommendation letter from a professor or academic staff:

• Required

Acceptance packets, including JW202 visa supporting form and the acceptance letter, will be mailed to students’ home school advisors approximately 8 weeks after receiving a complete application.

Housing

Exchange students are guaranteed on-campus housing. Students will be billed by the JI after the semester starts.

Living off-campus is not recommended.

Estimated Cost of Living

Food/meals

A meal at the campus canteens is estimated to be around 10 - 15 RMB.

There are a large variety of restaurants and other food options available throughout campus and near the main gate.

Housing

The cost of student dormitory accommodation (very strongly recommended) is 8,000 RMB for the entire term.

SJTU’s New International Students Dorm is to the north of the SJTU Minhang campus, with easy access to the canteens, laundry facilities, supermarket, gym and other facilities. Walking from the dorm to the JI class rooms is about 20 minutes and about the same distance to the JI building, although almost all of the students use a bicycle for daily commute.

The dorms are either single or double-rooms.

Local transportation 

Public transportation is cheap and convenient. A subway token costs 4 to 7 RMB. One ride on the public bus costs 2 RMB. Train tickets to neighboring cities can range from 30 to 100 RMB.

The SJTU New International Students Dorm as well as the JI Building on campus are both close to Subway Line 15, a new line which was completed in January, 2021.

Academic expenses (e.g., books, stationery)   

Approximately 1200 RMB per semester for textbooks and course materials, depending on course selection.

Personal expenses  

This can vary based on personal needs. A reasonable calculation of this will include the cost to travel to other major cities as well as the entertainment costs while in Shanghai.

Other administrative fees

There is a 3000 RMB charge for those students wishing to join the weekend excursions and cultural activities.

Contact

Office Responsible for International Exchange Students  

International Programs Office   |   Viva.du@sjtu.edu.cn - Viva Du, Manager of International Programs

City Info

Boasting more than 24 million inhabitants (in 2021), Shanghai is the largest city proper in the world. It is home to the world’s busiest container port, the world’s largest rapid transit system by route length and ranks as one of China’s largest financial centers. Among innumerable skyscrapers, the Shanghai Tower stands out – literally, as it is currently the second-highest building in the world, after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Shanghai is the poster boy of modern China, a mega-city in every sense.

The Joint Institute is located in the center of the SJTU campus in the Minhang district. The campus is the largest in all of China, with more than 30,000 students living and studying in a generously laid-out and pleasant area, a small town in its own right. Getting around in Shanghai is easy and convenient, thanks to cheap taxis and the very clean and modern metro system.

China’s high-speed rail network makes visiting other cities a breeze and, in fact, JI’s International Programs Office offers regular weekend excursions within the Yangtze river delta.