China Adds 100,000 University Seats, 38 New AI Majors 2026
China Universities Add 100,000 Seats & 38 New Majors for 2026 - AI and Rare Earth Focus
TODAY 14 September 2026 - Beijing - China's top "Double First-Class" universities announced massive undergraduate expansion for 2026-27 academic year as part of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).
100,000 New Seats Coming
Leading universities will create over 100,000 new undergraduate enrollment spots over five years, concentrated in strategic sectors:
- Southeast University: +600 seats
- Xidian University: +400 seats
- Xi'an Jiaotong University: +360 seats
- Fudan, Nanjing, Lanzhou: +300 each
38 New Majors Added TODAY
In 2026 catalog, 38 new majors added including:
- Embodied Intelligence (9 universities including Beihang, Harbin Institute of Technology)
- Rare Earth Science and Engineering - Jiangxi University first to offer
- Carbon Neutrality Science and Engineering
- Low-Altitude Technology, Industrial Software, Future Robotics
- Engineering Internet, Energy Storage, Cybersecurity
UCAS Welcomes 21,577 New Students Today
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) welcomed 21,577 new students at 2026 ceremony Sunday. President Zhou Qi urged scientific self-reliance, AI highlighted as defining challenge. Faculty warned: "AI can speed up calculations but cannot replace deep insight."
China also phased out low-demand majors like general marketing and Japanese language.
Source: China Daily, Xinhua, CCTV - TODAY 14 Sept 2026. Relevant for SA students eyeing China scholarships.
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