As of 2023, Hunan hosts 137 institutions of higher education, ranking fifth together with Sichuan (137) among all Chinese provinces after Jiangsu (168), Henan (168), Guangdong (162), and Shandong (156). Hunan is also the seat of 12 adult higher education institutions. Two major cities in Hunan (Changsha and Xiangtan) were ranked in the top 200 cities in the world by scientific research output, as tracked by the Nature Index in 2024.
There are three national key universities under Project 985 (Hunan University, Central South University and the National University of Defense Technology) in Hunan, the third highest after Beijing and Shanghai. Hunan Normal University in Changsha is the key construction university of the national 211 Project, and Xiangtan University in Xiangtan is a key university jointly built by Hunan Province and the Ministry of Education and a member of national Project 111. These five national key universities are included in the Double First-Class Universities of Hunan Province.
Hunan University and Central South University are the only two Project 985 universities in Changsha, Hunan to appear in the world's top 200 of the Academic Ranking of World Universities and the U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking. Hunan Normal University, the National University of Defense and Technology and Changsha University of Science and Technology located in Changsha, were ranked in the world's top 701 of the Academic Ranking of World Universities.
Hunan Agricultural University in Changsha, the University of South China in Hengyang, Hunan University of Technology in Zhuzhou and Xiangtan University in Xiangtan were ranked in the top 801-900 globally by the Academic Ranking of World Universities. Hunan University of Science and Technology in Xiangtan and Central South University of Forestry and Technology in Changsha were ranked number 988 and number 1429 respectively in the 2022 Best Global Universities by the U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking. As of 2023, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine in Changsha ranked the best in Central China region and 26th nationwide among Chinese Medical Universities.
National key public universities
Changsha City Central South University (Project 211, Project 985, Double First Class University) Hunan University (Project 211, Project 985, Double First Class University) Hunan Normal University (Project 211, Double First Class University) National University of Defense Technology (Project 211, Project 985, Double First Class University)
Xiangtan City Xiangtan University ( Double First Class University)
Provincial key public universities
Changsha City Central South University of Forestry and Technology Changsha University of Science and Technology Hunan Agricultural University Hunan First Normal University Hunan University of Chinese Medicine Hunan University of Technology and Commerce
Hengyang City Hengyang Normal University University of South China
Jishou City Jishou University
Loudi City Hunan University of Humanities, Science and Technology
Shaoyang City Shaoyang University
Xiangtan City Hunan Institute of Engineering Hunan University of Science and Technology
Yueyang City Hunan Institute of Science and Technology
Zhuzhou City Hunan University of Technology
General undergraduate universities (public)
Changsha City Changsha Normal University Changsha University Hunan University of Finance and Economics Hunan Police Academy Hunan Women's University
Hengyang City Hunan Institute of Technology
Xiangtan City Xiangtan Institute of Technology
Yongzhou City Hunan University of Science and Engineering
General undergraduate universities (private) Changsha Medical University Hunan International Economics University Hunan Institute of Information Technology Hunan Institute of Traffic Engineering Hunan Applied Technology University
Vocational and technical colleges/universities Changsha Aeronautical Vocational and Technical College Changsha Social Work College Hunan Mass Media Vocational and Technical College Changde Vocational and Technical College
NameChinese nameTypeLocationXiangtan University湘潭大学ProvincialXiangtanJishou University吉首大学ProvincialJishouHunan University 湖南大学National (Direct)ChangshaCentral South University中南大学National (Direct)ChangshaHunan University of Science and Technology湖南科技大学ProvincialXiangtanChangsha University of Science and Technology长沙理工大学ProvincialChangshaHunan Agricultural University湖南农业大学ProvincialChangshaCentral South University of Forestry and Technology中南林业科技大学ProvincialChangshaHunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine湖南中医药大学ProvincialChangshaHunan Normal University湖南师范大学ProvincialChangshaHunan Institute of Science and Technology湖南理工学院ProvincialYueyangXiangnan University湘南学院ProvincialChenzhouHengyang Normal University衡阳师范学院ProvincialHengyangShaoyang University邵阳学院ProvincialShaoyangHuaihua University怀化学院ProvincialHuaihuaHunan University of Arts and Science湖南文理学院ProvincialChangdeHunan University of Science and Engineering湖南科技学院ProvincialYongzhouHunan University of Humanities, Science and Technology湖南人文科技学院ProvincialLoudiHunan University of Commerce湖南商学院ProvincialChangshaUniversity of South China南华大学ProvincialHengyangChangsha Medical College 长沙医学院PrivateChangshaChangsha University长沙学院ProvincialChangshaHunan Institute of Engineering湖南工程学院ProvincialXiangtanHunan City University湖南城市学院ProvincialYiyangHunan Institute of Technology湖南工学院ProvincialHengyangHunan University of Finance and Economics湖南财政经济学院ProvincialChangshaHunan Police Academy湖南警察学院ProvincialChangshaHunan University of Technology湖南工业大学ProvincialZhuzhouHunan Women's University湖南女子学院ProvincialChangshaHunan First Normal University湖南第一师范学院ProvincialChangshaHunan University of Medicine湖南医药学院ProvincialHuaihuaHunan International Economics University湖南涉外经济学院PrivateChangshaXingxiang College, Xiangtan University湘潭大学兴湘学院PrivateXiangtanShuda College, Hunan Normal University湖南师范大学树达学院PrivateChangshaXiangxin College, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine湖南中医药大学湘杏学院PrivateChangshaChangsha Normal University长沙师范学院ProvincialChangshaHunan Applied Technology University湖南应用技术学院PrivateChangdeHunan Institute of Information Technology湖南信息学院PrivateChangshaHunan Institute of Traffic Engineering湖南交通工程学院PrivateHengyang
References
List of Higher Education Institutes in Hunan Province—china.org.cn List of Chinese Higher Education Institutions — Ministry of Education , including official links Hunan Institutions Admitting International Students