International universities, usually with experience in online education, have been targeting learners in China by launching online degree programs developed in partnership with local Chinese organizations. Class Central has put together a list of online degrees offered in China by global universities.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government closed university campuses and students were forced to learn online. After the pandemic restrictions were eased, China ended its temporary recognition of distance-learning qualifications in early 2023, with allowances for students in special circumstances.

Even though the Chinese government does not recognise online-taught qualifications, some international universities are continuing to partner with Chinese universities to offer degrees.

These organizations stood out during our research, click to jump to the corresponding section:

• Arizona State University — 27 degrees
• Beacon Education with Kettering University and others — 20 degrees
• XuetangX with the Open University — an MBA
• Keystone Online Studies with University of Manchester and Oxademy Business School — 5 degrees
• (Discontinued) Georgia Tech.

Below, you can find a comprehensive list of the online degrees offer by these organizations and universities.

Arizona State University (ASU) Online

Arizona State University Online offers over 300 online degree programs, which hold the same accreditation as the traditional on-campus programs. And they’ve partnered with a Chinese education company in Shanghai to help them enroll students in China via a localized domain.

There are currently 27 degrees listed, with some offering multiple specializations. Admissions, fees, and courses are the same as on ASU’s main website. Students may either learn entirely online or decide to spend a semester abroad studying on campus.

Here’s a list of ASU Online degrees in China:

Beacon Education

Beacon Education aims to provide localized online master’s degree services for adult students in China in cooperation with global universities. Their partners include the University of Arizona, University of Otago, Kettering University, and Illinois Tech. Currently, the website lists 20 online master’s degrees.

Here’s a list of the universities offering online degrees in China via Beacon Education:

Stevens Institute of Technology

• Master’s in Computer Science
• Master’s in Data Science

Illinois Institute of Technology

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Golden Gate University

• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Arts in Psychology
• Doctor of Business Administration

Hawaii Pacific University

• Master of Business Administration

University of Arizona

• Master of Laws
• Master of Legal Studies

Northern Arizona University

• Master of Science in Computer Science
• Master of Information Technology

Rochester Institute of Technology

• Master of Science in Business Analytics

Kettering University

• Master of Engineering
• Master of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence
• Master of Engineering in Autonomous Vehicles
• Master of Engineering in Electric Vehicles

University of Otago

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Cleveland State University

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Webster University

• Master of Management and Leadership

Adrian College

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

XuetangX Online MBA

In October 2019, XuetangX announced an online MBA built jointly with The Open University (OU), UK. It licenses content from OU’s MBA and leads to degree certificates from both OU and XuetangX. It comprises seven core online courses as well as supplemental, in-person sessions.

Keystone Online Studies

In 2025, five programs are available through Keystone Online Studies:

Oxademy Business School

• Masters in Management and Strategic Leadership: 12-16 months, cost GBP 5,500 / per year
• Master of Science in Organisational Leadership: 1-2 years, full-time, cost on request

The University of Manchester Worldwide China Centre

• MSc International Fashion Marketing: 2 years part-time, cost GBP 19,500
• MSc Financial Management – Online: 2-5 years part-time, cost GBP 19,500 / per year
• MA Educational Leadership in Practice: 2 years part-time, cost GBP 16,500

Discontinued: Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institution of Technology offers 13 online master’s degrees for online learners around the world, including the well-known Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS), one of the largest online degree programs in the world, and the Online Master of Science in Analytics (OMSA).

For a long time, Georgia Tech’s MOOC-based degrees didn’t have a formal presence in China, which precluded them from being recognized in the country. But that changed in 2020, with the degree gaining full recognition by way of Georgia Tech-Shenzhen, the university campus in China.

But with China reversing its temporary acceptance of online tuition in early 2023, Georgia Tech announced in September 2024 that its participation in Georgia Tech Shenzhen will be discontinued and is no longer accepting new applications for admission. Current students will have the opportunity to complete their programs.

While most of Georgia Tech’s online degrees have a significant cost, on par with their on-campus cost, the university’s MOOC-based degrees are much more accessible — in fact, in 2022, they became more affordable.