On 24 October 2026, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) held its 12th International Culture Festival at the Jiangjunlu Campus. Student representatives from China and 37 other countries opened the festival in traditional dress, carrying their national flags, before sharing songs, dances, food and crafts from their home cultures.
The festival is one of the highlights of the year for NUAA's international community, which grew again this autumn. According to NUAA's College of International Education, 728 new international students from 66 countries joined the university in autumn 2026, bringing the number of international students enrolled during 2026 to 2,085.
Key facts
Event: 2026 International Culture Festival, the 12th edition, 24 October 2026, Jiangjunlu Campus.
Participants: student representatives from China and 37 other countries.
Guests: 50 freshmen from the Tianmuhu Campus, pupils and teachers from Zhongshan Primary School, 24 visiting students and teachers from Ufa University of Science and Technology (Russia), and more than 20 overseas guests from the Air Silk Road forum.
Activities: a stage show of songs and dances, plus national culture booths with food tasting, handicrafts and stamp collecting.
2026 intake: 728 new international students from 66 countries in autumn; 2,085 international students enrolled in 2026.
What happened at the festival
Opening the festival, Pan Shilong, Assistant to the President, quoted the Chinese saying that a single flower does not make spring, while a hundred flowers in bloom fill the garden with spring — a call for openness and mutual learning between cultures.
Chinese and international students took turns on stage with performances from their countries. Around the venue, national booths invited visitors to taste traditional food, try handicrafts and collect a stamp from each country they visited.
Who studies at NUAA
NUAA's new international students come from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Among the leading countries of origin are Morocco, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Russia and Pakistan, and the student who travelled farthest this year came from Arima, Trinidad and Tobago, about 14,750 km from Nanjing. Artificial Intelligence, Aeronautical Engineering, International Business and Mechanical Engineering are among the most popular undergraduate majors. New students are supported by one-stop registration, multilingual volunteers and orientation sessions, and the campus has a halal canteen.
What this means for international students
If you are wondering whether you will fit in, you will find students from dozens of countries on campus and events that celebrate every culture. See NUAA's programmes and admissions information; applications for the March 2027 intake are open.
Frequently asked questions
How many international students are there at NUAA?
According to NUAA's College of International Education, 728 new international students from 66 countries joined in autumn 2026, and 2,085 international students were enrolled at NUAA during 2026.
Which countries do NUAA's international students come from?
NUAA's international students come from 66 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Leading countries of origin include Morocco, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Russia and Pakistan.
Is there halal food at NUAA?
Yes. NUAA has an ethnic-minority (halal) canteen, which is included in the campus tours that new international students take during orientation.
Sources: NUAA College of International Education (festival) · NUAA College of International Education (2026 intake)
