Russell Group China Open Days 2026: 15 Universities, Two Cities, and the Questions to Ask Before You Shortlist a Course

Fifteen of the twenty-four Russell Group universities will come together in China this month for two open day events aimed at promoting UK higher education and giving prospective students and their families a deeper insight into the UK study experience. The events are co-created and delivered by the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) and will be held on 24 October at The Langham, Shanghai, and 25 October at CP Grand Hall in Beijing. They are designed as a collaborative higher education showcase rather than a traditional recruitment fair. If you are shortlisting UK courses, the practical question is not whether to attend but what to ask while you are there, and how to check the answers afterwards.

What the Russell Group China open days are — and what they are not

The Russell Group represents 24 leading universities across the UK, with around three-quarters of a million students and more than 70% of the UK's doctors and dentists trained at its members. Fifteen of those 24 will appear at the two China events. CBBC, which delivers the programme, is the UK's national business network promoting trade and investment with China, acting since 1954 as an independent voice of business, with a membership that includes UK universities.

The format matters more than the branding. According to CBBC, the open days will bring together academic and recruitment colleagues, alumni, employers and sponsors from the 15 participating universities, with content highlighting employability, graduate outcomes, career readiness and the long-term value of a UK education. Catherine Shipley, senior advisor for education at CBBC UK HQ, said the programme "responds to sector demand for a more collaborative approach to student recruitment and to student feedback about making university engagement feel less transactional". She added that the aim is for parents and students to have meaningful engagement with academics, alumni and employers, and to understand UK universities and UK education beyond rankings.

What this is not: a place where a place is offered. Nothing in the announced programme replaces a formal application, and no university in the list has committed to on-the-spot decisions. Treat the day as structured access to people who can answer questions that course pages answer badly.

Which universities are coming, and where

The participating universities are Newcastle University, University of Sheffield, University of Glasgow, Nottingham University, University of Liverpool, University of Warwick, University of Exeter, University of Birmingham, Cardiff University, Durham University, University of Leeds, Queen Mary University, Queen's University Belfast, University of Southampton and University of York.

The academic pavilions are themed around AI, digital innovation and green futures, showcasing university research and inviting students to explore the knowledge and capabilities needed for emerging careers. Note the direction of travel: the themes are cross-cutting, so the useful questions are about how a specific degree connects to them, not about the themes themselves.

• Shanghai: 24 October, The Langham
• Beijing: 25 October, CP Grand Hall
• Format: collaborative showcase, not a traditional recruitment fair
• On site: academic and recruitment staff, alumni, employers and sponsors

Entry requirements: the questions that decide whether a course is realistic

Entry is where most shortlists break, and the answers differ enough between universities that you should ask each one separately.

For undergraduate entry with the Gaokao, the University of Sheffield accepts it directly, requiring an overall score equivalent to at least 75% of total marks for courses with A-level requirements of AAA or above, at least 70% for AAB–ABB courses, and at least 65% for BBB–BBC courses; where a course sets individual A-level subject requirements, you must hit the required score in that subject within the Gaokao. Newcastle University will consider students who have achieved 75% in the Gaokao for entry to its undergraduate programmes. Both are members of the group attending these events.

English language is a separate gate. Sheffield requires an internationally recognised English qualification such as IELTS, with a minimum of 6.0 for undergraduate and 6.5 for postgraduate study, and some departments set higher scores.

Pathways deserve direct questioning. Sheffield states that applicants with the three-year Chinese Senior High School Certificate will need a recognised foundation programme for first-year entry, and advises contacting its China Team to check whether the foundation programme you are considering is acceptable; it also considers applicants who have completed the first year of a Chinese bachelor's degree for first-year entry, and holders of a three-year university diploma for second-year entry. Newcastle is an NCUK university partner and welcomes students who have completed the NCUK International Foundation year as a recognised pathway.

On pathways, the Russell Group's own position is worth reading before you go: its universities apply minimum entry requirements that are equivalent for all students whether they are from the UK or abroad, there are no shortcuts to admission, and completing an International Foundation programme does not guarantee entry to a degree course, with progression from a foundation year to a degree typically around 70% at those Russell Group universities that run such programmes.

For postgraduate entry, Sheffield usually requires a four-year bachelor's degree from a recognised university in a relevant subject, with most courses asking for a UK 2:1 or equivalent and some considering 2:2. Newcastle says students with a four-year bachelor's degree from a recognised Chinese university may be considered, and that it assesses applications using a four-tier system in which requirements vary by course and by the tier your university falls into.

Course fit: what to ask beyond rankings

CBBC has said it wants families to understand UK universities beyond rankings by making the experience more personal and accessible. That only works if your questions are specific.

Universities' own open-day guidance recommends arriving with a prepared list so you leave with the answers you need, and suggests covering course options and pathways, subject-specific requirements and any work experience or additional certifications, support services, accommodation, placements and work experience opportunities, scholarships and financial support, and the strength of industry links and careers provision.

Translate that into questions you can ask at a pavilion:

• How is the course structured across the three or four years, and which modules are compulsory?
• How is assessment split between exams, coursework, projects and placements?
• Where does this degree touch the AI, digital innovation or green futures themes being showcased, and is that a module, a research group or a placement?
• What subject-specific Gaokao or A-level scores does this course require, and does my qualification meet them?
• What does the careers service actually do for international students, and which employers engage with this department?
• What scholarships exist for my intake and nationality, and what are the deadlines?

The last question is not a formality. Newcastle lists Vice-Chancellor's Excellence Scholarships for 2027 entry at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, alongside Vice-Chancellor's Future Leaders Scholarships for 2026 entry, and notes that tuition fees for international students are published on individual course profiles.

From conversation to application: UCAS and direct routes

Open-day conversations only matter if they change an application. For undergraduate study, most UK applications run through UCAS, which warns that some courses have different deadlines, many of them a long time before the course begins, so you need to identify the deadline that applies to your choices. For 2027 entry, UCAS states that its search tool displays 2027 entry courses, that applications open for 2027 entry, that completed applications can then be submitted, and that the final date for 2027 entry applications falls at 18:00 UK time, with the precise date published on its own deadlines page. You will also need a reference before you can send your application.

Two further points from UCAS are directly relevant to applicants based outside the UK: many universities and colleges continue to accept applications from international students later in the year, nearer the beginning of the course, and courses with atypical start dates can carry earlier deadlines, which should be checked in the course listing or with the university.

Postgraduate applications run differently. They are normally made directly to the university rather than through a central scheme, and the decisions are made against the departmental criteria described above, so the useful open-day question is which team assesses your application and how long a decision takes.

After Shanghai and Beijing: verification and follow-up

Everything you hear at an open day should be re-checked against the university's own pages before it reaches your shortlist. Entry requirements, tuition fees and scholarship terms are all published at course level and change between intakes. Newcastle invites applicants to email with questions about applying and to arrange a call if they prefer to speak to someone. Sheffield routes foundation-programme acceptability questions to its China Team.

As you compare notes, keep the two decisions separate: whether a course is academically realistic for your qualification, and whether the university gives you the support you need to apply and to settle. The first is answered by entry criteria and degree classification rules; the second by scholarships, English-language requirements, pre-sessional provision and careers support.

StudyGB publishes UK university application and student-life information as an independent guide. It is not among the organisers of these events: delivery sits with CBBC and the 15 participating universities, as reported by The PIE News on 7 October 2026.

Questions readers ask

Which universities are attending, and what are the dates and venues?

Fifteen of the twenty-four Russell Group universities are taking part: Newcastle, Sheffield, Glasgow, Nottingham, Liverpool, Warwick, Exeter, Birmingham, Cardiff, Durham, Leeds, Queen Mary, Queen's University Belfast, Southampton and York. The events run on 24 October at The Langham, Shanghai, and 25 October at CP Grand Hall, Beijing.

Who is organising the open days?

They are co-created and delivered by the China-Britain Business Council, the UK's national business network promoting trade and investment with China, whose membership includes UK universities. The programme brings together academic and recruitment colleagues, alumni, employers and sponsors from the 15 participating universities; no education consultancy is listed as an organiser.

What are the typical entry requirements for Chinese students?

For undergraduate entry, Sheffield maps the Gaokao to A-level bands at roughly 75%, 70% and 65% depending on course selectivity, and Newcastle considers 75% in the Gaokao. Sheffield's English minimum is IELTS 6.0 for undergraduate and 6.5 for postgraduate study, with some departments higher. For postgraduate entry, Sheffield generally wants a four-year bachelor's degree at a UK 2:1 or equivalent, while Newcastle assesses Chinese degrees through a four-tier system.

Does a foundation year guarantee a place?

No. The Russell Group states that minimum entry requirements are equivalent for UK and international students, that there are no shortcuts to admission, and that completing an International Foundation programme does not guarantee entry to a degree, with typical foundation-to-degree progression around 70% at the Russell Group universities that run these programmes.

How should families verify what they are told after the events?

Check each claim against the university's own course pages for entry requirements, fees and scholarships, then follow up in writing with the relevant admissions or regional team — Newcastle accepts emailed questions and can arrange a call, and Sheffield directs foundation queries to its China Team. Confirm the applicable UCAS deadline for your courses as well, since deadlines vary by course and by start date.

Source basis

This article draws on The PIE News (7 October 2026) for the event details, venue and participant list; the Russell Group homepage (3 March 2026) and its statement on the recruitment of international students for institutional background and admissions policy; the China-Britain Business Council profile (15 July 2026) for the organiser's remit; Newcastle University and University of Sheffield China entry pages for entry requirements and follow-up routes; University of Chester open-day guidance (9 August 2024) for the question framework; and UCAS for application deadlines and process. Exact deadline dates, fees and course-level requirements should always be read from the university or UCAS page that publishes them.