Guizhou Education

Guizhou Province (贵州省) is becoming one of China’s most distinctive educational-travel destinations. Its universities and vocational colleges are complemented by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope—FAST, world-class karst landscapes, mountain bridges, fossil sites, traditional villages and the living cultures of 17 historically resident ethnic minority groups.

For international students, Guizhou is especially suitable for programmes combining science, engineering, environmental studies and cultural heritage. A well-designed study tour can move from astronomy and big-data education in Guiyang and Pingtang to bridge engineering in Anshun, revolutionary history in Zunyi and hands-on batik, silverwork, paper-making or Dong choral traditions in southeastern Guizhou.

Guizhou Education Overview

The latest complete provincial education statistics record 18,894 educational institutions, more than 10.05 million students and approximately 603,900 full-time teachers in 2024. The province had 7,784 compulsory-education schools, 515 ordinary senior high schools, 184 secondary vocational schools and 80 regular higher-education institutions.

The three-year preschool gross enrolment rate reached approximately 94.3%, the nine-year compulsory-education retention rate was 96%, the senior-secondary gross enrolment rate was 92.9%, and higher-education participation reached 51.8%. By 2025, the higher-education gross enrolment rate had risen above 52%, placing Guizhou in the mass-participation stage of higher education.

Education development varies according to geography. Guiyang and Gui’an contain the largest concentration of universities, research institutions and international programmes. Prefecture-level cities such as Zunyi, Liupanshui, Anshun, Bijie and Tongren serve as regional education centres, while the three autonomous prefectures place greater emphasis on bilingual education, teacher training, ethnic culture and vocational skills.

Vocational education is closely connected with Guizhou’s industrial transformation. Colleges cooperate with enterprises in advanced manufacturing, big data, transportation, tourism, agriculture, healthcare and food production. Provincial policy continues to promote enterprise-linked “order classes” and position-specific training programmes to improve the connection between education and employment.

In 2017, Guizhou University in Guizhou Province was selected as one of the national "Double First-Class" discipline construction universities. Throughout the year, Guizhou completed the construction, reconstruction or expansion of 836 primary and secondary schools, 30 urban compulsory education schools, 900 kindergartens and 112 general high schools. Nine-year compulsory education penetration rate of 90%, high school gross enrollment rate of 87.0%.

Students Numbers in 2017

Colleges and Universities

Independent Institutes

Vocational-Technical Schools

Primary Schools, Junior Schools and High Schools

Representative Schools and Education Areas

The institutions below are representative examples rather than a formal ranking. Guizhou’s education department maintains a searchable official directory covering institutions across all nine prefecture-level divisions. Campus visits are subject to approval and should be arranged through the institution’s international or administrative office.

Guizhou University

Guizhou University (贵州大学) is the province’s principal comprehensive research university and a national Double First-Class institution. It has 38 colleges and academic strengths spanning engineering, agriculture, ecology, materials, computer science, humanities and social sciences. Its environmental, agricultural and earth-science resources make it particularly relevant to university-level study groups.

Guizhou Normal University

Guizhou Normal University (贵州师范大学) is an important teacher-education and geographical-research institution. Its programmes and research platforms cover karst ecology, geography, environmental protection, education and FAST-related scientific computing. In 2026, it hosted 47 educators from seven ASEAN countries for lectures, classroom observation and field studies involving FAST, karst environmental management and geographical education.

Guizhou Minzu University

Guizhou Minzu University (贵州民族大学) is one of China’s earlier institutions specialising in ethnic-region education. It provides valuable academic perspectives on sociology, anthropology, minority languages, traditional arts and cultural preservation. The university is authorised to educate international students and has trained students from numerous countries.

Zunyi Medical University

Zunyi Medical University (遵义医科大学) offers potential academic themes in clinical medicine, pharmacy, public health, nursing and community healthcare. It has multiple affiliated hospitals and continues to develop its international-student education system. Formal student exchanges, medical demonstrations and hospital visits require institutional approval and strict privacy arrangements.

Moutai Institute

Located in Renhuai, Moutai Institute (茅台学院) is an applied undergraduate institution established by the Kweichow Moutai Group. Its programmes follow the brewing-industry chain and include liquor-brewing engineering, food science, environmental engineering, packaging, marketing, logistics and tourism management. It is a useful academic partner for adult university groups studying fermentation, food quality, circular production or brand management.

Because alcohol-related programmes are not appropriate for all school-age groups, younger students should focus on fermentation science, microbiology, food safety, water resources, packaging or environmental management rather than alcohol tasting.

International Study Tour Resources

FAST Astronomy and Space Science

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (500米口径球面射电望远镜) in Pingtang County is Guizhou’s strongest science-education resource. The surrounding astronomy town, museum and science centres explain radio astronomy, telescope engineering, pulsars, signal reception and the scientific process behind selecting the karst depression in which FAST was constructed.

Pingtang had developed 48 study courses and 15 study-tour routes by 2025, combining astronomy with geology, bridge engineering and local culture. Available programmes vary by age and may include telescope models, astronomy lectures, simulated scientific tasks and observation of the wider FAST landscape.

Electronic devices that produce electromagnetic radiation—including mobile phones, digital cameras, tablets, smart watches and drones—are prohibited in the telescope’s protected core area. Group leaders should explain the rule before arrival, provide secure storage and carry a small amount of cash because mobile payment may be unavailable after devices have been deposited.

Karst Geology and Environmental Science

Guizhou is a natural laboratory for studying limestone erosion, caves, underground rivers, sinkholes, stone forests and rocky-desertification management.

Educational programmes can combine classroom introductions with field observations around Pingtang, Libo, Anshun, Xingyi or Bijie. Suitable topics include water circulation in karst regions, soil loss, cave ecosystems, community adaptation, biodiversity and ecological restoration.

Guizhou Normal University’s karst research and field-observation resources can support more advanced programmes involving physical geography, remote sensing, environmental monitoring and land rehabilitation.

Bridge Engineering and Mountain Transportation

Guizhou’s mountain bridges offer practical lessons in civil engineering, geology, transportation and regional development. The Baling River Bridge Museum (坝陵河桥梁博物馆) in Anshun has hosted student programmes explaining bridge structure, construction technology and the relationship between transportation and mountainous terrain. It had welcomed study groups from more than 20 provincial-level regions.

Pingtang’s study-tour system also combines FAST with bridge engineering, while newer tourism products connect astronomy education with the province’s major canyon bridges.

Engineering activities should use museums, observation areas and professionally supervised demonstrations. Students must not enter operating construction zones or undertake rope, caving or climbing activities without qualified instructors and formal risk assessment.

Fossils and Earth History

Qianxinan Prefecture contains important fossil and geological resources. Study groups can examine the ancient marine environment, fossil preservation and the scientific methods used to identify prehistoric organisms.

The Guizhou Keichousaurus Fossil Site Protection Museum near Xingyi has hosted student activities involving fossil observation, model making and carefully supervised field experiences.

Ethnic Culture and Intangible Heritage

Guizhou’s cultural-learning resources are especially strong in Qiandongnan, Qiannan and Qianxinan. Workshops can introduce Miao batik, embroidery and silverwork; Dong songs and timber architecture; Bouyei dyeing and weaving; Shui writing; bamboo craft; and traditional paper-making.

A 2024 China–United States youth exchange in Guizhou included Miao batik instruction, in which visiting students drew patterns with wax tools and learned about embroidery, clothing and silver ornaments from local participants.

High-quality programmes should be led by recognised artisans or trained educators. Students should learn the meaning, materials and community context of a craft rather than completing only a simplified souvenir activity.

Revolutionary History and Modern China

Zunyi provides structured learning about the Long March and modern Chinese history. Study programmes may combine museum evidence, maps, historical documents and group discussion.

Guizhou has developed study routes around five broad themes—revolutionary history, general history, ecology, intangible heritage and science—and maintains national, provincial, municipal and county-level study-practice bases.

Big Data and International Education

Guiyang and Gui’an are suitable for programmes on digital infrastructure, data centres, smart cities and education technology, subject to the access policies of individual institutions and companies.

Gui’an New Area also hosts the permanent venue of the China–ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, an international platform for university cooperation, vocational education, teacher exchange and youth engagement. The event has operated for more than 18 years and remains a major link between Guizhou and Southeast Asian education systems.

Recommended Study Tour Themes

Suggested Six-Day International Student Programme

A seven- to ten-day programme can add Zunyi for history or medicine, Xingyi for fossils and Buyi culture, or Libo for ecology and forest studies.

Practical Planning Advice

April to June and September to November generally offer comfortable conditions for fieldwork. July and August suit school holidays and summer programmes, but heavier rainfall can affect outdoor activities, cave visits and mountain roads.

Campus exchanges, laboratories and vocational workshops require written approval. They should not be advertised as guaranteed until the host institution has confirmed the date, group size and learning content.

Programmes should be adapted to age and academic background. Primary students benefit from observation, storytelling and simple experiments; secondary students can complete data collection and group projects; university students may participate in specialist lectures and research discussions.

For groups involving minors, the programme should include qualified study instructors, safeguarding procedures, dietary and medical information, emergency contacts and prior inspection of transport, accommodation and activity sites. China’s current study-tour service standards require educational value, risk assessment and appropriate staffing rather than sightseeing presented as academic learning.

International visitors should hold valid passports and the appropriate Chinese visas. Schools, universities, production facilities and research centres may require participant lists, passport information and formal invitation letters well before arrival.

Students Education Study Tour with Yaso Trip

A customised Guizhou Students Education Study Tour with Yaso Trip can connect advanced science, mountain engineering, environmental education and living cultural heritage within one coherent programme.

Yaso Trip can arrange bilingual study guides, private transportation, suitable hotels, group meals and advance requests for campus or institutional visits. Programmes can be adapted for primary schools, secondary schools, universities, teachers or professional delegations.

The strongest Guizhou study tour links three educational dimensions: scientific investigation at FAST and the karst landscape, practical learning through engineering or vocational education, and respectful cultural exchange with Guizhou’s diverse communities.