Project 985 is a boosting project to promote the Chinese higher education system as called for by President Jiang Zemin at the 100th anniversary of Peking University on May 4, 1998. The objective is to develop, in cooperation with local government, several top universities to be world-leading.

If someone can be admitted by a 985-listed university, then he/she must be talented.

1. Fudan University

2. Harbin Institute of Technology

3. Nanjing University

4. Xi'an Jiao Tong University

5. Beihang University

6. Beijing Institute of Technology

7. Beijing Normal University

8. Central South University

9. Central University for Nationalities (Minzu University of China)

10. Chongqing University

11. Dalian University of Technology

12. East China Normal University

13. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

14. Hunan University

15. Jilin University

16. Ocean University of China

17. Tianjin University

18. Tongji University

19. University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

20. Wuhan University

21. Xiamen University

22. Shandong University

23. Sichuan University

24. South China University of Technology

25. Southeast University

26. Sun Yat-sen University

27. Peking University

28. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

29. Tsinghua University

30. University of Science and Technology of China

31. Zhejiang University

32. China Agricultural University

33. Lanzhou University

34. Nankai University

35. National University of Defense Technology

36. Northeastern University

37. Northwest A&F University

38. Northwestern Polytechnical University

39. Renmin University of China