The SUSTech APEX Class, College of Science

The SUSTech APEX Class, formally the Apex Honors Class of Basic Sciences (基础科学攀峰班), is a program at the College of Science, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech, 南方科技大学), tailored for undergraduate students with a profound passion for the basic sciences.

The program conducts a small-scale, highly selective annual recruitment from the university’s freshman cohort. It provides intensive academic mentorship, rigorous training in foundational mathematics and physics, and early exposure to frontiers in scientific research.

Training Scheme

The APEX Class offers its members the following opportunities:

  • Rigorous enhancement of Mathematical and Physical foundations (Honors-level courses)
  • Research seminars led by top-tier faculty mentors
  • Tailored guidance for personalized development
  • Academic visits and internships
  • …

The APEX Enhancement Curriculum

While established by the College of Sciences, APEX students may, in principle, apply for any major offered by the university based on their personal interests. Graduation requirements are subject to the training scheme of their respective declared majors.

In addition to their major’s standard training scheme, APEX students must complete the APEX Enhancement Curriculum to graduate with an APEX Honors Degree. This curriculum consists of Mathematics/Physics Enhancement Courses and Faculty Mentor Seminar Courses.

  1. Mathematics/Physics Enhancement Courses: The registration requirements for each cohort are determined by the respective Executive Class Advisor. Adjustments may be made across different majors depending on the specific academic workload. As of July 2026, the five core enhancement courses include:
  • Mathematical Analysis III / Mathematical Analysis / Advanced Linear Algebra II / Advanced Linear Algebra (Choose one of four)
  • Probability and Statistics
  • Mathematical Methods in Physics (H)
  • Quantum Physics (H)
  • Computational Methods (H)

Where the (H) mark stands for Honors-level, increased in workload and difficulty.

  1. Faculty Mentor Seminar Courses: Students admitted through the first and second selection are required to participate in the APEX Mentor Seminar Courses during the spring semester of their freshman year. The seminar series consists of 5 sessions, lectured respectively by Chair Professors and distinguished young professors from the Departments of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, and Statistics and Data Science. These seminars focus on sharing the scientists’ career paths and engaging students in collaborative discussions on pressing scientific problems.

Admission and Dropout

The APEX Class enrolls fewer than 30 students per cohort and implements a dynamic retention mechanism. The entry mechanism consists of three tracks: First Selection, Second Selection, and Vacancy Replenishment. The exit mechanism includes Voluntary Quit and Mandatory Dismissal.

The program is exclusively open to currently enrolled SUSTech undergraduate students. Please note that this program does not provide an independent or alternative admission pathway parallel to the general SUSTech university admission process.

Admission

First Selection: Upon university enrollment, freshmen who are selected into the university’s Outstanding Talent Training Program and meet at least one of the following criteria may apply via separate communication. They will be directly admitted upon review and approval by the APEX Management Committee:

  • Outstanding performance in the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao).
  • Silver medalists or higher in the National Olympiad in Senior High School Disciplines (Mathematics, Physics, or Chemistry).

Second Selection: Following the midterm examinations of the Fall semester in their freshman year, students who meet the academic performance requirements in the following mathematics and physics courses may submit an application via the official APEX recruitment email. Top candidates will be selected and admitted after an interview panel:

  • Mathematics: Mathematical Analysis I / Calculus I, AND Advanced Linear Algebra I / Linear Algebra.
  • Physics: General Physics (I) / College Physics (I).

Note: Specific score cutoffs depend on the difficulty of that semester’s exams; please refer to the recruitment email for your specific cohort. The email usually arrives within a few workdays upon midterm score publishing.

Vacancy Replenishment: If vacancies come up due to member dropouts, any departments within the College of Sciences may nominate replacement candidates. The APEX Management Committee will holistically review the student’s academic standing and personal intent to determine final admission.

Dropout

Voluntary Quit: APEX students may request to withdraw from the program at any time via a written application or email, with immediate effect upon confirmation.

Mandatory Dismissal: The dropout mechanism will be triggered if a student encounters any of the following scenarios:

  • Failing a core/major course without a justifiable reason (e.g., medical conditions, accidents)
  • A cumulative GPA dropping below 3.5
  • Any other circumstances deemed unsuitable for remaining in the program by the APEX Management Committee (including but not limited to academic dishonesty, failure to take the required Mathematics/Physics Enhancement Courses according to the scheme, or serious misconducts).