Duke Kunshan University, a joint venture between Duke University in the United States and China's Wuhan University, received 3,300 international applications for undergraduate studies, a record-breaking 77 percent increase from last year.

Applicants to DKU's Class of 2026 hail from 114 countries. More than half of the applications come from the US, while the rest are from Canada, UK, Italy, Germany, Japan, India, Pakistan, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Nepal, Morocco and other countries.

"This unprecedented spike reflects our growing reputation and current achievements," said Jessica Sandberg, dean of DKU's international enrolment management.

Jennifer Francis, interim executive vice chancellor of DKU, also noted that the number of applications for DKU undergraduate programs has been steadily rising over the past four years.

"Prospective students who want to attend a globally oriented college are becoming increasingly aware of our unique offerings," she added. "DKU features a world-class faculty, an interdisciplinary curriculum and a diverse community."

As a Sino-US joint venture university, Duke Kunshan possesses links to both Duke University and Wuhan University. Students will receive a degree from both institutions.

The university has achieved early success with its inaugural undergraduate class. More than 50 of 240 students from this cohort have already been accepted by world-renowned universities including Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge. Among them, student Ege Kaan Duman was awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship that will cover the expenses incurred during the three years of postgraduate study at the University of Oxford.

Many students have also secured jobs with domestic or international giants.

Xu Shuwei contributed to this story.