Shantou University has been recruiting international students since 1986 and is a prescribed university of Chinese government scholarships for international students studying in China (University Code: 10560). In September 2018, the School of International Education(SIE) of Shantou University was officially established. The School is not only the implementation unit for the enrollment and daily management of international students at Shantou University, but also a teaching college. It consists of the undergraduate program in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Language (TCSOL) and the Chinese Language and Culture College (Chinese Language Training Center). The Chinese Language and Culture Institute, also known as Chinese Language Training Center, was founded in 1986 and is a language teaching institution to foreigners approved by Hanban(China National Office for Teaching Chinese as Foreign Language). It is also one of the national training bases for Southeast Asian Chinese language teachers and has become one of the early foreign language teaching bases in South China.

Rooting in Chaoshan region which is knowns as the hometown of overseas Chinese, SIE has been responsive to "the Belt and Road" initiative,  promoting cooperation and exchanges with countries and regions along the "the Belt and Road". SIE has been recruiting qualified international students studying various programs for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees as well as non-degree programsat Shantou University, covering undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs and non degree programs.

SIE offers a range of courses on Chinese language and culture for all international students studying at the University. In addition, SIE also hosts or undertakes various short-term training projects as well as study tours on Chinese language and culture for foreigners.