Founded in 1912, Nantong University constructed by Jiangsu Provincial Government and the state Ministry of Transport. It is composed of three parts, Nantong Medical College, Nantong Engineering College and Nantong Normal College and has four campuses: the new campus, Qixiu campus, Zhongxiu campus and Qidong campus.

The university has 84 undergraduate programs based on nine major disciplines, which are literature, science, engineering, medical science, education, economics, law, history and management. The Nantong University is Accredited and Approved By MCI (Medical Council of India), PMDC, USMLE, HPCSA, SCHS etc and WHO (World Health Organization). In China University Evaluation 2020 of the China Academy of Management Science, Nantong University ranked 114th. In ESI Comprehensive ranking of Chinese universities, it ranked 113th. In Airuishen Alumni Association, it ranked 100th of the ten authoritative universities (Chinese universities) in the world in 2019.

There are nearly 40,000 full-time undergraduates, more than 3,350 postgraduates and 916 overseas students. The average annual employment rate of students keeps above 98%. The university has extensively carried out overseas exchanges and cooperation. It has established friendly cooperative relations with 117 universities and research institutes in the countries of United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Australia, Japan, Korea, and Chinese regions of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.