There are five comprehensive universities in Guangdong, namely Sun Yat-sen University, Jinan University, South China University of Technology, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University and Guangzhou University. Sun Yat-sen University, referred to as Zhong Da for short, is located in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, directly under the Ministry of Education of People's Republic of China (PRC), and is a comprehensive national key university jointly established by the Ministry of Education, the State Bureau of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense and Guangdong Province.

Jinan University, referred to as "Jida" for short, is directly under the leadership of the Central United Front Work Department and is jointly established by the Ministry of Education, the Central United Front Work Department and Guangdong Province. It is a national "double first-class", national "2 1 1 project" and "985 platform" key construction university.