There are four universities in Dali * * *, and the list is Dali University, Universities of Applied Sciences in western Yunnan, Dali Vocational College of Agriculture and Forestry and Dali Vocational College of Nursing, among which only two undergraduate universities are Dali University and Universities of Applied Sciences in western Yunnan.

Dali University and Universities of Applied Sciences in western Yunnan are both public undergraduate colleges, which are subordinate to the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education.