In 2012, College of International Education (CIE) was officially founded in response to the internationalization strategy of China University of Petroleum. CIE is a comprehensive institution of international students administration and research, including international student admission, management, international promotion of Chinese language.

CIE consists of administration offices (including College Office, Teaching Affairs Office, Admissions Office, Student Affairs Office,Visa Service Center) and research organizations (including International Education Research Base of Shandong Province, and International Education Research Center). The college primarily functions in international education research, international student enrollment propaganda, academics and student affairs management, visa administration, dormitory management, etc. Administration staffs own a strong sense of responsibility and never-ending enhancement, and qualified foreign language and professional skills. Most of the staffs have overseas studying and working experiences as well as rich experiences and competence of international educational management and research.

Since its foundation, CIE has been carrying on a full range of explorations and improvements in teaching concepts, training modes and management schemes of international student education. CIE highlights the social value of academic research and program construction, aims at cultivating practical, versatile and internationalized talents, and actively explores a new talent-cultivation mechanism in response to national strategical demand and international education need.

In recent years, international education develops at a rapid pace in this university. There currently exist over 1000 degree students, including doctoral, master and undergraduate students. China University of Petroleum is an institute which has qualification to admit Chinese Government Scholarship students authorized by Ministry of Education, and also a HSK test center approved by Hanban. It becomes an International Education Research Base of Shandong Province, and also a national training base for international education administers.