Nankai University is a comprehensive university with a wide range of disciplines. It features a balance between the humanities and the sciences, a solid foundation and a combination of application and creativity. The university has 24 academic colleges, together with the Graduate School, the School for Continuing Education, the Advanced Vocational School, the Modern Distance Education School, and categories covering literature, history, philosophy, economics, management, law, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, teaching and art. Nankai University offers 81 undergraduate specialties (including 18 national characteristic specialties), 231 master's programs, 172 doctoral programs, 28 post-doctoral research stations and 29 authorized primary doctoral specialties.

There are 6 first degree national key disciplines (covering 35 second degree disciplines), 9 second degree national key disciplines, 2 national key cultivating disciplines, and 27 first degree Tianjin municipal key disciplines. Furthermore, there are 2 national key laboratories and 8 key laboratories of the Ministry of Education. The university has 1 key laboratory of the Ministry of Science, 1 key laboratory of the State Environmental Protection Administration, 13 key laboratories of Tianjin, 3 engineering centers of the Ministry of Education, 3 national engineering centers, 9 national bases for basic science research and talent cultivation, 7 key research bases for humanities and social sciences, 7 innovation bases in philosophy and social sciences and 4 science and technology innovation platforms included in Project 985. It also has a base for quality cultural education.