The prestressing tendons are placed outside the beam cross-section of this structural form, called Externally Presstressed Conerete (EPC). In recent years, EPC has been developed rapidly at home and abroad, and is now widely used in the design of houses and bridges and in reinforcement and repair. This paper mainly introduces the development status, structural characteristics, main theories and design methods of EPC at home and abroad, in order to promote the wider application of Externally Presstressed Concrete (EPC).