A method for recycling a sapphire substrate is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: high-temperature baking, wherein an intact epitaxial wafer to be scrapped is placed and baked in a baking oven at a high temperature of from 600° C. to 1000° C., and wherein the epitaxial wafer contains the sapphire substrate; and high-temperature rinsing in a concentrated acid, wherein the baked epitaxial wafer is then rinsed in the concentrated acid having a concentration ranging from 60% to 99% at a high temperature of from 160° C. to 300° C. The method can be used for recycling both patterned and smooth sapphire substrates.