Peking University (PKU) is a comprehensive research university with disciplines ranging from philosophy, literature, history, law, economics and education to science, engineering, medicine, management and art.
Peking University admits students on the principle of “merit-based enrollment, quality before quantity” and is dedicated to educating innovation-minded scholars with a global perspective and understanding of China. Peking University enrolls international students to study for master’s and Ph.D. degrees through the “Application+Examination” method, assessing the applicant’s comprehensive quality and ability.
The main campuses of Peking University include Yanyuan campus, Changping New Campus, School of Software and Microelectronics (Daxing campus) and Shenzhen Graduate School (Shenzhen campus).
The specific provisions are as follows:
1. Disciplines and Majors
For specific information on different majors/subjects and language of instruction, please refer to the “Peking University 2023 Master/Doctoral Admissions Major Catalogue (International Students)” (website link: https://admission.pku.edu.cn/zsxx/lxszs/lxszyml/index.htm).
2. Method and Length of Study
1) The study methods for a master’s degree or Ph.D. degree at Peking University are divided into full-time and part-time. For details on the learning methods of each major and focus, please refer to the “Peking University 2023 Master/Doctoral Admissions Major Catalogue (International Students)” (Website link: https://admission.pku.edu.cn/zsxx/lxszs/lxszyml/index.htm).
2) Unless otherwise specified by the enrollment department (or project), the basic study period for master’s degree students is 2 or 3 years; the basic study period for doctoral students is 4 years; and, for doctoral students with a bachelor’s degree, the basic study period is generally 5 years.
3. Application Prerequisites
1) Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport. Residents of the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan who have emigrated to other countries and are applying to Peking University as international students must present valid passport or citizenship documents dating from before April 30, 2017, along with proof of cancellation of Chinese nationality.
2) Applicants should be healthy, both physically and psychologically, with no criminal record, friendly to China and must abide by the laws and decrees of China.
3) Applicants for master’s degree programs must have attained a bachelor’s degree, and those who graduated from non-Chinese universities must hold a bachelor’s degree from a university accredited by the Ministry of Education of China. (Grade skipping or joining in the middle of the course is not permitted.)
The special requirements for certain programs, such as MBA, EMBA, IMPA, etc., should be in accordance with the relevant regulations on nationwide master/doctoral admissions.
4) Applicants for doctoral programs must have attained a master’s degree, and those who graduated from a non-Chinese institution must have a master’s degree from an institution recognized by the Ministry of Education of China. Applicants with bachelor’s degrees may apply for admission to doctoral programs in subjects of sciences and engineering.
5) The applicant’s academic performance, academic level and language ability should meet the admission requirements of the major he/she is applying for.
4. Application Period
October 10 – December 9, 2022
Delivery and mailing of hardcopies of application materials: before December 15, 2022
Acceptance of mailed application materials will be based on the postmark date. The EMS delivery service is recommended.
Address: Room 330, International Student Division, New Sun Student Center, Peking University
Please note on the envelope: Graduate student application materials
Note: For details on English-taught master’s programs, please refer to the respective program’s application guidelines. The deadline for the English-taught doctoral program applications is February 28, 2023.
5. Application Materials
1) Peking University Application Form for International Students (master’s degree and doctoral programs) with a photograph affixed. Please visit http://www.studyatpku.com, fill in the application and submit it online, then download the form and print a hardcopy for reference.
2) Graduation and degree certificates, which must be original documents or notarized copies either in Chinese or English.
Note: Applicants expected to graduate in 2023 should provide an official letter from their current university stating their expected graduation date.
3) Official transcripts of the applicant’s most recent academic achievement, including courses taken and standards achieved. These must be original documents or notarized copies either in Chinese or English.
4) A personal statement (including a research plan: 1500 words for the master’s degree program, 3000 words for the doctoral program).
Please click the link to download the template: http://www.isd.pku.edu.cn/down/shen/ru.html)
5) Two recommendation letters from professor(s) or associate professor(s) related to the applicant’s major (or equivalent professionals with relevant academic title).
Click the link to download the template: http://www.isd.pku.edu.cn/down/shen/ru.html.
Please note that the recommendation letters must be originals with the signature of the recommender, and in Chinese or English. The following are the ways of submitting recommendation letters (either of the two is accepted):
(1) Hardcopies: sealed in independent envelopes with each recommender’s signature;
(2) Softcopies: sent to postgraduate@pku.edu.cn directly by each recommender.
6) Original or photocopy of the applicant’s language (Chinese or English) test scores:
● For Chinese-taught programs, original or photocopy of language test scores fulfilling the following standards are eligible for submission.
| Discipline | HSK (Confucius Institute HSK) | Writing section (composition) |
| Science Subjects | HSK 6, score of above 200 | Not lower than a score of 65 |
| Humanities Subjects | HSK 6, score of above 210 | Not lower than a score of 65 |
● For English-taught programs, applicants whose mother tongue is not English are required to submit TOEFL, iBT (100 points or above) or GRE (315 points or above) scores or other certificate to prove their English language proficiency. For specific requirements, please refer to the application information of the respective English-taught programs.
Note: Some departments may require applicants to submit a certificate or evidence of Chinese language proficiency; please submit the materials in accordance with the respective requirements.
7) One photocopy of your valid passport (passport type must be ordinary).
8) Table of contents and abstracts of the applicant’s academic publications and any other original achievements in his/her field (if applicable).
9) Other materials required by the specific school or department the applicant applies to.
Except for the recommendation letters, 2 sets (one original and one photocopy) of the above-mentioned application materials must be submitted.
Note: Each applicant may apply for up to two programs; in the case of two applications, each application is independent and should be submitted separately in hardcopy with the required application materials.
The application materials will NOT be returned.
6. Application Fee
The application fee for each program is 800 RMB.
Note: Applicants are required to pay the application fee before submitting the application materials. Acceptable methods of payment include cash, payment with an Yinlian bank card or through online payment. Any other currency or traveler’s check will not be accepted. Incomplete application materials or application without application fee will NOT be processed.
The application fee is NOT refundable.
7. Examination by the School/Department
The International Student Division will review the applicant’s basic qualifications. After passing the review, the application materials will be forwarded to the admissions office of the respective school/department for the academic review.
The school’s (department, institute, center) admissions team will organize professional expert panels for the admission. All the submitted application materials will be reviewed to assess the applicant’s professional background, academic level and development potential. A shortlist of applicants will be drawn up for the next step of examination.
The second examination round will be held in March or April 2023. The specific date and time will be decided by the respective school/department and posted on the school/department’s website. Applicants should check regularly for relevant online information to be posted.
The school’s (department, institute, center) admissions expert committee will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the professional level and language ability of candidates in the second examination round and evaluate the candidates’ ranking.
8. Admission
1) On the basis of the school’s or department’s re-examination results, the Admission Office of the Graduate School will review and make the preliminary admission list. The final admission list will be released by the International Student Division.
2) The International Student Division will issue an admission notice, visa application form (JW201/JW202) and other documents to the admitted students in late June 2023.
9. Enrollment
Admitted students will complete the registration procedures and enroll at Peking University in early September 2023. The specific time will be announced in the admission notice.
10. Tuition Fees (per year per person) and Scholarships
1) Tuition Fees
| Humanities Subjects | Science Subjects | |
| Master’s Degree Program | 29,000 RMB | 33,000 RMB |
| Doctoral Program | 32,000 RMB | 40,000 RMB |
Note: Please refer to the specific application guidelines for tuition standards for professional master’s degree programs and English-taught programs with special instructions.
2) Scholarships
New international students may apply for the following scholarships:
(1) Chinese Government Scholarship (Type B): tuition waiver, for-free accommodation, monthly living expenses and medical insurance provided in accordance with the regulations.
(2) Beijing Government Scholarship for International Students: tuition subsidy.
(3) Peking University Scholarship for International Students: tuition waiver, monthly living expenses, medical insurance.
Note: The evaluation of scholarships will be carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations of the government and the university. For more information, please pay close attention to notices posted at http://www.isd.pku.edu.cn.
11. Visa, Medical Insurance and Accommodation
1) Visa
Students admitted to PKU should apply for a student visa at the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in their country with the letter of admission and the JW201/202 form. International students who will study in China for over 6 months are required to obtain an “X1” visa, which will only be valid for 30 days upon arrival in China; upon arriving in China, they must come to the International Student Division and apply for a Residence Permit within 30 days in order to obtain a legal status in China.
2) Medical Insurance
The Ministry of Education of China stipulates that all international students must be medically insured throughout their entire planned period of study. Students are required to purchase the ‘Comprehensive Insurance Plan of Foreign Students’ on the day of registration. Students who do not have valid medical insurance will not be allowed to register.
3) Accommodation
Accommodation will be provided to students with scholarships that cover accommodation.
Self-funded students should find their own living accommodation on campus or off campus. Please note that students who live off campus must register with the local police station within 24 hours of arrival.
12. Graduation and Degree Awarding
Students who have completed all the requirements stipulated in the academic plan and passed their thesis defense upon completion of their study are permitted to graduate. After being examined and approved by the Academic Degree Assessment Committee of the university, the corresponding academic degree will be conferred.
To facilitate opportunities for those who are not proficient in the Chinese language to pursue a PKU degree, Peking University has developed several English-taught programs, some of them are in the following list.
| Degree | School\College | Program | Major | Contact Information |
| Master | School of Government | International Master of Public Administration (IMPA) Program | Public Administration | Tel: 86-10-62755478Email: gzgys@pku.edu.cn |
| Master | School of International Studies | Master’s Degree Program in International Relations (MIR Program) | International Relations | Tel: 86-10-62759615Email: sisoip@pku.edu.cn |
| Master | School of International Studies | LSE-PKU Double Master’s Degree Program in International Affairs | International Relations | Tel: 86-10-62759199Email: lsepku@pku.edu.cn |
| Master | School of International Studies | Sciences Po-PKU Master’s Degree Program in Sustainable Development and International Relations | International Relations | Tel: 86-10-62759199Email: sis@pku.edu.cn |
| Master | Law School | Master of Laws (LLM) Program in Chinese Law | Civil and Commercial Law | Tel: 86-10-62751693Email: llmpku@pku.edu.cn |
| Master | Guanghua School of Management | Global MBA Program | Master of Business Administration | Tel: 86-10-6274726686-10-62747265Email: MBAintl@gsm.pku.edu.cn |
| Master | Yenching Academy | Master’s Degree in China Studies | China Studies | Tel: 86-10-62766358Email: yca-admissions@pku.edu.cn |
| Master | College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering | Double Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy, Technology and Health | Master of Environmental Management | Tel: 86-10-62758525Email: pku-lse.dual.degree@pku.edu.cn |
| Master/Ph.D. | School of Computer Science | Master’s Degree/Ph.D. in Computer Science | Computer software and theory; Computer architecture; Computer applications | Email: gradadmissions.cs@pku.edu.cn |
| Ph.D. | Guanghua School of Management | IPhD | Enterprise Management | Tel: 86-10-6274705286-10-62747006Email: iphd@gsm.pku.edu.cn |
| Master/Ph.D. | School of Materials Science and Engineering | English-Taught Master/Doctoral Programs | Tel: 86-10-62756697Email: gmsejw@pku.edu.cn | |
| Ph.D. | College of Engineering | English-Taught Doctoral Programs | Tel: 86-10-62765571Email: international-phd@coe.pku.edu.cn |
Additional Notes:
1. For further information about the school/department to which the applicant is applying, such as the school or department’s basic facilities, research, supervisors and faculty, subjects, research focus, training and grants, please refer to the website of the respective school or department.
2. Graduate students are NOT allowed to be enrolled in two or more programs/universities at the same time.
3. Applicants should actively pay close attention to the latest relevant information posted at the website or sent by the school/department he/she is applying to. Applicants must read and follow the posted instructions/deadlines in a timely way; any consequences for failing to do so will be the responsibility of the applicant solely.
4. Regarding admission to Peking University’s Health Science Center and related scholarship and financial aid, accommodation and other specific matters for medical graduate students, please refer to the respective application guidelines of the Center (https://e.bjmu.edu.cn/).
5. Issues that may arise which are not mentioned here will be handled in accordance with the relevant regulations of the university and higher authorities. If new graduate student admission policies are issued in the year 2023, Peking University will make corresponding adjustments and announce the changes in a timely way.
Contact Information
Room 330, New Sun Student Center
International Student Division
Office of International Relations
Peking University, Beijing 100871
People’s Republic of China
Tel: (+86-10) 6275 1230
Fax: (+86-10) 6275 1233
Email: study@pku.edu.cn
Web site: www.isd.pku.edu.cn; www.oir.pku.edu.cn
