Peking University (PKU) is a comprehensive research university with disciplines ranging from philosophy, literature, history, law, economics and education to science, engineering, medicine, management, art and interdisciplinary studies.

Peking University enrolls international students to study for master’s and Ph.D. degrees through the “Application + Examination” method, and is dedicated to educating innovation-minded scholars with a global perspective and understanding of China.

This admissions prospectus is targeted at applicants to the Yanyuan campus, Changping new campus (Changping District, Beijing), School of Software and Microelectronics (Daxing District, Beijing) and Shenzhen Graduate School (Shenzhen, Guangdong).

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 2026 Master’s/Doctoral Admissions Major Catalogue (International Students)”.

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 2026 Master’s/Doctoral Admissions Major Catalogue (International Students)”.

2)  Unless otherwise specified by the enrollment department (or program), the basic study period for master’s degree students is 2 or 3 years; the basic study period for doctoral students is 4 or 5 years; and, for doctoral students admitted with only a bachelor’s degree, the basic study period is generally 5 years.

3. Application Prerequisites

  Applicants must meet all the following requirements:

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 another country and are applying to Peking University as international students must present valid passport or citizenship documents dating from before April 30, 2020, along with proof of cancellation of Chinese nationality.

    Note: The exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of China reserves the right to judge whether an applicant still has Chinese nationality. If during the application period or even after the admission or registration the applicant is judged to be still holding Chinese nationality, his/her application, admission, registration or even enrollment will be nullified.

2)  Applicants should be healthy, both physically and psychologically, with no criminal record, and must abide by the laws and decrees of China and the regulations of Peking University.

3)  Applicants for master’s degree programs must have attained a bachelor’s degree or higher from a university/college accredited by the Ministry of Education of China. 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.

    Applicants for doctoral programs must have attained a master’s degree or higher from an institution accredited 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.

4)  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 (Beijing time)

    October 20, 2025 – December 23, 2025

    Note: For details on English-taught master’s programs, please refer to the respective program’s application guidelines.

5. Application Materials

 Visit the International Student Service System (http://www.studyatpku.com ), fill in the application and upload the following documents:

1)  Graduation and degree diplomas in Chinese or English and the degree authentication issued by Ministry of Education of China. For degree diplomas in other languages, applicants are required to upload both the original copy and a notarized copy in Chinese or English. Degree diplomas awarded by overseas universities must be authenticated by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, Ministry of Education, P. R. China (CSCSE). Degree diplomas awarded by universities on the Chinese mainland must be authenticated by the Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education, P. R. China (CSSD).

     Note: Applicants who graduated before 2026 must upload their degree authentication report during the application period. Applicants expected to graduate in 2026 must provide an official letter from their current university stating their expected graduation date and submit their certificate of graduation upon being pre-admitted.

2)  Official transcripts of the applicant’s academic achievement, including courses taken and standards achieved. These must be original documents or notarized copies, either in Chinese or English.

3)  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: https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

4)  Résumé and a copy of the Application Commitment letter. Please click the link to download the template for the Commitment letter: https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

5)  Two recommendation letters from professor(s) or associate professor(s) related to the applicant’s major (or equivalent professionals with relevant academic title), either in Chinese or English. Once applicants submit a request, the application system will send a link to the recommenders, and the recommenders should click the link and complete the recommendation either by filling out the form online or by uploading the scanned copy of the signed letter. Click the link to download the template: https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

6)  Original Chinese or English language test scores:

● For Chinese-taught programs, language test scores fulfilling the following standards are eligible for submission.

Note: Qualified HSK 7–9 level scores are also accepted.

● 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 certificates to prove their English language proficiency. For specific requirements, please refer to the application information of the respective English-taught programs.

7)  Passport front page. Applicants must upload the front page of all ordinary passport(s) they have used continuously since April 30, 2020, and the current passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the date of enrollment.

8)  Table of contents and abstracts of the applicant’s academic publications and any other original achievements in his/her field (if applicable).

9)  Some departments/schools may require additional application documents.

Note: Applicants should scan the original or notarized application documents in color using a scanner. Images captured by mobile phone or camera are NOT acceptable.

The applicant's passport details (including name, nationality, gender, date of birth, and uploaded photo) submitted during the application phase, once confirmed, cannot be modified prior to enrollment.

Applicants must thoroughly review and ensure that all required documents (including two letters of recommendation) are complete and meet the specified standards before submission. Consequences resulting from incomplete or non-compliant materials will be borne solely by the applicant.

6. Application Fee

The application fee for each program/major is 800 RMB.

Note: Each applicant may apply for up to two programs/majors. Applicants are required to pay the application fee online before the application deadline. Other currencies or traveler’s checks will not be accepted. Applications with incomplete documents or without payment of the 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 to review the applicants’ academic dossiers. All the submitted application materials will be reviewed to assess the applicant’s overall ability. A shortlist of applicants will be drawn up for the next step of examination.

The second examination round will be held in March 2026. 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 candidates’ research capacity, language proficiency, innovation capacity and comprehensive quality in the second examination round and evaluate the candidates’ ranking.

8. Admission

1)  On the basis of the school’s or department’s examination results, the Admission Office will review and make the preliminary admission list.

2)  The preliminary admission list will be posted by the school/department before the end of May. Applicants should pay close attention to the latest related notice of the school/department.

3)  The pre-admitted candidates should download and print the application form and, together with other required original application documents (except for degree diploma and recommendation letters), deliver or mail the materials to the International Student Division of Peking University.

    Deadline: May 31, 2026

    Address: Room 330, International Student Division, New Sun Student Center, Peking University. Please note on the envelope: “Graduate student application materials”

4)  In late June 2026, the International Student Division will issue an admission notice, a “Confirmation Form for Study in China” (JW201/JW202) and other documents to the admitted students.

9. Enrollment

Admitted students will complete the registration procedures and enroll at Peking University in early September 2026. The specific time will be announced in the admission notice. Admitted students must register at Peking University with their valid passport, valid visa and admission letter at the designated time. All students should present their original degree diplomas as required upon registration for the enrollment qualification review. Students with degree diplomas awarded by overseas universities should, in addition, submit the authentication report issued by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange. Students who do not pass the enrollment qualification review will be disqualified from enrollment at Peking University.

10. Tuition Fees (per year per person) and Scholarships

1)  Tuition Fees: Tuition Fees of Graduate Programs for International Students 2026

2)  Scholarships: New international students may apply for the following scholarships:

(1) Chinese Government Scholarship (Type B): includes full/partial tuition waiver, for-free accommodation, monthly living expenses and medical insurance provided in accordance with the regulations.

(2) Beijing Government Scholarship for International Students: Type A includes tuition waiver, for-free accommodation, medical insurance and monthly living expenses provided in accordance with the regulations; Type B includes tuition waiver, for-free accommodation and medical insurance; Type C includes tuition waiver and medical insurance.

(3) Peking University Scholarship for International Students: includes full/partial tuition waiver, monthly living expenses and medical insurance.

Note: The evaluation of applicants for scholarships will be carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations of the government and the university. For more information, please refer to the International Student Division’s website (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 for Foreign Students’ on the day of registration. Students who do not have valid medical insurance will not be allowed to register.

3)  Accommodation: On-campus 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 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 which are listed below.

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 more than one program/university 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; all consequences caused by the applicant’s personal negligence and other reasons shall be borne by the applicant himself/herself 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 2026, 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

Next: Frequently Asked Questions for Master’s and PhD International Applicants Regarding 2026 Admission