2026 China Studies Program Ph. D. Fellowship in China at Peking University

China Studies Program (“CSP”) is an international academic exchange program implemented by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Chinese Ministry of Education. It aims to cultivate young Sinology talents and promote the prosperity of Sinology worldwide. Presently, Peking University accepts two categories of students into this program: "Ph.D. Fellowship in China" and "Joint Research Ph.D. Fellowship (Senior Visiting Student).”

The Ph. D. Fellowship in China provides support for outstanding master's degree holders who are pursuing doctoral degrees at Chinese universities. The study period at Peking University is generally 4 years.

I. Eligibility

Applicants should be friendly to China and demonstrate strong interests in research related to China, with a solid academic foundation, clear research topics or goals, and the ability to conduct research in Chinese. Specifically:

1.Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport of another country. Residents of the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan who have immigrated to another country and are applying to Peking University as international students must present a valid passport or citizenship documents dated before April 30, 2020, along with proof of cancellation of Chinese nationality.

Note: The Chinese Public Security and relevant governing agencies have the final authority in determination of one’s Chinese’s citizenship. An applicant’s eligibility for this scholarship, program admission, registration and/or enrollment will be nullified once positive finding of Chinese citizenship is made at any stage of the application and program.

2. Applicants are physically and psychologically healthy, with no criminal record, and must abide by the laws of China in addition to the rules and regulations of Peking University.

3. Applicants must have attained a master's degree or higher from an institution approved by the Ministry of Education of China. See link for approved institutions, https://zwfw.cscse.edu.cn

4. The applicant's academic qualification and language proficiency level should meet the specific admission requirements of the area he/she is applying for.

5. Language Proficiency:

Program taught in Chinese: Applicant's Chinese proficiency level should reach HSK Level 6 with a score above 210, including a minimum score of 65 in writing. Qualified HSK 7–9 level scores are also accepted.

Program taught in English: Chinese proficiency level should reach HSK level 5. For specific English proficiency requirements, please refer to the application information of the respective programs that are taught in English.

II. Application Process

Step 1: Log onto the China Studies Program website at http://www.chinese.cn/page/#/pcpage/csp to submit the online application. After submission, print the "Application Form for China Studies Program Ph. D. Fellowship in China" which is needed for Step 2.11 later on.

Step 2: Log onto the Peking University International Student Service System at www.studyatpku.com to complete the online application.

Admission Code: CSP-PHD

Online Application Path: Application - Degree Programs Application - CSP Ph.D in China Fellowship project

Upload and submit the following materials:

Undergraduate degree diplomas in Chinese or English and the degree authentication issued by Ministry of Education of China.

2. Official transcript during undergraduate studies (original documents or notarized copies, in either Chinese or English)

3. Master's degree diplomas in Chinese or English and the degree authentication issued by Ministry of Education of China.

Note: Applicants who graduated before 2026 should upload their degree authentication report during the application period. Applicants with an expected graduation date in 2026 must provide an official letter from their current university stating their expected graduation date or their current enrollment at the time of the application. A certified master’s degree must be submitted prior to the beginning of the program at Peking University.

4. Official transcript during the master's program (original documents or notarized copies, in either Chinese or English)

5. Personal statement. Briefly introduce your academic background using the language of the project you are applying for, and focus on describing your research plan during your doctoral studies, etc. The length should be around 3000 words. Please click the link to download the template:https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

6. Personal Resume

7. "Commitment for Application" letter. Please click the link to download the template for the Commitment letter:https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

8. Two letters of recommendation (in either Chinese or English), from professor(s) or associate professor(s) (or experts with equivalent professional titles) in the applied field. Once applicants supply the email addresses of the recommendors, the latter will receive a link where they can complete the recommendation by either filling out the form online or uploading a scanned copy of their signed letter. Click the link to download the template: https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

9. Original HSK transcript

10. Abstracts of the master's thesis and other research achievements

11. Application Form for China Studies Program Ph. D. Fellowship in China, the printout in Step 1

12. 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.

13. Any additional documents required by the University and departments

Note:

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)(https://zwfw.cscse.edu.cn/). 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)(https://www.chsi.com.cn/en/).
The advisor applied for on the two websites must be the same.
If the applicant are in contact with the desired advisor, please upload the relevant communication to the Additional Materials section.
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 should scan the original or notarized application documents in color using a scanner. Images captured by mobile phone or camera are NOT acceptable.
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.
Peking University reserves the right to request applicants to provide supplementary materials. The application materials, regardless of final admission status, will not be returned.

III. Timelines

1. Program and scholarship application Deadline: February 28, 2026

2. The applicant will be notified of program and scholarship admission results by email at the end of May or at the beginning of June. Pre-admitted students should download and print the application form, mail the original form and other original application materials (except for degree certificate, recommendation letters and HSK transcript) to International Students Division, Peking University.

Mailing Recipient: International Students Division, Peking University

Mailing Address: Room 328, New Sun Student Center, Peking University, No. 5, Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China

Postcode: 100871

Contact: +86-10-62751230

3. Admitted students will complete the registration procedures and be enrolled at Peking University in early September 2026, according to the specific date stated in the admission letter. Admitted students will register at Peking University with their valid passport, visa and admission letter at the designated time. As a part of verification for enrollment qualification, all students should present required original degree certificates at the registration. In principle, students with diplomas awarded by non-Chinese universities should submit the evaluation report issued by the Service Center for Scholarly Exchange under the Chinese Ministry of Education（https://zwfw.cscse.edu.cn/）. Those who do not meet the enrollment requirements will have their admission nullified.

VI. Miselleanous

1. Please refer to websites of the individual school and/or department for additional information including research, advisors and faculty.

2. It is not permissible for graduate students to be enrolled in more than one program or university at the same time.

3. For visa, medical insurance, accommodation, graduation, degree awarding and other matters not covered, please refer to the 2026 Application Information for International Students (Master's Degree and Ph.D. Degree)( https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/detail.php?id=729).

VII. Contact Information

Address: International Students Division, Peking University, No. 5, Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing

Postcode: 100871

Telephone: +86-10-62751230

Email: study@pku.edu.cn

Appendix: 2026 Advisors’ List for China Studies Program at Peking University

International Students Division

Office of International Relations

Peking University

December, 2025