Yenching Academy Master’s Program | Apply Now
Open to applicants of all nationalities
Program Overview!
Want a fully funded, interdisciplinary Master’s in China Studies at Peking University? The Yenching Academy Master’s Program (with the Yenching Fellowship) offers a two-year, English-taught program that covers tuition, on-campus accommodation, a monthly stipend, travel for field study and one round-trip fare — plus intensive Chinese language and research training. Three reasons to apply: (1) comprehensive fellowship that removes most cost barriers, (2) interdisciplinary curriculum across six China-focused research areas, and (3) global cohort & campus life (≈120 scholars each year, ~75% international).
Yenching Academy is an interdisciplinary residential graduate institute at Peking University created to train future leaders with deep knowledge of China. The Academy recruits a global cohort and offers an English-taught Master’s in China Studies with concentrated coursework, field studies, language training and a supervised thesis. The Yenching Fellowship — provided to admitted scholars — covers essential costs for study and research in Beijing and is intended to foster cross-cultural academic exchange and leadership development.
The program awards a Master’s degree in China Studies over two years. Students choose one of six research areas (Politics & IR; Economics & Management; Law & Society; History & Archaeology; Literature & Culture; Philosophy & Religion), complete coursework, intensive Chinese language study (for international students), field research and a thesis. The program is residential (first year on campus) and emphasizes interdisciplinary training and research methods, plus career development.
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Benefits:
- Full tuition coverage for Yenching Fellows (first year guaranteed).
- On-campus accommodation (first year) or housing stipend for second year if applicable.
- Monthly stipend to cover living costs (fellowship includes a living stipend — exact monthly amount is announced by the Academy).
- One round-trip travel allowance and funding for designated field study/research trips.
- Academic & career development supports, exchange opportunities and research grants available to students in good standing.
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Eligibility Criteria
- Education: Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in any field, or be in the final year of a Bachelor’s program and graduating before enrollment (no later than 31 Aug 2026 for the 2026 cohort).
- Academic & extracurricular profile: Outstanding academic record; record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement and leadership potential.
- Language: English proficiency required — accepted tests & minimums listed below (exemptions in narrow cases).
- Nationality rules: International applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with valid passports. Former Chinese citizens must show pre-existing foreign citizenship documentation and proof of cancelled Chinese nationality as required. Mainland Chinese applicants follow PKU Graduate School instructions. Partner-university candidates may need internal pre-selection.
English requirements (applicants must submit one of the tests unless exempt):
- IELTS (Academic): Overall 7.0;
- TOEFL iBT: Overall 100 (institution code C488);
- Cambridge English Scale (Advanced): 185;
- CET-6: 600;
- TEM4: Pass level “良好” or above.Tests must be taken after 1 Sep 2024; TOEFL MyBest, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted. Exemptions apply to applicants who are native English speakers or have graduated from an English-taught degree (with limited exceptions for HMT applicants).
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Application Process
- Create an account & apply online via the Yenching Academy admissions portal: apply.yca.pku.edu.cn. (Do not send paper copies.)
- Prepare & upload required materials in English:
- Completed online application form;
- Personal statement (≤ 750 words);
- Statement of Research Interest (≤ 1500 words, excl. citations);
- Curriculum Vitae;
- Official transcript(s);
- Diploma(s) or certificate(s) of enrollment;
- Two academic letters of recommendation — letters must be written by full professors or associate professors (or equivalent) in the applicant’s intended field, and submitted by the referees.
- Partner university applicants: If you are a student/alumnus of a listed Partner University you must first go through your home university’s internal pre-selection before submitting to Yenching.
- Submission timeline for the 2026 cohort: application portal opens 10 Sep 2025; applicant deadline: 1 Dec 2025 (09:00 AM Beijing time). (Mainland China applicants should consult PKU Graduate School for specific dates/process.)
- Selection & notification: shortlisted candidates proceed through review and interviews; the Academy will notify successful applicants per their admissions timeline (check portal & emails).
About Yenching Academy Master’s Program
Want a fully funded, interdisciplinary Master’s in China Studies at Peking University? The Yenching Academy Master’s Program (with the Yenching Fellowship) offers a two-year, English-taught program that covers tuition, on-campus accommodation, a monthly stipend, travel for field study and one round-trip fare — plus intensive Chinese language and research training. Three reasons to apply: (1) comprehensive fellowship that removes most cost barriers, (2) interdisciplinary curriculum across six China-focused research areas, and (3) global cohort & campus life (≈120 scholars each year, ~75% international).
Yenching Academy is an interdisciplinary residential graduate institute at Peking University created to train future leaders with deep knowledge of China. The Academy recruits a global cohort and offers an English-taught Master’s in China Studies with concentrated coursework, field studies, language training and a supervised thesis. The Yenching Fellowship — provided to admitted scholars — covers essential costs for study and research in Beijing and is intended to foster cross-cultural academic exchange and leadership development.
The program awards a Master’s degree in China Studies over two years. Students choose one of six research areas (Politics & IR; Economics & Management; Law & Society; History & Archaeology; Literature & Culture; Philosophy & Religion), complete coursework, intensive Chinese language study (for international students), field research and a thesis. The program is residential (first year on campus) and emphasizes interdisciplinary training and research methods, plus career development.
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