Yenching Academy China Studies Scholarship

Organization: Yenching Academy of Peking University

Type: Scholarship

Location: Global

Deadline: November 30, 2026

Funding: Fully Funded

The Yenching Academy of Peking University runs a two year interdisciplinary Master's in China Studies in Beijing, taught in English, and takes in around 120 scholars a year from China and abroad. Roughly three quarters of each cohort is international; the 2026 intake was 124 people from 37 countries and regions. Every admitted student receives the Yenching Fellowship, which pays tuition, campus housing, a monthly stipend, medical insurance, research costs and one return journey between your home city and Beijing, so nothing about the first year is left for you to fund yourself. **What you get:** - Full tuition for a Peking University Master's degree in China Studies - A room in the Yenching Academy House on the Peking University campus, usually a two bedroom suite shared with one other scholar - A monthly stipend for living costs, plus a separate academic allowance. The Academy does not publish the amount - Basic medical insurance. You buy the Comprehensive Insurance Plan for Foreign Students before registration day and the Academy reimburses you - A travel stipend covering one round trip between a base city in your country of nationality and Beijing, costed by the Academy - Costs of the compulsory week long field study trip and expenses related to your research - A Master's diploma in China Studies in one of six research areas, awarded by Peking University - The option to apply for a second year fellowship covering tuition, housing support, insurance and a monthly stipend, if you keep good academic standing and stay in Beijing **What you'll do:** - Complete all your coursework in the first year, living on campus, then write and defend a Master's thesis in the second - Take four required courses: the Topics in China Studies lecture series, China in Transition, a week long field study trip, and Academic Writing - Study Chinese language, which is compulsory for international scholars unless you qualify for a waiver through HSK 6 or a Chinese taught degree - Pick one of six research areas: Economics and Management, History and Archaeology, Philosophy and Religion, Politics and International Relations, Law and Society, or Literature and Culture - Earn at least 31 credits and pass an oral thesis defence before an academic committee, within two years of enrolling - Take up internships and volunteering in the second year, supported by the Academy's career advising **Key dates:** - Applications open 1 September 2026 - Applications close 30 November 2026 at 9:00 am Beijing time - Partner University nominees have until 7 December 2026 at 9:00 am Beijing time - Applicants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must also post hardcopy materials to arrive before 10 January 2027 - Interviews run December to March, online for international candidates. No interviews between 18 January and 16 February 2027, during Peking University's winter vacation - Admission decisions for international candidates released around April 2027 - Admissions publicly posted for seven days around May 2027 - Official Peking University admission letter issued by the end of June 2027 - Enrolment at Peking University in early September 2027 **More information:** - Full application instructions for the 2027 cohort, dated 1 September 2026, on the Academy's admissions portal - The Academy's own frequently asked questions cover the fellowship, the thesis, the degree types and the selection timeline - Peking University's International Students Division publishes a separate page for this programme - Mainland Chinese applicants apply through the Peking University Graduate School, by a different route with different requirements

Yenching Academy of Peking UniversityScholarship

Yenching Academy China Studies Scholarship

Nov 30, 2026 09:00:00 CST

Opportunity type

Scholarship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Nov 30, 2026 09:00:00 CST

About this opportunity

What you get:

Full tuition for a Peking University Master's degree in China Studies
A room in the Yenching Academy House on the Peking University campus, usually a two bedroom suite shared with one other scholar
A monthly stipend for living costs, plus a separate academic allowance. The Academy does not publish the amount
Basic medical insurance. You buy the Comprehensive Insurance Plan for Foreign Students before registration day and the Academy reimburses you
A travel stipend covering one round trip between a base city in your country of nationality and Beijing, costed by the Academy
Costs of the compulsory week long field study trip and expenses related to your research
A Master's diploma in China Studies in one of six research areas, awarded by Peking University
The option to apply for a second year fellowship covering tuition, housing support, insurance and a monthly stipend, if you keep good academic standing and stay in Beijing

What you'll do:

Complete all your coursework in the first year, living on campus, then write and defend a Master's thesis in the second
Take four required courses: the Topics in China Studies lecture series, China in Transition, a week long field study trip, and Academic Writing
Study Chinese language, which is compulsory for international scholars unless you qualify for a waiver through HSK 6 or a Chinese taught degree
Pick one of six research areas: Economics and Management, History and Archaeology, Philosophy and Religion, Politics and International Relations, Law and Society, or Literature and Culture
Earn at least 31 credits and pass an oral thesis defence before an academic committee, within two years of enrolling
Take up internships and volunteering in the second year, supported by the Academy's career advising

Key dates:

Applications open 1 September 2026
Applications close 30 November 2026 at 9:00 am Beijing time
Partner University nominees have until 7 December 2026 at 9:00 am Beijing time
Applicants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must also post hardcopy materials to arrive before 10 January 2027
Interviews run December to March, online for international candidates. No interviews between 18 January and 16 February 2027, during Peking University's winter vacation
Admission decisions for international candidates released around April 2027
Admissions publicly posted for seven days around May 2027
Official Peking University admission letter issued by the end of June 2027
Enrolment at Peking University in early September 2027

More information:

Full application instructions for the 2027 cohort, dated 1 September 2026, on the Academy's admissions portal
The Academy's own frequently asked questions cover the fellowship, the thesis, the degree types and the selection timeline
Peking University's International Students Division publishes a separate page for this programme
Mainland Chinese applicants apply through the Peking University Graduate School, by a different route with different requirements

Who can apply

Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field, or currently enrolled in a Bachelor's programme with the diploma expected in August of the enrolment year
International applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport. Former citizens of the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan need passport or citizenship documents dating from before 30 April 2021 plus proof that Chinese nationality was cancelled
An outstanding academic record
Strong interest in the interdisciplinary study of China
A record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, social responsibility and leadership potential
English proficiency: IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, TOEFL iBT 100, Cambridge English Advanced 185, CET 6 at 600, or TEM 4 at a pass level of good or above. Tests must have been taken after 1 September 2025
Native English speakers and graduates of English taught degree programmes can request a waiver of the English test. Applicants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must submit a score regardless
TOEFL MyBest Scores, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted
Two academic letters of recommendation, in English or Chinese, from full or associate professors in your intended field of study
A personal statement of 750 words or less and a Statement of Research Interest of up to 1,500 words excluding citations
A CV of no more than two pages, official transcripts, and a diploma or certificate of enrolment
Peking University does not allow you to be enrolled in another degree programme at the same time
Students and alumni of Partner Universities must first go through their own university's internal nomination process
Offer holders must supply an overseas credential evaluation from the CSCSE or the CSSD, a third party service that charges its own fee
Mainland Chinese applicants must currently be enrolled undergraduates at a mainland Chinese university and apply through the Peking University Graduate School
Certain medical conditions listed in Peking University's Physical Standards for Admission make a candidate ineligible. A health history form is requested only after an offer

AI Verification

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Good to know

+A two year Master's in China Studies at Peking University, taught in English
+Year one covers tuition, campus housing, a monthly stipend, medical insurance, one return flight, and field study and research costs
+Around 120 scholars a year from roughly 37 countries, about three quarters of them international
+Free to apply through the Academy's own portal

Worth checking yourself

!The fellowship is guaranteed for twelve months, but the degree runs two years. Second year funding must be applied for, needs good academic standing, and requires you to keep living in Beijing. No page says who pays second year tuition if you leave after the coursework year
!The deadline is 30 November at 09:00 Beijing time. That is a morning cutoff, not the usual end of day, so a full day earlier than most people would assume
!If you are nominated by a partner university you have until 7 December instead
!The monthly stipend amount is not published anywhere
!Peking University charges international graduate applicants 800 RMB through its general admissions route. That route is separate from this one and this application is free, but do not start the wrong process

Sources checked

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