Yenching Academy Scholarship

The Yenching Academy of Peking University annually enrolls approximately 120 new students from the Chinese Mainland and abroad to study, live, and learn together. Yenching provides a fellowship to all scholars that includes tuition fees, accommodation, a monthly stipend, one round-trip travel fare, and field study costs. Its stated purpose is to support scholars enrolled at Yenching Academy.

Applicants are aimed at those seeking admission as Yenching Scholars, including candidates from the Chinese Mainland and international applicants. The admissions requirements apply to applicants applying through the Yenching Academy admissions portal, and separate instructions apply to candidates from China’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Regions and to international candidates.

Selection requires an application with specified academic and English materials, including academic record, interest in interdisciplinary study of China, and records of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, social responsibility, and leadership potential. Applicants submit English-language documents and recommendation letters from full professors or associate professors (or equivalent titles).

Support is provided through the Yenching Academy fellowship package covering tuition fees, accommodation, a monthly stipend, one round-trip travel fare, and field study costs.

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in any field, or currently enrolled in a Bachelor's program with the expectation of receiving the diploma in August of the intended enrollment year.
• An outstanding academic record.
• Strong interest in interdisciplinary study of China.
• A record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, social responsibility, and leadership potential.
• English proficiency.
• Peking University does not allow students to be enrolled in other degree programs while studying at the university.
• For international candidates: non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport.
• Former citizens of the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan who emigrated and are applying as international students must present valid passport or citizenship documents dating from before April 30 of 2021, along with proof of cancellation of Chinese nationality.
• English proficiency test reporting exceptions: international applicants whose native language is English, or have graduated from an English-taught degree program (undergraduate or above), are not required to provide an English proficiency test report.
• English proficiency test reporting: applicants from China’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Regions are required to provide an English proficiency test report even if they attended or graduated from an English-taught degree program.
• English proficiency test reporting: for applicants from the Chinese Mainland, an English proficiency test report is a compulsory application material.
• English proficiency test timing/acceptance rules: English proficiency tests must be taken after September 1, 2025; TOEFL MyBest Scores, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator test, IELTS Online, and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted.
• English score submission: IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge scores must be sent directly from those organizations; for TOEFL, institution code is C488.
• Recommendation letters must be written by full professors or associate professors (or equivalent titles) and submitted by professors in the applicant’s intended field of study.
• Partner and cooperating university students and alumni must apply through their home university’s internal pre-selection process before submitting to the Yenching Academy.
• Candidates from China’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Regions must apply through the Yenching Academy application portal and complete a supplementary application through the Peking University Graduate Admissions website.

• Tuition fees.
• Accommodation.
• Monthly stipend.
• One round-trip travel fare.
• Field study costs.

1. Create an account and apply through Yenching Academy’s online application portal.
2. Complete and submit the online application form in English.
3. Submit the required materials in English, including the personal statement, statement of research interest, curriculum vitae, official transcripts, diploma(s) or certificate(s) of enrollment, and two academic letters of recommendation.
4. Submit English proficiency test scores if required, ensuring scores are sent directly to Yenching Academy of Peking University by the testing organization (and using institution code C488 for TOEFL).
5. If applying as a partner university student or alumnus, complete the home university internal pre-selection process before submitting the application to Yenching Academy.
6. If applying from China’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Regions, also complete the supplementary application through the Peking University Graduate Admissions website.
7. For Mainland Chinese candidates, use the Graduate School of Peking University website for more information about application.
8. Submit the application by the stated application deadline.

• Completed online application form.
• Personal statement (750 words or less).
• Statement of Research Interest (maximum 1500 words, excluding citations).
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Official transcript(s).
• Diploma(s) or Certificate(s) of Enrollment.
• Two academic letters of recommendation (Chinese or English), written by full professors or associate professors (or equivalent titles) and submitted by professors in the applicant’s intended field of study.
• English proficiency test report where required, with listed minimum scores and acceptance rules.