The Yenching Academy of Peking University enrolls about 120 scholars a year into a two-year, English-taught interdisciplinary Master's in China Studies. Every admitted scholar receives the Yenching Fellowship covering tuition, housing, a monthly stipend, one round-trip flight, insurance, and research costs, with the cohort living together on Peking University's historic campus in Beijing.
Why it is notable: This is one of very few fully funded Master's programs at a top Chinese university that requires no prior China background and no Mandarin — the working language is English and Mandarin is taught in class. Unlike typical Chinese government scholarships, admission and funding are a single application through the Academy itself, and the recommender bar is unusually specific (only full/associate professors in your intended field). The November 30 deadline with a hard 9:00 AM Beijing-time cutoff is earlier than most China scholarships, so it gets missed.
Funding at a glance
What it covers
Full fellowship — full tuition at Peking University, on-campus accommodation (Yenching Academy House), monthly living stipend, one round-trip airfare between home city and Beijing, basic medical insurance, and a research expense allowance. Field-study travel supported for…
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Graduationfor Masters
This scholarship is offered for Masters programs.
Who can apply
International candidates and applicants from China's Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions. Minimum a Bachelor's degree in any field, or enrollment in a Bachelor's program with diploma expected before August of the enrollment year (31 August 2027 per current cycle). No China-related academic background required — scholars come from diverse disciplines.
Experience
No experience required
Language Certificate
English proficiency required unless exempt. IELTS (Academic) overall 7.0; TOEFL (iBT) overall 100; Cambridge English Scale (Advanced) overall 185; CET 6 overall 600; TEM 4 pass level "良好" or above. Exempt: native English speakers, or applicants who graduated from an English-taught degree program (undergraduate or above). Applicants from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions MUST provide a test report even if English-taught; Mainland China applicants must provide one as a compulsory material. Tests must be taken after 1 September 2025. NOT accepted: TOEFL MyBest Scores, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online, IELTS One Skill Retake. For IELTS/TOEFL/Cambridge, scores must be sent directly by the testing organization — designate "Yenching Academy of Peking University" as recipient; TOEFL institution code C488.
Other Certificates
Degree certificates & transcripts
Age Limit
No official age cut-off is published on the Yenching Academy site. FU Berlin (official Yenching partner university) notes the average age of students entering the program is 23 — an observed average, not a rule (official partner source).
Tools that may help
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes which scholarships we list or how we describe them.
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
International candidates and applicants from China's Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions. Minimum a Bachelor's degree in any field, or enrollment in a…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Language
English proficiency required unless exempt. IELTS (Academic) overall 7.0; TOEFL (iBT) overall 100; Cambridge English Scale (Advanced) overall 185; CET 6 overall 600; TEM 4 pass level "良好" or above. Exempt: native English speakers, or applicants who graduated from an English-taught degree program (undergraduate or above). Applicants from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions MUST provide a test report even if English-taught; Mainland China applicants must provide one as a compulsory material. Tests must be taken after 1 September 2025. NOT accepted: TOEFL MyBest Scores, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online, IELTS One Skill Retake. For IELTS/TOEFL/Cambridge, scores must be sent directly by the testing organization — designate "Yenching Academy of Peking University" as recipient; TOEFL institution code C488.
02
Qualification
International candidates and applicants from China's Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions
Application fee
No fee — completely free
No separate scholarship application fee is published; confirm on the official page.
Visa, kept concise: Admitted scholars enter on an X1 study visa (study over 180 days): apply at the Chinese embassy/consulate with the JW202 form and admission notice issued by Peking University.
Application Procedure
6 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Check the official ADMISSIONS page for qualification text
English minima, and the Apply Now portal link.
→
02
If you study at (or graduated from)
a Yenching Academy Partner University, complete your university's internal pre-selection process FIRST. Partner-university nominees get an extended deadline — 7 December 2026, 9:00 AM Beijing time, corroborated by FU Ber
→
03
Create an account on the Yenching Academy
online admissions portal and complete the online application form in English.
↓
06
Submit everything before the deadline. Interviews for
international finalists are held online, roughly winter to early spring, with about one week's notice; final decisions expected around April (per secondary sources — confirm).
←
05
Register two recommenders in the portal —
they must be full professors or associate professors (or equivalent titles) in your intended field of study. Recommendation letters can be in Chinese or English.
←
04
Upload: personal statement (750 words or fewer)
statement of research interest (max 1,500 words excluding citations), CV, official transcript(s), diploma(s) or certificate(s) of enrollment, passport identity page, and English test report where required.
Application milestones
30 Nov 2026
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official Yenching Academy, Peking University platform.
30 Nov 2026 — , 09:00 Beijing Time (GMT+8). This is the official deadline for international candidates and applicants from…
Who can apply?
International candidates and applicants from China's Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions. Minimum a Bachelor's degree in any field, or enrollment in a Bachelor's program with diploma expected before August of the enrollment year (31 August 2027 per current cycle). No China-related academic background required — scholars come from diverse disciplines.
What does the scholarship cover?
Full fellowship — full tuition at Peking University, on-campus accommodation (Yenching Academy House), monthly living stipend, one round-trip airfare between home city and Beijing, basic medical insurance, and a research expense allowance. Field-study travel supported for…
Where do I apply?
Through the official application portal linked in the Official links section on this page.
Need document or attestation help?
Detailed attestation guidance stays in Opplore's standalone Guides section, not inside this scholarship page.
China · Yenching Academy, Peking University