2026 Application Information for International Students (Master's Degree and Ph.D. Degree)

Peking University (PKU) is a comprehensive research university with disciplines ranging from philosophy, literature, history, law, economics and education to science, engineering, medicine, management, art and interdisciplinary studies.
Peking University enrolls international students to study for master's and Ph.D. degrees through the "Application + Examination" method, and is dedicated to educating innovation-minded scholars with a global perspective and understanding of China.
This admissions prospectus is targeted at applicants to the Yanyuan campus, Changping new campus (Changping District, Beijing), School of Software and Microelectronics (Daxing District, Beijing) and Shenzhen Graduate School (Shenzhen, Guangdong). 
The specific provisions are as follows:

For specific information on different majors/subjects and language of instruction, please refer to the “Peking University 2026 Master's/Doctoral Admissions Major Catalogue (International Students)”.

2.     Method and Length of Study

1)  The study methods for a master's degree or Ph.D. degree at Peking University are divided into full-time and part-time. For details on the learning methods of each major and focus, please refer to the “Peking University 2026 Master's/Doctoral Admissions Major Catalogue (International Students)” .

2)  Unless otherwise specified by the enrollment department (or program), the basic study period for master’s degree students is 2 or 3 years; the basic study period for doctoral students is 4 or 5 years; and, for doctoral students admitted with only a bachelor's degree, the basic study period is generally 5 years.

3.     Application Prerequisites

Applicants must meet all the following requirements:

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

Note: The exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of China reserves the right to judge whether an applicant still has Chinese nationality. If during the application period or even after the admission or registration the applicant is judged to be still holding Chinese nationality, his/her application, admission, registration or even enrollment will be nullified.

2)  Applicants should be healthy, both physically and psychologically, with no criminal record, and must abide by the laws and decrees of China and the regulations of Peking University.

3)  Applicants for master's degree programs must have attained a bachelor's degree or higher from a university/college accredited by the Ministry of Education of China. The special requirements for certain programs, such as MBA, EMBA, IMPA, etc., should be in accordance with the relevant regulations on nationwide master/doctoral admissions.

Applicants for doctoral programs must have attained a master's degree or higher from an institution accredited by the Ministry of Education of China. Applicants with bachelor's degrees may apply for admission to doctoral programs in subjects of sciences and engineering.

4)  The applicant's academic performance, academic level and language ability should meet the admission requirements of the major he/she is applying for.

4.     Application Period (Beijing time)

October 20, 2025 – December 23, 2025

Note: For details on English-taught master's programs, please refer to the respective program's application guidelines.

5.     Application Materials

Visit the International Student Service System (http://www.studyatpku.com ), fill in the application and upload the following documents:

1)  Graduation and degree certificates and degree authentication in Chinese or English. For degree certificates 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). 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).

Note: Applicants who graduated before 2026 must upload their degree authentication report during the application period. Applicants expected to graduate in 2026 must provide an official letter from their current university stating their expected graduation date and submit their certificate of graduation upon being pre-admitted.

2)  Official transcripts of the applicant's academic achievement, including courses taken and standards achieved. These must be original documents or notarized copies, either in Chinese or English.

3)  A personal statement (including a research plan: 1500 words for the master's degree program, 3000 words for the doctoral program). Please click the link to download the template: https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

4)  Résumé and a copy of the Application Commitment letter. Please click the link to download the template for the Commitment letter: https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

5)  Two recommendation letters from professor(s) or associate professor(s) related to the applicant's major (or equivalent professionals with relevant academic title), either in Chinese or English. Once applicants submit a request, the application system will send a link to the recommenders, and the recommenders should click the link and complete the recommendation either by filling out the form online or by uploading a scanned copy of the signed letter. Click the link to download the template: https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/downloads.php?cate=13

6)  Original Chinese or English language test scores:

● For Chinese-taught programs, language test scores fulfilling the required standards are eligible for submission.

● For English-taught programs, applicants whose mother tongue is not English are required to submit TOEFL, iBT (100 points or above) or GRE (315 points or above) scores or other certificates to prove their English language proficiency. For specific requirements, please refer to the application information of the respective English-taught programs.

7)  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.

8)  Table of contents and abstracts of the applicant's academic publications and any other original achievements in his/her field (if applicable).

9)  Some departments/schools may require additional application documents.

Note: Applicants should scan the original or notarized application documents in color using a scanner. Images captured by mobile phone or camera are NOT acceptable.

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 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.

6.     Application Fee

The application fee for each program/major is 800 RMB.

Note: Each applicant may apply for up to two programs/majors. Applicants are required to pay the application fee online before the application deadline. Other currencies or traveler's checks will not be accepted. Applications with incomplete documents or without payment of the application fee will not be processed. The application fee is NOT refundable.

To facilitate opportunities for those who are not proficient in the Chinese language to pursue a PKU degree, Peking University has developed several English-taught programs, some of which are listed below.

For more information please visit https://isd.pku.edu.cn/en/detail.php?id=731