Yenching Academy Scholarship Program 2027 at Peking University | Fully Funded
Peking University’s Yenching Academy Scholarship Program is now accepting applications for its 2027 cohort of Yenching Scholars, a fully funded graduate programme in interdisciplinary China Studies. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend, round-trip travel, and field study costs for every scholar admitted. Applications opened September 1, 2026 and close November 30, 2026 at 9:00 am Beijing time. Around 120 students are admitted each year, and international students make up roughly 75% of the cohort, and this guide focuses on exactly what that international application track requires.
Yenching Academy brings together roughly 120 students each year, most of them from outside China, to study China itself from the inside, living and learning together across disciplines rather than within a single narrow field. It’s built for people who already have real academic depth and want to bring that background to bear specifically on understanding China, not for students starting a graduate degree from scratch with no existing direction.
Yenching Academy Scholarship Program Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | Yenching Academy Scholars Program — Peking University |
| Host Country ⇒ | China |
| Study Level ⇒ | Master’s — interdisciplinary China Studies |
| Benefits ⇒ | Fully Funded — tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend, one round-trip travel fare, and field study costs |
| Funded By ⇒ | Yenching Academy, Peking University |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Open to international candidates worldwide, with separate application tracks for Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan applicants |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | November 30, 2026, 9:00am Beijing time |
The Three Application Tracks
Which track applies to you depends on your citizenship and background:
- International candidates must be non-Chinese citizens holding a valid passport. If you were previously a citizen of the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan and have since emigrated, you’ll need valid passport or citizenship documents dated before April 30, 2021, plus proof that your Chinese nationality was cancelled.
- Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan (HMT) candidates apply through both the Yenching Academy portal and a supplementary application on Peking University’s Graduate Admissions website — this is a two-part process, not a single application.
- Mainland Chinese candidates follow a separate process detailed through Peking University’s Graduate School website, distinct from the international and HMT tracks.
If you’re a student or alumnus of a Yenching Academy Partner University, you need to go through your home university’s internal pre-selection process before you can submit your application to the Academy directly — this applies to HMT and international candidates alike.
English Language Requirements
You need one of the following minimum scores:
- IELTS (Academic): 7.0 overall
- TOEFL (iBT): 100 overall
- Cambridge English Scale (Advanced): 185 overall
- CET 6: 600 overall
- TEM 4: a “良好” (good) grade or above
If English is your native language, or you’ve graduated from an English-taught degree programme at undergraduate level or above, you’re exempt from submitting a test score with one exception. HMT applicants must submit an English proficiency test report regardless of their educational background; without it, they’re required to take English as a Second Language after enrolling. For Mainland Chinese applicants, a test report is compulsory with no exemption available.
A few rules to have in mind: your test must have been taken after September 1, 2025, and Yenching Academy does not accept TOEFL MyBest Scores, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online, or IELTS One Skill Retake. Scores must also be sent directly from the testing organisation itself — when you book your exam, designate “Yenching Academy of Peking University” as your recipient (TOEFL institution code: C488), since scores you submit yourself aren’t accepted.
Who Can Apply for the Yenching Academy Scholarship Program
You must have:
- At minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in any field, or currently be enrolled in a Bachelor’s programme with your diploma expected by August of your intended enrollment year
- An outstanding academic record
- A genuine, strong interest in the interdisciplinary study of China, not just a general interest in graduate study
- A track record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, social responsibility, and leadership potential
- English proficiency, whether demonstrated through a test score or an exemption
Required Submission Documents
- A completed online application form
- A personal statement, 750 words or fewer
- A Statement of Research Interest, up to 1,500 words excluding citations
- A current CV
- Official transcripts
- Your diploma, or a certificate of enrollment if you haven’t graduated yet
- Two academic letters of recommendation, in Chinese or English
Peking University only accepts recommendation letters from full professors or associate professors, or equivalent titles — a letter from a lecturer, postdoc, or non-academic supervisor won’t be accepted, and your recommenders need to be in your intended field of study specifically.
What the Yenching Academy Scholarship Program Covers
- Full tuition fees
- Accommodation for the duration of the programme
- A monthly stipend
- One round-trip travel fare
- Field study costs
This applies to every scholar admitted — there’s no separate, more limited funding tier.
How to Apply
- Check whether you need home-university pre-selection first. If you’re a student or alumnus of a Yenching Academy Partner University, you must go through your home university’s internal pre-selection process before you’re able to submit an application to the Academy directly. Confirm this with your university before doing anything else.
- Create an account on the Yenching Academy admissions portal. This is where your entire application takes place, and more detailed guidance becomes available once your account is set up.
- Confirm which application track applies to you — international, Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan, or Mainland Chinese — since each follows a different process. International candidates apply directly through the Yenching Academy portal; HMT candidates need to also complete a supplementary application through Peking University’s Graduate Admissions website; Mainland Chinese candidates follow a separate process through the Peking University Graduate School website. Check here for your track.
- Prepare and submit every required document in English, through the portal: your completed application form, personal statement (750 words or fewer), Statement of Research Interest (up to 1,500 words excluding citations), CV, official transcripts, diploma or certificate of enrollment, and proof of English proficiency if required.
- Arrange your two academic letters of recommendation from full or associate professors (or equivalent) in your intended field of study, submitted in Chinese or English.
- Submit your complete application before November 30, 2026, 9:00am Beijing time.
Application Deadline
Applications close November 30, 2026 at 9:00am Beijing time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply if I haven’t graduated yet?
Yes, as long as you’re currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s programme and expect to receive your diploma by August of your intended enrollment year. You’d submit a certificate of enrollment in place of your diploma at the application stage.
Do I need to submit an English test score if I studied my degree entirely in English?
Not necessarily. If you’re a native English speaker or graduated from an English-taught degree programme at undergraduate level or above, you’re exempt — unless you’re applying from Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan, in which case a test report is required regardless of your educational background.
Can my recommendation letter come from an assistant professor or lecturer?
No. Peking University only accepts letters from full professors or associate professors, or equivalent titles, and they must be in your intended field of study. A letter from someone outside these ranks won’t be accepted.
Is this scholarship open to Nigerian and other African applicants?
Yes. As long as you’re a non-Chinese citizen with a valid passport, you’d apply under the international candidates track, alongside meeting every other academic and English proficiency requirement.
Can I submit my own copy of my IELTS or TOEFL score instead of having it sent directly?
No. Scores must be sent directly from the testing organisation to Yenching Academy — you need to designate “Yenching Academy of Peking University” as your recipient when you book your exam, using institution code C488 for TOEFL specifically. Self-submitted score reports aren’t accepted.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of September 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official Yenching Academy website before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with Peking University or the Yenching Academy.
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