2026 Application Information for International Students (Masters’ Degree and Ph.D. Degree)

Established in April 2001 with the approval of the Ministry of Education, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School (PKU Shenzhen) serves as the southern campus of Peking University, China’s most prestigious university. Peking University is ranked No. 14 in the QS World University Rankings 2026.

PKU Shenzhen is a leading institution for graduate education, comprising nine graduate schools:

• School of Electronic and Computer Engineering

• School of Chemical Biology & Biotechnology

• School of Environment & Energy

• School of Urban Planning & Design

• School of Advanced Materials

• School of AI for Science

• HSBC Business School

• School of Transnational Law

• School of Humanities & Social Sciences

Together, these schools offer a wide range of academic programs, including Finance, Economics, Management, J.M., MBA, EMBA, Territorial Spatial Planning, Information Science & Technology, Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Chemical Biology, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering , AI4S and Financial Media.

In addition to the requirements outlined in the 2026 Application Information for International Students (Master’s and Ph.D. Degrees), applicants must also meet the specific eligibility criteria, application materials, and English proficiency requirements stated in the individual school prospectuses.

1. Disciplines and Majors

Major Catalog of Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School

2.Application Prerequisite

1) Applicants must meet all the following requirements:

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 from a university/college accredited by the Ministry of Education of China (Grade skipping or joining in the middle of the course is not permitted). 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 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.

3. Application Period (Beijing time)

October 20, 2025 –December 23, 2025

Note: The application deadline for Juris Master (JD)（LLB) and Juris Master (JD)(non-LLB) is March 15, 2026. The application deadline for MBA (part-time) and EMBA (part-time) is March 31, 2026. For details on English-taught master’s programs, please refer to the respective program’s application guidelines. The deadline for the English-taught doctoral program applications is February 28, 2026. The deadline for the English-taught master program applications is March 31, 2026.

4.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 “Commitment for Application”. Please click the link to download the template for the Commitment: 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 the 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:

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

Note: Qualified HSK 7–9 level scores are also accepted.

l 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.

5.Examination by the School/Department

1) Education Administration Office(EAO) of Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School will review the applicant’s basic qualifications. After passing the review, the application materials will be forwarded to the admissions office of the respective school/department for the academic review.

2) The school’s (department, institute, center) admissions team will organize professional expert panels to review the applicants’ academic dossiers. All the submitted application materials will be reviewed to assess the applicant’s overall ability. A shortlist of applicants will be drawn up for the next step of examination.

3) The second examination round will be held in March or April 2025. The specific date and time will be decided by the respective school/department and posted on the school/department’s website. Applicants should check regularly for relevant online information to be posted.

The school’s (department, institute, center) admissions expert committee will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the candidates’ research capacity, language proficiency, innovation capacity and comprehensive quality in the second examination round and evaluate the candidates’ ranking.

6.Admission

1) On the basis of the school’s or department’s examination results, the Admission Office will review and make the preliminary admission list.

2) The preliminary admission list will be posted by the school/department before the end of May. Applicants should pay close attention to the latest related notice of the school/department.

3) The pre-admitted candidates should download and print the application form and, together with other required original application documents (except for degree diploma and recommendation letters), deliver or mail the materials to the School. Please find the mail address on the form below.

Deadline: May 31, 2026

Contact Information

4) In late June 2026, EAO will issue an admission notice, Confirmation Form for Study in China (JW201/JW202) and other documents to the admitted students.

7.Enrollment

Admitted students will complete the registration procedures and enroll at Peking University in late August 2026. The specific time will be announced in the admission notice. Admitted students must register at Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School with their valid passport, valid visa and admission letter at the designated time. All students should present their original degree certificates as required upon registration for the enrollment qualification review. Students with degree diplomas awarded by overseas universities should, in addition, submit the authentication report issued by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange. Students who do not pass the enrollment qualification review will be disqualified from enrollment at Peking University.

8.Tuition Fees (per year per person) and Scholarships

1) Tuition Fees：In accordance with the notices issued by each college

2) Scholarships

Chinese Government Scholarships

School-funded Scholarships

Note: The evaluation of applicants for scholarships will be carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations of the government and the university. For more information, please refer to the International Student Division’s website.

9.Visa, Medical Insurance and Accommodation

Visa: Students admitted to PKU should apply for a student visa at the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in their country with the letter of admission and the JW201/202 form. International students who will study in China for over 6 months are required to obtain an “X1” visa, which will only be valid for 30 days upon arrival in China; upon arriving in China, they must come to the Exit and Entry Administration Bureau of Nanshan District and apply for a Residence Permit within 30 days in order to obtain a legal status in China.

Medical Insurance: The Ministry of Education of China stipulates that all international students must be medically insured throughout their entire planned period of study. Students are required to purchase the “Comprehensive Insurance Plan for Foreign Students” on the day of registration. Students who do not have valid medical insurance will not be allowed to register.

Accommodation: Accommodation will be provided to students at Yan Yuan Building No. 6, singular room, which costs RMB 1320 yuan per month. Please note that students who live off campus must register with the local police station within 24 hours of arrival.

10.Graduation and Degree Awarding

Students who have completed all the requirements stipulated in the academic plan and passed their thesis defense upon completion of their study are permitted to graduate. After being examined and approved by the Academic Degree Assessment Committee of the university, the corresponding academic degree will be conferred. As the only PKU school operating in a different place, the degree certificate of PKUSZ graduates is approved and issued by Peking University.

11.Additional Notes

1) For further information about the school/department to which the applicant is applying, such as the school or department’s basic facilities, research, supervisors and faculty, subjects, research focus, training and grants, please refer to the website of the respective school or department.

2) Graduate students are NOT allowed to be enrolled in two or more programs/universities at the same time.

3) Applicants should actively pay close attention to the latest relevant information posted at the website or sent by the school/department he/she is applying to. Applicants must read and follow the posted instructions/deadlines in a timely way; all consequences caused by the applicant’s personal negligence and other reasons shall be borne by the applicant himself/herself solely.

4) Issues that may arise which are not mentioned here will be handled in accordance with the relevant regulations of the university and higher authorities. If new graduate student admission policies are issued in the year 2025, Peking University will make corresponding adjustments and announce the changes in a timely way.

Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School

October 2025