The Yenching Academy Scholarship is a full fellowship for a two-year interdisciplinary master’s in China Studies at Peking University in Beijing. It’s open to graduates from around the world, including Africa, and about 75% of each cohort is international. Fellowship funding covers your tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend and more, so the scholarship and the degree come as one package.
You don’t need to speak Chinese or have studied China before. You do need an outstanding academic record, a clear reason for wanting to study China, and evidence that you can lead. This guide covers what the fellowship pays for, who can apply, the application steps, and what the Academy says about its selection process. Read it alongside the official pages, because details change.
Key Benefits: What the Yenching Academy Scholarship Covers
The Academy calls its funding the Yenching Fellowship. Its FAQ says that in the first academic year, the fellowship covers:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation in Yenching Academy housing on Peking University’s campus
- A travel stipend for one round trip between your base city and Beijing (the base city must be in your country of nationality, and the Academy estimates the cost)
- Basic medical insurance
- A monthly stipend
- Research-related expenses, with the admissions page also listing field study costs
The pages I read don’t publish the stipend amount. Ask the Admissions Office before you plan your budget.
The second year
The fellowship is initially for twelve months. Scholars in good academic standing who stay in Beijing for the second year can apply for a second-year fellowship. It covers tuition, accommodation support (a campus house or an off-campus housing stipend), basic medical insurance and a monthly stipend. Second-year students who live on campus and take student assistant roles can receive additional funding.
International students can choose whether to remain in Beijing in year two. Those who leave can defend their thesis remotely with their advisor’s permission, though the second-year fellowship is tied to staying in Beijing.
What the degree gives you
You graduate with a Master’s diploma in China Studies from Peking University. The exact title depends on your research area, for example Master of Law in China Studies (Politics & International Relations) or Master of Economics in China Studies (Economics & Management). Roughly 30% of past scholars went on to PhD study, according to the Academy.
Who the Yenching Academy Scholarship Is For: Undergraduate, Graduate and Postgraduate Students
Final-year undergraduates and recent graduates
This is the core audience. The Academy admits applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree in any field, or who are currently enrolled and will receive their diploma by August of the year they enrol. The average age of entering students is 23.
Graduate and postgraduate applicants
You can apply with a master’s already in hand. The Academy says about 16% of previous scholars did, but adds that holders of graduate degrees aren’t favoured in selection. If you’re currently in a graduate programme, your degree must be awarded no later than August of the enrolment year, because Peking University doesn’t allow concurrent enrolment in two programmes.
Doctoral study
The Yenching Academy Scholarship funds a master’s programme, not a PhD. If you’re aiming for doctoral study, our guides to the Clarendon Fund Scholarships and the Gates Cambridge Scholarship cover other routes.
Age
There’s no strict age limit. However, apart from recipients of the Zhuoyue Scholarship, nobody over 29 has been admitted to the programme.
Yenching Academy Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
The admissions page lists these qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree in any field, or current enrolment with a diploma expected by August of the intake year
- An outstanding academic record
- A strong interest in the interdisciplinary study of China
- A record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, social responsibility and leadership potential
- English proficiency
Citizenship rules
International applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport. If you’re a former citizen of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan who emigrated and now applies as an international student, you must present passport or citizenship documents dated before April 30, 2021, plus proof that your Chinese nationality was cancelled. Applicants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and mainland Chinese applicants, follow separate routes.
English requirements
The Academy lists these minimum scores:
- IELTS Academic: overall 7.0
- TOEFL iBT: overall 100
- Cambridge English Scale (Advanced): overall 185
- CET-6: overall 600
- TEM-4: pass level of “good” or above
Test details to know:
- Tests must have been taken after September 1, 2025.
- TOEFL MyBest Scores, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator, IELTS Online and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted.
- Scores must be sent directly from the testing organisation. For TOEFL, use institution code C488.
Exemptions
International applicants whose native language is English, or who graduated from an English-taught degree programme (undergraduate or above), don’t need to provide a test report. Applicants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan must provide one regardless.
What you don’t need
You don’t need to have studied China or Chinese. The FAQ says applicants must be strongly interested in doing so and should explain a study plan linked to their career goals. All international scholars take a compulsory Chinese language course, though those with high proficiency can apply for a waiver.
How to Apply for the Yenching Academy Scholarship (Step by Step)
There’s no separate scholarship form. Applying for the programme is applying for the fellowship.
Step 1: Check whether your university is a Partner University
This step matters more than most applicants realise. All students and alumni of Partner Universities must apply through their home university’s internal pre-selection process before submitting to the Academy. The Partner list includes the University of Cape Town in Africa, plus many universities in Asia, Europe and the Americas. If your university is a Cooperating University instead, you apply directly through the Academy’s portal.
I couldn’t find other African universities on the Partner list I read, so most readers from Africa apply directly. Check the list for your own university, because it’s the only authority.
Step 2: Join an information session
The Academy runs student-led online sessions in October, with regional and multilingual options. Attending lets you ask current scholars and alumni about daily life, courses and the application.
Step 3: Create your portal account
Create an account on the Academy’s admissions portal. Every material is submitted in English.
Step 4: Write your two statements
You’ll submit a personal statement of 750 words or less and a Statement of Research Interest of up to 1,500 words (excluding citations). The FAQ says personal statements should offer specific and persuasive explanations of how you’d benefit from this interdisciplinary China Studies programme.
Step 5: Arrange your recommendations
You need two academic letters, in Chinese or English, from full or associate professors (or equivalent) in your intended field of study. Peking University only accepts letters from people at that level. Ask early.
Step 6: Upload your documents and submit
Upload your CV, transcripts, diploma or certificate of enrolment and your English score report, then submit before the deadline.
Apply here: Yenching Academy online application portal
Step 7: Prepare for an online interview
Finalists are contacted about a week before their interview. International candidates are interviewed online in winter or early spring. The Academy advises a strong internet connection (wired if possible), good lighting, a tested camera and microphone, and being ready at your computer 20 minutes early.
Step 8: Wait for the decision
Final decisions for international candidates are released around April. Admitted students must complete internal Peking University procedures before pre-admission, and final admission is confirmed by the official Peking University acceptance letter issued in the summer before enrolment.
Required Documents Checklist
From the official admissions page:
- Completed online application form
- Personal statement (750 words or less)
- Statement of Research Interest (maximum 1,500 words, excluding citations)
- Curriculum Vitae
- Official transcript(s)
- Diploma(s) or certificate(s) of enrolment
- Two academic letters of recommendation (Chinese or English) from full or associate professors in your intended field
- English proficiency report sent directly from the test provider, unless you’re exempt
- Valid passport (international applicants)
- For former Chinese citizens: passport or citizenship documents dated before April 30, 2021, and proof of cancellation of Chinese nationality
- For Partner University students and alumni: confirmation that you applied through your home university’s pre-selection
The admissions page says more details become available in the portal after you create an account, so check it for anything extra.
Important Deadlines and Timeline
Key dates (September 2027 intake)
- September 1, 2026: applications opened
- October 2026: information sessions, including October 12 at Peking University (online option available) and October 13 at the University of Hong Kong
- November 30, 2026, 9:00 am Beijing time: application deadline for international candidates and applicants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan
- Winter or early spring 2027: online interviews for international finalists
- Around April 2027: final decisions released
- Summer 2027: official Peking University acceptance letter
- Early September 2027: the academic year begins
Convert the deadline to your time
9:00 am Beijing time is 2:00 am in Lagos on the same date, so treat November 29 as your real deadline if you’re in West Africa. Check your own conversion.
A practical timeline
- Now: check whether your university is a Partner, join an information session and request your recommendation letters.
- Mid-October: book your English test if you need one, and make sure scores will arrive in time.
- Late October to mid-November: draft your personal statement and research statement, then get feedback.
- Mid-to-late November: upload everything and submit well before the deadline.
- After submitting: check your email regularly for interview invitations.
If you’re a Partner University applicant, your home university will have its own earlier internal deadline, so contact its office now.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping pre-selection at a Partner University. Students and alumni of Partner Universities must go through their home university first.
Applying with a test the Academy doesn’t accept. Home Edition, Online, Indicator, MyBest and one-skill retakes are all excluded.
Sending scores yourself. Scores must come directly from the testing organisation.
Using an old test. The test must have been taken after September 1, 2025.
Choosing the wrong recommenders. Only full or associate professors, or equivalent, in your intended field are accepted.
Writing a generic China statement. The FAQ asks for specific and persuasive explanations of how you’d benefit from this particular programme.
Treating it as a Chinese-language programme. It’s a China Studies master’s taught largely in English, with Chinese language as a compulsory course.
Assuming you can overlap degrees. Your current degree must be awarded by August.
Assuming a master’s helps. The Academy says holders of graduate degrees aren’t favoured.
Waiting until the last day. Beijing time and portal traffic can catch you out.
Insider Tips to Improve Your Chances
These come from reading how the process is built, not from any official guarantee.
- Match your statements to the four evaluation criteria. The FAQ lists academic merit, leadership potential, international experience and long-term aspirations. Give each a concrete example.
- Make your research interest specific. The 1,500-word statement is where you show you can do independent work. Name a question, a possible approach and one of the six research areas: Economics and Management, History and Archaeology, Philosophy and Religion, Politics and International Relations, Law and Society, or Literature and Culture.
- Link your career goals to China. The Academy wants a study plan connected to your future, whatever your previous major.
- Show international experience. It’s one of the stated criteria. Exchanges, fieldwork, cross-border projects, languages and work abroad all count.
- Use the information sessions. They’re student-led, and some are regional or in other languages. Current scholars can tell you what the interview feels like.
- Ask your professors early. A letter from someone in your intended field, written with detail, matters more than a famous name.
- Prepare for the online interview. Test your setup, and practise explaining your research interest and why Beijing in a few clear sentences.
- Be realistic about numbers. About 120 places are offered each year, with roughly 30-35% going to applicants from Europe, 25-30% from the US and Canada, and 30-35% from the rest of the world. That last group includes Africa.
- Reapply if you need to. The FAQ welcomes reapplications, as long as you can explain how you used the year to strengthen your skills and goals.
- Keep a backup list. Our guides to the MEXT Scholarship University Recommendation route, the ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship and Chevening Scholarships cover other funded master’s options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Yenching Academy Scholarship?
A full fellowship for Yenching Academy’s two-year master’s in China Studies at Peking University.
What does it cover?
Tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend, one round-trip travel allowance, basic medical insurance and research-related expenses in the first year. Second-year support is available for those who stay in Beijing in good standing.
How much is the stipend?
It isn’t published on the pages I reviewed. Ask the Admissions Office.
Do I need to speak Chinese?
No. Chinese language is a compulsory course for international scholars, and those with high proficiency can apply for a waiver.
Do I need a China Studies background?
No. You do need strong interest and a study plan that connects to your goals.
How many students are admitted?
About 120 a year, with international students making up roughly 75%.
What is the deadline?
November 30, 2026, 9:00 am Beijing time, for the September 2027 intake.
Is there an age limit?
No strict limit, but no one over 29 has been admitted other than Zhuoyue Scholarship recipients. The average entering age is 23.
Can I apply with a master’s degree?
Yes, but holders of graduate degrees aren’t favoured.
Can I apply while still studying?
Yes, if you’ll receive your diploma by August of the enrolment year.
What English score do I need?
IELTS Academic 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 100, among other accepted tests, unless you’re exempt.
Who can write my recommendation letters?
Full or associate professors, or equivalent, in your intended field of study.
How are applicants interviewed?
International finalists are interviewed online, in winter or early spring.
When do I find out?
Around April, with the final acceptance letter issued in the summer.
What degree do I get?
A Master’s diploma in China Studies from Peking University, in one of six research areas.
How long is the programme?
Two years. You need at least 31 credits plus a passed master’s thesis.
Can I reapply?
Yes, if you can explain how you’ve strengthened your application.
Conclusion: Your Next Steps
The Yenching Academy Scholarship offers something rare: a funded master’s at one of Asia’s leading universities, aimed at people who want to understand China and work across cultures. The application is detailed but manageable, and the deadline is several weeks away.
Here is what to do this week:
- Check whether your university is a Partner or Cooperating University.
- Register for an October information session.
- Ask two professors in your field for recommendation letters.
- Book an accepted English test, or confirm your exemption.
- Start drafting your personal statement and research statement.
- Plan to submit by the evening of November 29 if you’re in Nigeria or another West African time zone.
- Build a backup funding list.
Whatever the result, writing a clear case for why China and why now will strengthen every other application you make. Start early and keep going.
A note from the author: scholarship details, deadlines and requirements change often. This article reflects what the Yenching Academy’s official pages said at the time of writing. Please verify every detail on the Yenching Academy website and the application portal before you apply.