Yenching Scholarship

Fast Facts

• Based at Peking University (PKU) in Beijing
• Aims to build bridges between China and the world through a fully-funded interdisciplinary master’s program in China Studies.
• Scholars benefit from a highly customizable program, featuring an array of interdisciplinary course electives.
• For their theses, Scholars choose a topic within one of six academic concentrations: Politics and International Relations; Philosophy and Religion; Literature and Culture; Law and Society; History and Archaeology; or Economics and Management.
• About 120 incoming Scholars every year.

Program Details

• All Yenching courses are taught by faculty in English. Notes: Scholars can also take courses outside of Yenching Academy from any department at Peking University, as many of those courses are also taught in English.
• Core curriculum: All Scholars are required to take Mandarin courses at their language level, participate in field study, take the course “China in Transition,” and attend the Topics in China Studies Lecture Series featuring weekly guest lectures on specialized topics.
• Social Innovation Forum: Hosted by the Yenching Academy, this event aims to provide a platform for young innovators from around the world to develop and share solutions to some of China’s biggest social problems and complexities.
• Yenching Global Symposium: This prestigious academic conference organized by the Scholars features prominent speakers and presenters from around the globe.
• Career development: The Academy’s workshops one-on-one consultations, and seminars assist scholars in planning their careers.
• Residential program: Scholars live in Yenching Academy in buildings that were part of the original imperial college of the Qing Dynasty. Yenching kept the original buildings intact and restored them.
• Mentoring structure: Scholars staying on for the second year may serve as Resident Advisors or Teaching Assistants for the incoming class.

Criteria

• Candidates must have an undergraduate degree (or complete one by August 31st of their enrollment year), be proficient in English, and have an outstanding academic record.
• Strong interest in— and rationale for— interdisciplinary study of China: candidates who want a broader understanding of China in order to move ahead in their chosen careers. Example of ideal candidate: macroeconomics student who is now looking to understand the cultural forces that influence economic developments.
• Ability to think intersectionally: candidates who are going to take two domains and fuse them into something interesting and productive.
• Leadership: candidates who have shown leadership potential in their academic, personal, and professional lives.
• Record of extracurricular involvement and community engagement: candidates who will engage with the Yenching community and get involved in PKU’s broader student community.
• Yenching looks for candidates in all disciplines, including the humanities and social sciences. Yenching receives the most apps from candidates in politics, security, and international relations, but they are also particularly interested in applicants interested in Chinese history, culture, and art.

Deadlines & Stats

• Internal deadline: early November
• External deadline: early December
• Application statistics: In 2019-2020, Yenching accepted 130 applicants from 44 countries and regions and 115 universities.
• Required materials: Applicants are required to submit an online application, a personal statement, a CV, official transcripts, diplomas or certificates of enrollment, and two letters of recommendation.
• Interviews are conducted via Skype.