Location: Beijing, China
Peking University, the first state university in China, was established in December 1898 and was then called Jing Shi Da Xue Tang 京师 大 学堂 (Metropolitan University).
Today the University has 5 departments: Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Information Engineering and Medical Departments. There are 47 faculties and institutes at these departments. The university offers a huge number of specialties for both undergraduate and graduate students and doctors.
More than 5,000 teachers are currently employed at Peking University.
The University annually invites many foreign scientists to teach. Peking University Library is the largest library in Asia. There are over 5,500,000 books in her collection.
Peking University cooperates with more than 200 universities from 50 countries and regions of the world, as well as with research centers around the world.
Peking University is very popular with international students. Most of them choose humanitarian specialties. Their number increases from year to year.
International students can take part in the following projects:
1) projects for students (study period 4-6 years, upon completion of studies and successful passing of exams, a diploma is issued), graduate students (study period 2-3 years) and doctors (study period 4-6 years).
2) preparatory courses;
3) short courses
Students with a master’s degree are also accepted for research on selected scientific topics. The term of study is 1 year. Upon completion, a certificate is issued.
Candidates with a doctorate degree or as a professor or assistant professor are also accepted for research projects. The terms of research are from one semester to one academic year. The research is being conducted jointly with professors from Peking University.
Detailed information
Peking University is considered the first national university in the PRC. The institution opened its doors to students in 1898. Today it is a large educational institution, a center of scientific thought, regularly appearing on the front pages of newspapers as a place where discoveries are made and the most daring scientific experiments are carried out. About 20% of the total number of students are foreigners, and with this indicator, the university is considered one of the most international in the whole country.
A bit of history
In the early years of its existence, the educational institution was known as the Imperial University of Beijing. The modern name was obtained after the 1912 reorganization. After the transformation, the university began to develop at a solid pace: new specialties appeared, additional opportunities for women wishing to get an education. Due to hostilities, the institution was forced to evacuate to Yunnan. Returning to Beijing, the university expanded significantly: in the 1950s, it merged with the Medical Institute, and in the 90s the university opened a center for economic research. At this time, the university becomes one of the strongest in the region, literally every applicant in China dreams of entering a university.
Outstanding graduates
The high level of the educational institution is confirmed by various ratings. Many authoritative publications call Peking University the best university in all of Asia. So, according to the newspaper “The Times”, the university has no equal in the region, and in the world ranking it is in the top fifty.
Among university graduates of different years, you can find a lot of familiar names. Li Yanhong, a well-known entrepreneur, owner of Baidu, who is confidently one of the five richest people in China, graduated from the Beijing university. American economist Timothy Franz Geithner, US Treasury Secretary, also studied at Peking University.
University composition and infrastructure
Among the five and a half thousand university teachers, about 25% have a professor’s degree, another 30% are associate professors. 52 faculty members are members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The campus is located in the center of Beijing, next to the Forbidden City. It is not even immediately clear: this is a student town or a picturesque park. Still, the former imperial gardens have not lost their beauty and majesty to this day. The classrooms, laboratories and workshops are designed in a classic style. The university is the base for the work of more than two hundred research institutes and laboratories. There was a place for restaurants, cafes, gyms on the campus. The students even have a Sports Palace built specially for the Olympics.
How to proceed?
Considering that most programs are conducted in Chinese, the main requirement for those wishing to study at Peking University is knowledge of the language. Traditionally, for Chinese educational institutions, language proficiency is assessed by the results of the HSK exam. For admission to training courses, 4-5 points are enough, for undergraduate studies – at least 6. Special courses should help students in learning the language. The duration of the bachelor’s program is 4 years, the master’s program is 2-3 years.
To enroll in a bachelor’s degree, you need a certificate, a transcript with grades, data on the courses taken. The entrance exams for the bachelor’s degree are usually held in April. After the exams, applicants will have an interview. Applicants who successfully complete training courses may be exempted from passing exams.
At Peking University, admission to a master’s program is more difficult: you need a diploma of passing a bachelor’s program and a successfully passed test in English with the following passing score:
- TOEFL PBT – 627;
- TOEFL CBT – 263;
- TOEFL iBT – 107
The HSK exam must be passed for at least 6 points, for some specialties the minimum score is 8. Each applicant for a place in master’s and graduate studies must provide a letter of motivation and at least two recommendations.
All documents provided upon admission to any educational program must be translated into Chinese or English, and also notarized. It is not possible to send documents by mail, therefore personal presence is mandatory.
The cost of training is determined by the complexity of the program. Humanities will cost 26,000 yuan (bachelor’s degree), 29,000 yuan (Peking University, master’s degree), 32,000 yuan (doctorate). Technical specialties are valued higher – from 30,000 to 40,000 yuan, depending on the field of study. Tuition for the popular MBA program will cost about $ 14,500, preparatory courses will cost $ 3,800.
Grants and scholarships
To support students from other countries, there are several grant and scholarship programs that allow you to save money on admission and education at Peking University.
Students can compete for participation in some programs:
- Chinese Government Scholarship
A government scholarship is awarded to those graduate students who are active in research work. The scholarship fully compensates for the costs of studying in China, including health insurance.
- Beijing Government Scholarship
The Municipal Government Scholarship is awarded to foreigners showing high academic performance. This scholarship is able to partially offset the cost of training.
- Peking University Scholarship
Peking Beida University itself offers both full and partial scholarships. The latter cover the cost of studying at a university, full means compensation for all costs associated with obtaining an education.
General statistics indicate that about 25% of graduate students receive scholarships from the Chinese government, about 10% from private organizations, another 5% of students receive scholarships from the university.
Faculties
The educational institution has five departments: humanitarian, natural, social sciences, medical and information and engineering departments. There are 47 faculties in these departments. Historically, Peking University focused on the fundamental sciences, but the 2000s were remembered for the rapid development of applied areas.
In China and far beyond the country, Peking State University is known as a research institution that trains specialists in the fields of biology, medicine and high technology. Slightly less popular among applicants are such areas of training as linguistics, international relations, jurisprudence, management.
Dormitory
University students can be accommodated in hostels on campus. Newcomers are usually settled in the Haidian area, undergraduates and graduate students are settled in the Changping area. Miraculously in the practice of recent years, the university dormitories are not able to accommodate everyone, so it is better to reserve a place in the residence online in advance. The cost of living can be different and depends on the list of amenities. Students are free to choose between single and double rooms. The average cost of a single room is about 4500 yuan per month. For this money, the student will receive more than comfortable housing, located a couple of minutes walk from the university, close to transport stops, metro stations and supermarkets.
Contact
Applications are accepted at:
e-mail: [email protected]
Links
Official website in Chinese: pku.edu.cn