Yenching Academy Fellowship

The first-year fellowship covers tuition, housing in Yenching Academy, one round trip to Beijing, basic medical insurance, a monthly stipend and research costs for a master's in China Studies. Students who stay in Beijing for the second year can apply for second-year support.

• You must be a non-Chinese citizen with a valid passport (applicants from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan follow separate rules).
• You need a bachelor's degree in any field, or must receive your diploma by August of your enrolment year.
• You need an outstanding academic record (no minimum GPA is published).
• English: IELTS Academic 7.0, TOEFL iBT 100 or Cambridge English 185, from a test taken after 1 September 2025, unless English is your native language or you graduated from an English-taught degree.
• There's no strict age limit, but outside the Zhuoyue scholarship no one over 29 has been admitted.
• Students and alumni of partner universities must first go through their home university's internal pre-selection.

For non-Chinese citizens (separate rules for Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan applicants) with a bachelor's degree in any field by August of the start year. There's no strict age limit, but outside a special track no one over 29 has been admitted (the average age is 23). About 120 students join each year.

1. 1

   Step 1: Create a portal account

   Applications for the 2027 cohort opened on 1 September 2026 on the Yenching Academy online application portal.

2. 2

   Step 2: Complete pre-selection if needed

   If you study at, or graduated from, a Yenching partner university, apply through its internal pre-selection process first.

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare your written materials

   Write a personal statement of up to 750 words and a Statement of Research Interest of up to 1,500 words, both in English.

4. 4

   Step 4: Arrange letters and scores

   Ask two full or associate professors in your intended field for recommendation letters. Have your English test scores sent directly by the testing organisation (TOEFL institution code C488).

5. 5

   Step 5: Submit and interview

   Submit everything by the deadline. International finalists are interviewed online and hear the final decision around April.

• Online application form
• Personal statement (up to 750 words)
• Statement of Research Interest (up to 1,500 words)
• CV
• Official transcripts
• Diplomas or certificate of enrolment
• Two academic recommendation letters
• English test score report (unless exempt)

Deadline

Applications for the 2027 cohort opened on 1 September 2026 and close on 30 November 2026 at 9:00 am Beijing time.

Applications usually open on 1 September and close on 30 November (9:00 Beijing time), for study starting the following September. Decisions for international applicants come around April.