Peking University
北京大学
Photo: galaygobi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Beijing, Beijing. Founded 1898.
China's oldest modern national university.
Intl acceptance
Intl tuition / year
HSK requirement
Most Chinese universities publish no acceptance rate, admission is by gaokao score cut-off (domestic) or materials review (international). See selectivity below for how it actually works for each pool.
Strengths
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Life Sciences
- Economics
- Medical Sciences
CSCA requirementreported
No fixed minimum — requirements vary each year. A high HSK score is strongly recommended.
Source: Admission office · 2026 intake, may change for 2027. Always confirm with the international office.
Admission & selectivity
International applicants
~5–15% (est.)Peking University does not publish an international acceptance rate. Admission for international (foreign-passport) undergraduates is materials-based document review, with some tracks admitting without a written exam based on qualifying scores.
Applicants submit authenticated high-school diploma and transcripts, personal statement, and recommendation letters. Chinese-taught programs require high Chinese proficiency (e.g.
HSK Level 6 with 210+, or equivalent IB HL / A-Level Chinese). English-taught programs require no HSK but require English proof for non-native speakers (e.g. TOEFL iBT 100+).
Some applicants may face an entrance/subject examination depending on track.
Domestic (mainland) students
Top ~0.1% provincial (est.)Domestic mainland undergraduate admission is via the gaokao; no acceptance rate is published. PKU is one of China's two most selective universities, admitting effectively only students in the top fraction of a percent of gaokao takers per province, with annual provincial score/ranking cut-offs at the very top of each province.
Language of instruction
Undergraduate degrees at PKU are taught in Chinese and require a high HSK level (commonly HSK 6) — there is no full English-taught undergraduate degree. English-medium study is at the graduate level (master's/PhD), e.g. the HSBC Business School and Yenching Academy, which waive HSK but require TOEFL/GRE.
(The Health Science Center's English-medium MBBS is a separate professional medical track.)
RequirementsInternational undergraduate
These figures are for international undergraduateadmission. Master’s and PhD requirements, funding and deadlines differ, see the official site (graduate programs are often more English-taught and better funded).
- HSK level
- HSK Level 6 with minimum total score of 210 for Chinese-taught undergraduate programs; IB HL Chinese ≥6 or A-Level Chinese grade A accepted as equivalent
- Minimum GPA
- To be verified
- Tuition / year
- $4,425 / year (¥30,000)
- Application window
- Path 1 (Entrance Exam): 1 Jan 2026 – 28 Feb 2026; Path 2 Round 1 (No Written Exam): 19 Dec 2025 – 28 Feb 2026; Path 2 Round 2: 12 Jun 2026 – 10 Jul 2026
Some requirement details above are still being verified, check the official site.
Colleges & schools18
- School of Mathematical Sciences
- School of Physics
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering
- School of Life Sciences
- College of Engineering
- School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science
- Yuanpei College
- Law School
- Guanghua School of Management
- School of Economics
- Department of Chinese Language and Literature
- School of Government
- School of International Studies
- School of Foreign Languages
- School of Journalism and Communication
- Peking University Health Science Center
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- HSBC Business School (Shenzhen)
How admission works
PKU offers two undergraduate admission tracks for international students: an entrance-examination path (written exam in late March, secondary interview in mid-April) and a standardised-test path (SAT ≥1,400 + 3 APs each ≥4; IB ≥36; A-Level ABB minimum; ACT ≥30; or equivalent national results).
Application fee is CNY 800 per path. Enrolment is in September.
Frequently asked
How do I apply?
Most Chinese universities take applications through their own international admissions portal. Open the official website below to see the current steps, required documents and deadlines, then start your file with us and we will guide you through it.
What does it cost?
Tuition, housing and living costs vary by program and city. Where we have a figure confirmed from the official site, it is shown above, otherwise it is marked to verify. Always confirm the current amount on the official site before you budget.
Is it a reach for me?
Admission depends on your grades, your Chinese or English level and the specific program. We can look at your profile together and suggest a realistic list, this university included, rather than guessing.