The Center for Language Education and Cooperation established this scholarship to prepare people for Chinese-language education and related work. Peking University admits recipients as general visiting or preparatory students for in-person study at its School of Chinese as a Second Language in Beijing.
The available routes are an 11-month academic-year program and a five-month semester program. The current PKU notice lists a February 2027 intake, while the central 2026 scholarship rules refer to the same semester intake as March 2027.
Benefits & funding
- Tuition is waived.
- PKU provides a shared room for two students at the Zhongguan Xinyuan international student residence.
- Academic-year and semester students receive a monthly living allowance of RMB 2,500.
- Comprehensive medical insurance is provided; the central standard is RMB 400 per semester student and RMB 800 per academic-year student.
- With host approval, a student living off campus may receive RMB 700 per month instead of free accommodation under the central scholarship standard.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a valid foreign ordinary passport; former Chinese citizens must provide proof that Chinese nationality was cancelled.
- Applicants must be in good physical and mental health, have no criminal record, comply with Chinese law and university rules, and intend to work in Chinese education, teaching, or a related field.
- PKU states an age range of 18–35 in principle and separately requires applicants under 18 to submit a guardian authorization; the central rules set 16–35 and extend the upper age to 45 for in-service Chinese teachers.
- For the 11-month Chinese language and literature route, applicants need HSK Level 4 with 180 points and HSKK Intermediate with 60 points.
- For the 11-month Chinese language study route, applicants need HSK Level 3 with 210 points; an HSKK result is preferred.
- For the 11-month route, current bachelor’s students and holders of a bachelor’s degree or above apply as general visiting students, while 2026 high-school graduates apply to the preparatory program.
- For the five-month semester route, applicants need HSK Level 3 with 180 points and an HSKK result; PKU does not state a degree-level requirement for this route.
- Academic-year and semester applicants are generally not admitted if they received the same type of scholarship within the previous three years.
Can you apply?
Open to all applicants
No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.
Appears to have an age limit “under 18”
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Application process
- 1Create an account in PKU’s international-student system, apply with admission code ICLTS-GVS, submit the form, and print the Foreign Student Admission Application for General Visiting Students.
- 2Create an account on the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship portal, complete the scholarship application, submit it, and print the form.
- 3Mail the signed forms, highest-education or enrolment proof, transcripts, two written recommendations from associate professors or equivalent, HSK and applicable HSKK results, passport copy, and any required guardian authorization to PKU.
- 4Ensure the complete paper package reaches the International Students Division by the applicable deadline; submitted materials are not returned.
Program timeline
Central scholarship application system opened.
March 1, 2026
April 30, 2026
PKU deadline for the September 2026 intake.
Academic-year intake begins.
September 2026
October 31, 2026
PKU deadline for the February 2027 intake.
About three months before enrolment
The central expert review is expected to finish and results are released.
February 2027
Semester intake begins according to the PKU notice; the central rules label it March 2027.