The Yenching Global Symposium is the annual flagship event of the Yenching Academy of Peking University. It brings emerging leaders, practitioners and China scholars together for interdisciplinary dialogue on China and the world.
The most recently published edition ran in person from April 16 to 19, 2026, with lectures, panels, workshops and cultural activities. The 2026 application round is closed, and the official site has not announced the 2027 application window.
Benefits & funding
- YGS covers delegates’ flights or train travel, public and program transportation, accommodation and food.
- Selected delegates receive an invitation letter for their visa application.
- Delegates pay their own visa costs and personal travel or transportation outside the official program.
- Participants who attend the full program receive an official certificate.
Eligibility
- Applications are open to all nationalities, with no stated residency or gender restriction.
- For the 2026 edition, applicants had to be born in or after May 1995.
- Applicants had to be in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, or already hold at least a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; all academic fields were eligible.
- Applicants had to be proficient in English, commit to the full April 16–19 program and have never attended a previous Yenching Global Symposium or Yenching Social Innovation Forum.
- Demonstrated leadership and interest in China and the annual theme were selection considerations. China-related academic, professional, voluntary or extracurricular experience was a preference, not a requirement.
- English test scores were not an absolute gate; applicants without a standardized score could still apply and were reviewed case by case.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Bachelor · Master · PhD
Age requirement
≤ 30 yrs
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Application process
- 1Review the eligibility rules and prepare a CV.
- 2Complete the online application form in English and provide the requested responses and English-proficiency information.
- 3Submit the form by the published deadline; the 2026 standard deadline was January 5, 2026, at 23:59 China Standard Time.
- 4The YGS Executive Committee checks submissions for completeness and a jury evaluates eligible applications. There is no interview stage.
- 5Selected applicants receive the result by email and then coordinate travel with the organizing committee.
Program timeline
December 22, 2025, 23:59 China Standard Time
Early-bird application deadline for the 2026 edition.
Standard application deadline.
January 5, 2026, 23:59 China Standard Time
Selection results were scheduled to be finalized.
Before mid-March 2026
Symposium began with the welcoming program.
April 16, 2026
Symposium ended.
April 19, 2026
Date not announced
2027 application window.