Peking University

Peking University

Peking University (PKU), sometimes referred to as Beida, was founded in 1898 as the first modern national university of China and has been a centre for progressive thought. Its students played a key role in both the Cultural Revolution and in the Tiananmen Square protests. PKU is known colloquially as “Yan Yuan” because of its proximity to the renowned Yuanmingyuan Gardens and the Summer Palace.

Academic Highlights

PKU is part of the prestigious C9 League of Chinese universities, similar to the Group of Eight (Go8) in Australia, and is consistently ranked among the best universities both in Asia and the rest of the world. Basic and applied sciences, social science, humanities, medicine, management and education are taught to more than 35,000 students.

Location

PKU’s campus in Beijing is considered one of China’s most beautiful, being located on the site of the former Qing Dynasty imperial gardens that include traditional houses, pagodas, gates and landscaping.

Did you know?

PKU has educated many of China’s most prominent modern thinkers including Mao Zedong, writer Lu Xun and the current Premier of the State Council of the PRC, Li Keqiang.

Language of Instruction

Chinese (Mandarin), English (limited in some areas)

Program Duration

1 semester, 2 semesters

Academic Level

Undergraduate, Postgraduate

Minimum Result Required

60% WAM

Previous Round Cut-off (WAM % or GPA)

83% WAM

Anticipated Places in Semester 1, 2027

1-2 places

Exchange Availability

Red

Eligible Monash Campus

Monash Australia, Monash Malaysia

Agreement Scope

All Faculties

Handbook/Catalogue

Peking University's Course search.

Undergraduate and graduate course list from individual departments

General Information on PKU Chinese Language Training Courses 

  • For Law students who do not speak Chinese, note that English-taught graduate courses of special Master programs (MBA, MIR, LLM, MPP, Yenching Academy) are not open to exchange students. PKU Law School only offers two English-taught undergraduate courses.
  • Courses from the PKU Health Science Center, School of Software and Microelectronics are not open to exchange students.

Language requirements

Only a limited number of units are available in English. If you wish to take units taught in Mandarin (other than Chinese as a second language subjects) you need to sit a language test on arrival or have a current HSK Language Test result of Level 6 or higher.

Full-time Credit Load Equivalents

Semester

 

Min. 18 Monash points

Max. 24 Monash points

Standard

12 credits

16 credits

Chinese Language Program

18 hours

20-24 hours

Year

 

Min. 36 Monash points

Max. 48 Monash points

Standard

24 credits

32 credits

Chinese Language Program

36 hours

40-48 hours

Academic Calendar

PKU ‘Autumn’ semester (Monash Semester 2): September to January
PKU ‘Spring’ semester (Monash Semester 1): February to June

PKU's Academic Calendar.

Accounting

Ancient cultures

Anthropology

Banking and finance

Biological sciences

Business law and taxation

Chemistry

Chinese languages & culture studies

Communications and media studies

Earth, atmosphere and environmental sciences

Econometrics and business statistics

Economics

Engineering

Engineering - chemical

English as an international language

Fine art

French language & culture studies

German languages & culture studies

History

Human geography

Information technology

Italian language & culture studies

Japanese language & culture studies

Journalism

Korean language & culture studies

Law

Linguistics

Literary studies

Management

Marketing

Mathematical sciences

Philosophy

Physics and astronomy

Politics and international relations

Psychological sciences

Religious studies

Science

Spanish and Latin American languages & culture studies

Social work

Sociology

Translation studies

   

Note

  • The listed disciplines are not necessarily exhaustive and other fields of study might also be available at the institution.
  • Approval to study particular subjects at any institution is always at the discretion of the departmental/discipline and faculty advisers in your managing faculty(ies) and subject to available places at the host.

Study in China

For general information on study in China view the Australian Government's AddChina Toolkit

Accommodation

You may apply to live on-campus at the Global Village or Shao yuan student dormitory. PKU also offers a listing of accommodation offered by families and students if you want to live off-campus.  For more information on accommodation see the orientation and international student pages.

Visas

As a general rule, if you are a non-Chinese citizen you will require a visa to study in China. If studying for more than 6 months this is usually the ‘X1 visa’; for 6 months or less this is usually the ‘X2 visa’. All applications must be submitted through a Chinese Visa Application Service Centre after you receive an official acceptance letter from the host university. You will then need to apply for a residence permit.

For more information on visas, please refer to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.

PKU also provides some advice on visas on their orientation and international student pages.

Health and insurance

The Chinese Department of Education requires all foreign students in China to purchase Foreign Student comprehensive insurance. The University can assist you with this and it offers guidance on insurance at their orientation and international student pages.

Orientation and extra-curricular 

You are required to attend the orientation program for visiting students.  PKU also provides information about a vibrant campus life for exchange students.

Cost of living

PKU provides some information on the cost of living, and guidance on banks and foreign currency exchange.

Funding

Students taking Chinese language courses may be eligible for the Walter Mangold Study Abroad Scholarship.

For information about funding available to support study on exchange overseas, see the Financial Information page on the Monash Abroad website.

Other funding available to students studying on exchange at Fudan University includes the New Colombo Plan Scholarship, the Westpac Asian Exchange Scholarship and the Cheung Kong Endeavour Grant.

Important notes

Applicants to PKU must be non-Chinese citizens (including Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau) under the age of 45.

To begin your application and study plan, click the button below.

Apply here

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