Program Introduction

Peking University's Guanghua School of Management offers a full-time Ph.D. Program aimed at educating and developing young scholars who are able to conduct high-quality scientific research to advance knowledge in economics and management.

China's vast market offers a wealth of data for researchers, and as a long-trusted partner of China's largest and most influential companies, Guanghua provides students with access to real, difficult-to-obtain data that is useful in analyzing the business and economic environment. Pioneering economic and business research in China for 38 years, Guanghua has a group of world-class faculty whose cutting-edge and high-quality research are regularly published in top-tier economics and management journals such as American Economic Review, Journal of Political Economy, Management Science, Journal of Finance, Academic Management Journal, etc. They have played an important role in China's policy-making and regulation drafting and are strong advocates of China's market-oriented reforms and innovative business practices; their work has been recognized with top national research awards for making contributions to China's development. Guanghua has also proactively engaged in research on the implications of applied technologies like Big Data, A.I., and digitalization for business and economic growth, creating a rigorous learning environment that will prepare students to conduct relevant research that addresses pressing needs.

This full-time program is designed for candidates with outstanding intellectual ability and a strong commitment to research who aim to work in a university setting or at another academic or research-focused institution. The program can be completed entirely in English, with English serving as the medium of instruction for required coursework and the students' dissertations. Program faculty are leading international scholars in their respective fields and will be engaged in teaching courses and serving on students' dissertation committees.

Conference grants and research activities funds are available at Guanghua to subsidize students attending academic conferences and undertaking research-related activities outside China, such as overseas academic exchange and visiting scholar programs.

Program Areas

Programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Economics:

Ÿ   National Economics*

Ÿ   Industrial Economics*

Ÿ   Finance

Ÿ   Statistics

Programs leading to the degree of Doctor of Management Science:

Ÿ   Accounting

Ÿ   Enterprise Management (Marketing)

Ÿ   Enterprise Management (Management Science and Information Systems)

Ÿ   Enterprise Management (Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management)

Ÿ   Enterprise Management (Strategic Management and International Business)

The curriculums are available here:

https://iphd.gsm.pku.edu.cn/Research_Fields/Research_Fields.htm

* Students majoring in National Economics and Industrial Economics can choose from a broad range of research areas, including Political Economics and Organizational Economics, Labor Economics and Urban Economics, Behavioral Economics, Macroeconomics, International and Monetary Economics, etc.

Program Length

Under normal circumstances, applicants who hold a Master's degree will be required to complete the program in four years.

Ph.D. Admissions for Students with Bachelor's Degrees

Individuals who possess a Bachelor's degree but do not possess a Master's degree may seek admission to one of Guanghua's Ph.D. programs by applying to the Research Master (Pre-doctoral Program). The program is a prerequisite for undergraduates to apply for a Ph.D. position at Peking University Guanghua School of Management.

In this integrated program, students will first enroll in a Research Master Program (the normative study period is two years). Subject to satisfactory performance and passing a qualifying examination, they will then be eligible to enroll directly in their respective 3-year Ph.D. program. Most of the coursework required for the Ph.D. program is expected to be completed in the Pre-doctoral Program so that students will be able to focus primarily on their research and dissertation while in the Ph.D. program. Students who do not meet the Ph.D. admissions requirements will still be eligible to complete their Research Master program requirements and receive their Master's degree.

Tuition Fees and Scholarships

In recognition of admitted students' academic excellence and potential, the Guanghua School of Management will be offering full merit-based scholarships to all students admitted to the program covering their costs at Peking University, including tuition fees, accommodation, and a living stipend. Supplemental scholarships providing additional support to particularly outstanding students are also available based on eligibility.

Tuition Fees: 32,000 RMB/Academic Year

Admissions Requirements

1.      To apply for this program as an international student, applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a Master's Degree. Applicants who completed their Master's studies at a non-Chinese university must have attended an institution accredited by P.R. China's Ministry of Education. Residents of the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan who have emigrated to other countries and are applying to Peking University as international students must present valid passport or citizenship documents dating from before April 30^th, 2018, along with proof of cancellation of Chinese nationality.

    Note: The exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of China reserves the right to judge whether an applicant still has Chinese nationality. If during the application period or even after the admission or registration the applicant is judged to be still holding Chinese nationality, his/her application, admission, registration or even enrollment will be nullified.

2.      Competitive applicants should have an outstanding undergraduate and/or postgraduate academic record, strong references, and a clear interest in pursuing an academic career at a university or another academic or research-oriented institution.

3.      Students are welcome to submit GRE, GMAT, or other standardized test scores in support of their application.

4.      Applicants whose native language is not English and whose undergraduate and postgraduate programs were not taught in English, are required to demonstrate English language proficiency. Applicants who are required to demonstrate their English proficiency can do so by providing TOEFL scores of no less than 100 or an overall IELTS score of 6.5 with no sub-score lower than 5.5.

Note: At most, prospective students can apply for two Peking University Ph.D. programs. Application fees are assessed on a per program basis and will not be refunded, so please carefully consider whether to apply for a second program. You will be responsible for ensuring that there are no conflicts between interview times and will ultimately only be admitted to a single program.

Where to Apply

Prospective students are required to submit an online application through Peking University's International Student Division application portal at

www.studyatpku.com. Any questions about the online application process can be directed to Guanghua School of Management Office of Global Affairs at iphd@gsm.pku.edu.cn.

Application Materials

1.      Complete the online application form at www.studyatpku.com.

2.      Diplomas/Certificates of Graduation from any and all degree programs you previously completed. Applicants who have not yet graduated but who are expecting to graduate at the end of the current academic year should have their university provide an official letter stating the expected graduation date. Degree diplomas awarded by overseas universities must be authenticated by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, Ministry of Education, P. R. China (CSCSE). Degree diplomas awarded by universities on the Chinese mainland must be authenticated by the Center for Student Services and Development, Ministry of Education, P. R. China (CSSD). Please note that original and authenticated degree diplomas and certificates are not required during the initial application process. However, it is important to be aware that both documents will be necessary post pre-admission, during the registration and enrollment process. Therefore, applicants should be prepared to provide the original and authenticated documents upon successful pre-admission to the program. The authentication process should be completed in advance to ensure a smooth registration process.

3.      Official transcripts of your academic achievement through the present date, including courses taken and your course grades. For transcripts and all other application documentation, certified copies either in Chinese or English can be provided during the application process, but originals must be brought to China and verified during registration.

4.      Information page of your valid passport (must be an ordinary passport; special passport types like diplomatic passport cannot be accepted).

5.      Personal statement (template available here).

6.      Research Proposal (1500 - 3000 words, template available here).

7.      CV.

8.      Two recommendation letters from your professors or other individuals with an academic title.  At least one of them should have knowledge of your recent academic work. The recommendation letters must be in Chinese or English. The template that should be used for recommendation letters is available here. The recommendation should include the candidate's personality, academic knowledge and research ability, etc. Once applicants submit the application the application system will send a link to the recommenders, and the recommenders should click the link and complete the recommendation either by filling out the form online or by uploading the scanned copy of the signed letter. If the recommender would prefer to send the recommendation letter to Peking University directly, the recommendation can be emailed to iphd@gsm.pku.edu.cn.

9.      A copy of the Commitment for Application. Please click here to download the template for the Commitment.

10.  English proficiency test results, as required.

11.  A copy of GMAT/GRE or other standardized test scores (optional).

12.  The table of contents and abstracts of any academic research you have published and any other information related to achievements in your field (optional).

Note: Applicants should scan the original or notarized application documents in color using a scanner. Images captured by mobile phone or camera are NOT acceptable.

Admission Evaluation

1.      Initial Screening. Peking University's International Student Division will verify that applicants meet the minimum application requirements and send applications that meet these requirements to the Guanghua School of Management for review.

2.      Application Review. At Guanghua, an admissions committee will review applications and identify best-qualified students. The strength of recommendation letters, previous academic achievement during undergraduate or graduate studies, and the extent to which research goals align with the research interests of Guanghua's faculty will all be key factors evaluated during the review process.

3.      Evaluation Interview. Applicants who pass the screening and application review will be invited to participate in an interview with Guanghua faculty. A written test may also be administered as part of the interview process, especially for math-intensive majors.

4.      Admissions Decisions. The admissions committee will complete one final comprehensive review of a candidate's suitability for the program. Peking University will issue official admissions decisions and an "Admission Notice" will be sent to the successful candidates in late June, 2024.

Pre-admitted candidates are required to mail their application materials to Office of Global Affairs of Guanghua School of Management Peking University. Specific submission details will be provided in the admission notice.

Application Fee

Peking University assesses an application fee of 800 RMB per program to which a prospective student applies. The fee must be paid in RMB using cash, a UnionPay bank card, or an online payment platform. Any other currency or traveler's checks cannot be accepted.

Please note that incomplete application materials or applications submitted without an application fee will not be processed. Application materials will NOT be returned, and application fees are NOT refundable.

Application Deadline

The application deadline is February 28^th, 2024. The Office of Global Affairs will be closed for legally-mandated national holidays.

Additional Note:

If there are any changes to the admission policies, we will duly update the information in line with the latest 2024 admission policies.

Contact Information

Office of Global Affairs

Guanghua School of Management, Peking University

Address: Rm 511 Bldg. 2, Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China

Tel: (86-10) 6274-7052/6274-7006

Fax: (86-10) 6276-7382

E-mail: iphd@gsm.pku.edu.cn

Website: https://iphd.gsm.pku.edu.cn/

For more detailed information including the visa issue, please refer to: “2024 Application Information for International Students (Master's Degree and Ph.D. Degree)”