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 40 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, Organizational Economics, Labor Economics, 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 an examination, they will then be eligible to enroll 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

Tuition Fees: 32,000 RMB/Academic Year

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, insurance, and a living stipend. Students are required to apply for the scholarship as part of the program's application process. Supplemental scholarships providing additional support to particularly outstanding students are also available based on eligibility.

Admissions Requirements

1.      To apply for this program as an international student, applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with a Master's Degree from 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, 2019, 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.

Application Materials

1.      Online Application: Prospective students are required to submit an online application through Peking University's International Student Service System portal at www.studyatpku.com. 

2.      Diplomas/Certificates of Graduation: Submit diplomas or certificates of graduation from all previously completed degree programs, along with degree authentication in Chinese or English. For degrees certified in languages other than Chinese or English, both the original document and a notarized translation must be uploaded.

• Degree diplomas awarded by universities outside the Chinese mainland must be authenticated by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), Ministry of Education, P.R. China.
• Degree diplomas awarded by universities within the Chinese mainland must be authenticated by the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD), Ministry of Education, P.R. China.

Note: Applicants who graduated before 2025 must upload their degree authentication report during the application period. Applicants expected to graduate in 2025 must provide an official letter from their current university stating their expected graduation date, submit their certificate of graduation upon pre-admission, and present their original degree diploma and authentication report during registration.

3.      Official Transcripts: Submit official transcripts showing your academic achievements to date, including the courses taken and corresponding grades. Notarized copies in Chinese or English are acceptable for application purposes, but original documents must be presented upon registration in China.

4.      Passport Information Page: Provide a copy of the information page of your valid ordinary passport. Please note that special passport types, such as diplomatic passports, are not accepted.

5.      Personal Statement: Submit a personal statement. A template is available here.

6.      Research Proposal: Submit a research proposal of approximately 3,000 words. A template is available here.

7.      Curriculum Vitae (CV): Submit an updated CV.

8.      Recommendation Letters: Submit two recommendation letters from professors or associate professors in your field of study (or equivalent professionals with relevant academic titles). At least one letter should be from someone familiar with your recent academic work.

• The recommendation letters must be written in either Chinese or English, and a template is available here.
• The letters should discuss the candidate's personality, academic knowledge, and research capabilities.
• Once applicants submit a request, the system will generate a link that will be sent to the recommenders. Recommenders may complete the recommendation by filling out the online form or uploading a scanned copy of the signed letter.
• If a recommender prefers to send the letter directly to Peking University, they can email it to iphd@gsm.pku.edu.cn.

9.      Commitment for Peking University Graduate Application: Submit a signed copy of the Commitment for Application. The template can be downloaded here.

10.  English Proficiency Test Results: Submit results of English proficiency tests, as required.

11.  GMAT/GRE or Other Standardized Test Scores (Optional): Provide a copy of GMAT, GRE, or other standardized test scores if available.

12.  Research Publications (Optional): Provide the table of contents and abstracts of any academic research you have published, along with any other relevant achievements in your field.

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 Students Office will first verify that applicants fulfill the basic application criteria. Applications that meet these criteria will then be forwarded to the Guanghua School of Management for further review.

2.      Application Review: The Guanghua admissions committee will evaluate the applications to identify the most qualified candidates. Key factors considered during this review include the strength of recommendation letters, past academic performance, and the alignment of the applicant’s research goals with the research interests of Guanghua’s faculty.

3.      Evaluation Interview: Applicants who pass the screening and application review will be invited to an interview with Guanghua faculty, scheduled between February and early March. A written test may also be included as part of the interview process.

4.      Admissions Decisions: The Graduate Admissions Office will finalize the list of candidates for pre-admission based on interview results and a comprehensive evaluation of qualifications. The list of pre-admitted candidates will be published by the end of May.

Pre-admitted candidates are required to mail their application materials to Office of Global Affairs of Guanghua School of Management Peking University. The International Students Office will confirm and notify students of their final admission status, with admission documents expected to be issued gradually starting in late June 2025.

5.      Enrollment: The admitted students are expected to register and enroll in early September 2025. The specific registration date will be provided in the admission notice. Admitted students must register at Peking University with their valid passport, valid visa and admission letter at the designated time. Upon enrollment, students must bring their original degree certificates and submit their degree authentication for verification of their qualifications. Those who do not meet the enrollment criteria will have result in the cancellation of admission.

Application Fee

Peking University assesses an application fee of 800 RMB per program to which a prospective student applies. Applicants must pay the application fee online before the application deadline (following the instructions provided by the International Students Online Application System). Payments are accepted only in RMB; other currencies and traveler’s checks are not accepted. The application fee is non-refundable. Applications with incomplete documentation or those whose fees have not been successfully paid will not be processed.

Application Deadline

The application deadline is January 20^th, 2025. The Office of Global Affairs will be closed for legally-mandated national holidays.

Visa and Medical Insurance

Admitted students must apply for a study visa (X1 visa) to China to be eligible for the program. In accordance with regulations set by the Ministry of Education of China, international students are required to purchase the designated medical insurance that is valid within mainland China. Students who do not obtain the required medical insurance will not be able to complete their registration.

Additional Note:

If there are any changes to the admission policies, we will duly update the information in line with the latest 2025 admission policies. Applicants must also comply with Peking University’s admissions guidelines. For more detailed information, please refer to the “2025 Application Information for International Students (Master's and Ph.D. Degrees) ”.

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

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