Program Introduction
Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management offers an International Ph.D. Program (iPh.D) aimed at educating and developing young scholars who are able to conduct high quality scientific research to advance knowledge in economics and management.
The Guanghua School of Management has pioneered economic and business research in China for 36 years, and research conducted by our faculty is routinely published in top international journals and influences government policymaking. Guanghua has proactively engaged in research on the implications of applied technologies like Big Data, AI, 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—especially in business schools—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.
The opportunity to participate in an international visiting scholar program is provided on a competitive basis, as is the opportunity to apply for funding to present research at international conferences.
Program Areas
Guanghua offers prospective students the opportunity to apply for a Ph.D. in Economics or Management, depending on their major/research field. Available majors/research fields include:
• Economics
• Finance
• Accounting
• Enterprise Management (Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management)
• Enterprise Management (Strategic Management and International Operations)
• Enterprise Management (Marketing)
• Enterprise Management (Management Science and Information Systems)
• Statistics
The curriculums are available here: https://iphd.gsm.pku.edu.cn/Program_Details/Research_Fields.htm
Program Length
Under normal circumstances, applicants who hold a Bachelor’s degree will be required to complete the program in five years, and Master’s degree holders are required to complete the program in four years.
Admissions Requirements
1. To apply for this program as an international student, applicants must be non-Chinese citizens between the age of 18 and 45, with a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree, with a valid passport and no criminal records, healthy both physically and psychologically, friendly to China and abiding by the laws and decrees of China. Residents of mainland China, 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, 2016, along with proof of cancellation of Chinese nationality. Applicants who completed their Bachelor’s or Master’s studies at a non-Chinese university must have attended an institution accredited by P.R. China’s Ministry of Education.
2. Competitive applicants should have an outstanding undergraduate and/or postgraduate academic record, strong references, prior experience conducting research, a clear interest in pursuing an academic career at a university or at 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 Students Division application portal at http://www.studyatpku.com. Any questions about the online application process can be directed to Guanghua School of Management Office of Global Affairs using the “Contact Information” at the end of this document.
Application Materials
1. Peking University Application Form for International Students (Master’s and Ph.D. Programs) with a photograph affixed. The application form will be automatically generated after completing the required fields in the online application portal at http://www.studyatpku.com. You can print the auto-generated form for your reference.
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. For this 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.
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. A personal statement of 3000 words using the template available at http://www.isd.pku.edu.cn/personalstatement.doc
5. 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 at http://www.isd.pku.edu.cn/recommendation.doc. 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
6. English proficiency test results, as required.
7. A copy of GMAT/GRE or other standardized test scores (optional).
8. The table of contents and abstracts of any academic research you have published and any other information related to achievements in your field (optional).
9. A photocopy of your valid passport (must be an ordinary passport; special passports types like diplomatic passports cannot be accepted).
Note: After submitting the online application, you are required to prepare two hard copies of all application materials. You should arrange for this set of materials to be delivered to Guanghua School of Management Office of Global Affairs at the contact address provided in the Contact Information” section at the end of this document. Your envelope must be marked “IPHD Application Materials” to ensure it arrives to the correct office for processing. Each person can apply for up to two graduate programs, but each application is an independent application. You will need to provide a full set (composed of two copies of all application materials per set) of application materials for each program you apply to. You cannot submit one set of application materials for two separate programs.
Admission Evaluation
1. Initial Screening. Peking University’s International Students Office 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. iPh.D. 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 by the end of June, 2022.
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
Applications will be accepted from October 15, 2021 through February 28, 2022, so please make sure mailed materials arrive before the deadline. The Office of Global Affairs will be closed for legally-mandated national holidays.
Tuition Fees
Guanghua will provide a full scholarship covering Peking University tuition, accommodations, and partial living costs for all qualified applicants admitted to the program. A limited number of supplemental scholarships are available that will provide substantial additional funding to particularly outstanding students.
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) 6274-7006/6274-7052
Fax: (86-10) 6276-7382
E-mail: iphd@gsm.pku.edu.cn
Website: iphd.gsm.pku.edu.cn
Concerning visa and other issues, please refer to "2022 Application Information for International Students (Master's Degree and Ph.D. Degree)".
