Peking University

Beijing
People's Republic of China

Language of instruction

Chinese
English

   Generally available as a second or third preference.

Peking University has been a leading institution of higher education in China since its establishment in 1898 and is currently ranked within the Top 100 universities worldwide. The university has effectively combined research on important scientific subjects with the training of personnel with a high level of specialised knowledge and professional skill.

The campus, known as "Yan Yuan" (the garden of Yan), is situated at Haidian District in the western suburb of Beijing. It stands near to the Yuanmingyuan Garden and the Summer Palace.

Semester dates

UQ SemesterHost SemesterDates
Semester 12nd Semester (Spring)February–June
Semester 21st Semester (Autumn)September–January

View the PKU academic calendar.

Guides and additional information

PKU has online resources to help get more from your exchange:

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)

Student testimonials

Full-time study load

Discipline-focused study: 4 courses per semester at PKU is equivalent to 8 UQ units.

Chinese Language Studies Program: Requires 20 class hours per week to equate a full-time study load.

MBA at Peking - Guanghua School of Management: 12–15 credits per semester is equivalent to 8 UQ units.

Host university requirements

GPA
You will need a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.5 to study at PKU.

Language
Students looking to study courses taught in Chinese must have HSK band 6 or pass the PKU Chinese Language Placement test.

Study Options
You must choose one of five study options if choosing PKU. Further details are outlined in the Additional Academic Information section below.

Other Requirements 

  • Nationality: Exchange applicants at PKU including Guanghua School of Management must be non-Chinese citizens, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao.
  • Age: PKU applicants must be aged between 18–45 (not including Guanghua School of Management applicants).

Note: Host university eligibility criteria are at the discretion of the host and may change without notice.  

Find courses

Please refer to the Additional Academic Information section below for study options and specific course offerings and course profiles.

Crosscheck the courses you found in the host course catalogue with the Credit Precedent Database to see if UQ credit has previously been granted. The database should be used as a general guide only. Few courses from each host will be in the database and many course precedents in the database may have expired. Note, the credit precedent database does not replace the host course catalogue. If a course is not listed in the CPD, you can still ask for it to be assessed on your study plan.

Study areas taught in English

Undergraduate
Art history
Business administration
Chemistry and biochemistry
Chinese
Development
Earth and Geographical Sciences
Economics
Finance
International relations
Leadership and Management
Philosophy
Physics
Postgraduate
Business administration

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)

Accommodation

Housing is available for exchange students in PKU’s on-campus accommodation, but places cannot be guaranteed. Information on the application process and other accommodation options are available from PKU’s International Student Division. 

Cost of living

The cost of living in Beijing is a bit higher than most cities in China. The PKU International Student Division provides a rough estimate of basic costs to help you prepare for your exchange.

Financial support

A range of funding for student exchange including scholarships, grants and loans are available to UQ students.  

Insurance

Students approved to participate in a Semester-based Exchange are automatically covered by UQ’s Travel Insurance for the country of their host university only.

For more information, read the Student Travel Insurance Policy Summary on UQ’s Travel Insurance web page (login required).

If you plan to travel outside of your host country, you should purchase additional insurance.

Students are required to purchase the Comprehensive Insurance Plan for Foreign Students, which is offered by Peking University.

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)

Organise your visa

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa for the country where you will be studying. As the Global Experiences team is not a visa-issuing authority we cannot provide visa advice.

PKU provides visa and immigration information for incoming exchange students.

Contact the Chinese Embassy and Consulates for more visa information.

Travel risk levels

The University of Queensland cannot and does not allow students to travel to any country with a risk level of 3 (Reconsider your need to travel) or above, as assessed by the Australian Government.

If a country's risk level changes to 3 or above, experiences to that country are suspended until the risk level improves.

Find out the risk level and travel advice, and sign up to receive updates for your host country on the Smartraveller website.

Exchange deadlines

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 1:
Open: 24 April (for Semester 1 of the following year)
Close: 31 May (for Semester 1 of the following year)

Application for Exchange in UQ Semester 2:
Open: 24 September (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Close: 31 October (for Semester 2 of the following year)
Extended Deadline: 28 Nov 2024 (for exchange in Sem 2, 2025)