Peking University

About: 

Established in 1898 and China’s leading higher education institution for teaching and research, Peking University (PKU) ranks among the top 50 universities in the world. PKU is a member of the C9 League, analogous to the Ivy League in the United States, and often ranked among the top higher education institutions in China. Only those who score highest in nationwide examinations are admitted, with a total enrolment of about 35,000. The campus, known as “Yan Yuan”, or the garden of Yan, is located near the Summer Palace in western Beijing.

Contact at Peking:

Ms. KAN Ping - exchange@pku.edu.cn 

 5 Yiheyuan Rd, Haidian Qu, Beijing Shi, China

Highlights: 

PKU purports to represent the new “Modern China”, embracing diverse branches of learning such as basic and applied sciences, social sciences and the humanities, medicine, management and education. PKU enjoys an excellent academic reputation, attracting top scholars and students from China and all over the world. The University continues to expand its collaborative research by developing a global network of partnership with over 260 world renowned institutions in more than 50 countries and regions.

PKU offers a wide and diverse range of courses ranging from astronomy and astrophysics to software and micro-electronics and Marxism. Throughout its history it has hosted many Chinese thinkers and was influential in the birth of China’s New Culture Movement, May Fourth Movement and the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. It is located on the former site of the Qing Dynasty Imperial Gardens.

Location: 

PKU is located in Beijing city, the capital and the political and cultural center of China. Beijing used to be the capital of six dynasties in Chinese history, and its historic architectures and sites are distributed around and carefully protected. As a metropolis, it also boasts its modern architectures and vibrant city life. In this city the great charm of the traditional Chinese culture and the modern vitality of the metropolis integrate with harmony. 

The city’s grid-like design makes it relatively easy to find your way around. Its most famous attraction is the ancient Forbidden City and it has five other UNESCO World Heritage sites. There are thousands of affordable eateries and a growing bar and cafe scene. 

Courses / Modules: 

Visit PKU website to find more information about available modules. Undergraduate courses (both Chinese-taught and English-taught) are open to exchange students. 

If you are not proficient in Chinese, you may choose one from the following two options:

Enrolled in the School of Chinese as a Second Language (SCSL) to mainly study Chinese. At the same time, you are also permitted to take English-taught subject courses of no more than 6 credits in total each semester at other schools/departments if the courses and quotas are available.

Relinquish SCSL’s Chinese language courses and only take English-taught subject courses at other schools/departments. If you are proficient in Chinese, you can apply to take subject courses (Chinese-taught/English-taught) at other schools/departments.

Credit (Full-time Load per semester): 

15 PKU credits = 60 York credits 

Teaching Periods: 

Fall semester: late August  to mid January 

Spring semester: mid February to late June 

Access PKU calendar. 

Language: 

• Classes at PKU are taught in English and Chinese

• To study courses taught in Chinese, you need to pass HSK band 6. Alternatively, students will need to pass the PKU Chinese Language Placement test.

Accommodation: 

All exchange students' accommodation is located on-campus in the global village however, this is not guaranteed.  Availability of this accommodation will vary year by year.  The number of dorms available each year will be known in early January/July, students will receive emails inviting them to apply. 

Orientation / Welcome week:  

PKU offer a full Orientation Programme for exchange students.

Support Services: 

There is a range of support services available at PKU listed under the General Information part of their web pages including mental health support, student associations and  personal safety.

Visas: 

Visa information is available through the PKU web pages, students should check carefully their own requirements

Health insurance: 

The Chinese Ministry of Education requires that all international students be medically insured throughout their study in China.  Peking University international students are required to purchase the Comprehensive Insurance Plan for Foreign Students, which is offered by the Ping An Annuity Insurance Company of China on the day of registration. 

Travel insurance:  

If you are approved by the University of York to participate in this program, you will be covered by the University's Travel Insurance Policy. This is a complimentary policy to cover you for the duration of your University of York mobility experience. Please refer to the Insurance website for all travel insurance queries.  

Exchange students MUST purchase the designated medical insurance plan in China for a cost of 400 Yuan RMB per semester.

Beth, Philosophy, 2017/18 (written after her first term)

Do I feel more at home? 

Living and studying in China is either a sink or swim adventure. From day one, I was forced to totally immerse myself in a very different way of life: from my hectic university schedule to my regular food choices. Being a student in China is intense; I have 26 contact hours a week, 20 of those being Chinese language learning. Deciding to take this intensive language course is by far the best decision I have made since my move to China. It has allowed me to enjoy Chinese culture and converse (albeit very simply) with both students and locals in the University and around China in general. My second semester demands I take only Philosophy modules, I will however continue learning mandarin outside my university timetable at a local school near to PKU: I have decided to do this because learning the native language plays a prominent role in shaping my experiences during my year abroad. I can comfortably say I am living very happily in my newly acquired eastern lifestyle, from meeting many international students to making friends with local people too. 

How have I changed as a person? 

Despite living on the other side of the world for only three months: my family and friends and of course myself have noticed a continuing growth of independence with each passing month. Two notable skills I have developed is of course my independence, it's very difficult not to when you do not have any familiar faces surrounding you, especially in an alien country. Another skill I have developed is my time management: having so many contact hours a week, from 8am until 5pm nearly every day, it's difficult not to be efficient and prepared for the day ahead. Don’t get me wrong, the first month was a struggle, I simply was not accustomed to so many early starts and concentrating for 4 hours straight on a foreign language. The early morning classes now work in my favour, as it means I am awake and productive for so many hours of the day- I never realised a day had so many productive hours!!

Biggest Challenge: 

The biggest challenge I’ve faced is by far the language barrier. Sometimes daily life is difficult, such as setting up a bank account or arranging a delivery to my room can be a challenge. Thankfully I have both international and local friends that are very happy to help whenever I am in need. Since I started learning Mandarin three months ago, the barrier isn’t as high as it was in the first month or so. I am now familiar with tones and can usually gauge what is being said by picking out one or two key words in a sentence in order to provide a very broken reply. Chinese people generally speaking are very friendly and willing to help- Google translate and Pleco have been great applications for tricky situations! 

Another daily challenge I face is the 8-hour time difference from China to the UK. This means I find it difficult to converse with my family regularly: when they finish work, it is midnight here and I am usually asleep. Weekends are the best time for me to catch up with my life in the UK. It was difficult to begin with but now I am used to longer periods of time out of touch with the UK- I do however find myself looking at BBC news much more than what I used to… 

What have I done to feel more like a local?

Through making lots of Chinese friends, they have taken me to places I wouldn’t normally discover: this ranges from delicious authentic Chinese dumplings, to hidden parks around the city. It is sometimes difficult to feel like a local because of my blonde hair and blue eyes- so many Chinese natives ask for a photo with the ‘Westerner’, so it's difficult to blend in. I am called beautiful very frequently: It would be rude to complain… 

• Peking University

• Peking University Fact Sheet

• PKU International Office

• Numbeo - cost of living comparison site

• Expatistan - cost of living comparison site

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