Peking University

Peking University does not use the Common App, and it does not use UCAS. International undergraduates apply directly through PKU's own portal at studyatpku.com, choosing one of two routes: the Entrance Examination (a written test in Chinese, English, and Mathematics) or Admission Without Written Examination (for applicants whose standardized scores already clear the bar, such as SAT 1400+ with three AP 4s, IB 36+, or A-Level ABB, alongside HSK 6 with a score of at least 210). Either way, the written materials are the same: one personal statement in Chinese or English, plus a self-introduction video, two recommendation letters, and a mandatory Commitment Letter.

The core challenge for an American or other international applicant is that this is not a personal-essay culture in the US Common App sense, and it is not a subject-only personal statement in the UK UCAS sense. PKU wants a focused statement of why you want to study your chosen field at Peking specifically, what you have done to prepare, and how you will handle studying inside a Chinese-language, China-based academic environment. PKU publishes a template but no firm public word count, so you set your own discipline: tight, evidence-led, and genuinely about the academic path you are choosing.

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