Schwarzman Scholars: Fully Funded Master's at Tsinghua University

What is the Schwarzman Scholars program?

Schwarzman Scholars pays for a one-year Master's Degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing, and the program is built around leadership training and professional networking. It is aimed at students seen as future global leaders. The degree is taught at one of China's most prestigious universities.

The award covers study costs and living costs, so selected Scholars can focus on the program rather than on funding. The full listing sits on our Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University page.

Schwarzman Scholars at a glance

What does the Schwarzman scholarship pay for?

Selected Schwarzman Scholars receive a scholarship that covers tuition and fees, room and board, travel to and from Beijing at the start and end of the academic year, an in-country study tour, required course books and supplies, health insurance, and a personal stipend.

The stipend is money paid to you for day-to-day living, separate from tuition. Room and board means housing and meals are covered, and the two travel payments cover your flights at the beginning and end of the year.

What is not listed as covered

The listing does not name every possible personal cost. Check the official page for the current details before you budget.

Who qualifies for Schwarzman Scholars?

All nationalities can apply. The requirements below come from the official listing.

• Degree: an undergraduate degree or first degree from an accredited college or university or its equivalent. If you are still enrolled, you must be on track to finish all degree requirements before August 1 of your enrollment year.
• Field: no specific undergraduate field is required, and all fields are welcome. Whatever your major, you need to explain how Schwarzman Scholars will help you develop your leadership potential within your field.
• Age: at least 18 but not yet 29 years of age as of August 1 of your enrollment year. For the Class of 2026-2027, that is as of 1 August 2026.
• English: strong English skills, because all teaching is in English. If English is not your native language, submit official test scores.

English test scores accepted

• TOEFL iBT: minimum score 100
• IELTS: minimum score 7
• Cambridge English: Advanced (C1) or Proficiency (C2): minimum score 185

The test requirement is waived if you graduated from an undergraduate institution where the main language of instruction was English for at least two years of your academic program. It is also waived if you studied in English for two or more years at Master's degree level or higher.

Schwarzman Scholars deadlines and timeline

There are two deadlines, and which one applies to you depends on your passport.

The course starts in August 2027. Work backwards from your own deadline: test scores and official transcripts take time to reach you, so request them well before the final day. Check the deadline in your own time zone.

How to apply for Schwarzman Scholars, step by step

1. Create an account on the official application system to start a new application. Use an email address you check often, because it is used for all correspondence about your admissions status.
2. Activate your account with the temporary PIN sent by the system. If the email does not arrive immediately, check your spam and junk folders and add the sender to your safe senders list.
3. Click 'Start New Application' and work through the form. You do not have to finish in one sitting; save your work with the 'Continue' button and return as often as you need.
4. Check carried-over information. If you created an account in 2021 or later, log in as a returning user. Some information may carry over, such as the personal information page, listed schools, uploaded transcripts and professional experience. Review it and update what has changed. If you applied or started an application before 2021, create a new account.
5. Complete the form in English and submit every requirement electronically. Materials sent by mail or email are not accepted.
6. Submit before your deadline: 9 September 2026 at 3 p.m. EDT for US and other applicants, or 20 May 2026 at 12:00 p.m. CST for Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao passport holders.

Application forms and full instructions are on the official website. You can also browse the filtered list for this page for the current round.

Documents and tests to prepare

• Official transcripts from your undergraduate degree, uploaded to the application
• English proficiency test scores if English is not your native language and you do not qualify for the waiver: TOEFL iBT 100, IELTS 7, or Cambridge C1/C2 at 185
• Your degree details and professional experience, entered in the online form
• Your explanation of how the program develops your leadership potential in your own field

All requirements must be submitted electronically. The email address you register with is the one used for admissions correspondence, so keep access to it.

How selection works and what the class looks like

Up to 200 students are selected. About 45% of the first class come from the United States, 20% from China, and 35% from the rest of the world, so the cohort is deliberately international.

Within the Master's Degree and Leadership Programme in Global Affairs you pick one concentration: Public Policy, Economic and Business, or International Studies. Your application should make clear how that choice connects to the leadership role you are building toward.

Who Schwarzman Scholars suits, and who should look elsewhere

It suits you if

• You want a one-year Master's in Global Affairs in Beijing with study and living costs covered
• You hold, or are about to finish, an undergraduate degree in any field
• You can show leadership potential in your own area and explain it clearly
• You fall within the age range: at least 18 but not yet 29 as of August 1 of your enrollment year

Look elsewhere if

• You will be 29 or older as of August 1 of your enrollment year
• You want a multi-year research degree rather than a one-year professional Master's
• You cannot meet the English requirement and do not qualify for the waiver

If you want to compare other destinations, start with Scholarships in United States or Scholarships in Singapore.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using the wrong deadline. The date depends on your passport, not where you currently live or study.
• Leaving test scores to the last week. Official scores take time to be sent, and a missing score can sink an otherwise strong application.
• Ignoring the age rule. The cut-off is measured as of August 1 of your enrollment year, not the application date.
• Writing a generic essay. The listing asks you to connect the program to leadership in your own field, whatever you studied.
• Trying to submit by email. All requirements must be submitted electronically through the online application; mail and email materials are not accepted.
• Missing the activation email. Check spam and junk folders and add the sender to your safe senders list so you do not lose access to your account.

Alternatives if Schwarzman Scholars is not the right fit

If the one-year format or the age range does not work for you, there are other routes. Subject-specific funding is worth a look: List of Law and Public Policy Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students, List of Political Science Scholarships, and List of Economics & Finance Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships for International Students.

If you are open to other countries, see Scholarships in United Kingdom, Scholarships in Canada and Scholarships in Germany. For a wider view of what is open now, use the Scholarship finder, and read the Scholarship tips for application advice.