PKU 2027 intl postgrad admissions info & experiences?

Hi everyone,

I’ve been looking into graduate programmes in China for a while (partly to improve my Chinese in an academic setting), and I noticed that Peking University’s 2027 international admissions cycle is coming up. There isn't a ton of recent discussion about PKU postgrad apps on here, so I thought I'd share what I've gathered – and also ask if anyone here has been through the process.

What I found (from their international student pages):

Application period: expected around late October – December 2026 (based on last year's schedule; the official 2027 dates aren't out yet).

Selection: it's "application-review" – no written entrance exam. You submit transcripts, a research proposal, references, etc., and they evaluate your whole profile.

Thesis language: most programmes allow dissertations in English, which is a plus if your Chinese isn't fluent yet. That said, I imagine daily life and some coursework might still require decent Chinese, so this is probably more of a "research in English" option rather than a way to avoid learning the language altogether.

Campuses: you can apply to different ones – main Beijing campus, Changping, Daxing, or the Shenzhen Graduate School. I assume each has its own vibe and specialities.

Application portal: all through their official international student system (I won't paste the link here, but it's easy to find via their website).

What I'm still unsure about – and where I'd love your input:

For those who've studied at PKU (or any top Chinese uni) as a postgraduate: how does the teaching style compare to Western universities? Is it more lecture-based or seminar-based?

What's the real-world Chinese requirement? The official pages often say "HSK 5 or 6" for Chinese-taught programmes, but for English-taught ones, is there still a hidden expectation? How do you manage daily life and socialising if your Chinese is intermediate?

Supervisor matching – how does that work in practice? Do you reach out to professors before applying, or just state your interests in the application?

Campus life – would you recommend Beijing vs. Shenzhen? I've heard Shenzhen is more modern and closer to Hong Kong, but Beijing has the traditional university atmosphere.

Scholarships – are they competitive for postgrads? Any tips on applying?

I'm genuinely not affiliated with PKU – just a prospective applicant trying to piece things together. I figured this forum is the best place to get honest, first-hand perspectives. If you've applied, studied there, or know someone who has, please share your experience – good, bad, or neutral. I think a lot of us would benefit from real stories rather than just official brochures.

Also, if I've got any details wrong, feel free to correct me – I'm going off publicly available info and my own reading.

Thanks in advance, and good luck to anyone else considering this route!