Schwarzman Scholars is a highly selective, one-year master’s program at Tsinghua University in Beijing that is designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders for the challenges of the future.
Schwarzman Scholars program is an international scholarship program founded by American financier Stephen A. Schwarzman. The program launched in June 2016, upon the completion of Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University, located in Beijing, China

Schwarzman Scholars Program Tsinghua University Benefits

  • The students selected to become Schwarzman Scholars will receive a comprehensive scholarship. It will include:
    • Tuition Fees
    • Room and board
    • Travel to and from Beijing at the beginning and end of the academic year
    • An in-country study tour
    • Required course books and supplies
    • Health insurance
    • A stipend of $4,000 for personal expenses
    • Schwarzman Scholars will be the single largest philanthropic effort ever undertaken in China by largely international donors.
    • Academic Curriculum
      The program’s curriculum has been designed to build students’ leadership abilities and deepen their knowledge of China and global affairs. All Schwarzman Scholars share a core curriculum that serves as an anchor for the rest of their studies and builds connections among them as a cohort. In addition to the core curriculum, Scholars are able to choose elective courses from a variety of academic disciplines, mainly but not exclusively from the fields of economics, public policy, and international relations, many with a specific or comparative focus on China.  Scholars can focus their electives in one of these fields if desired.
    • Leadership Development
      Leadership development is woven throughout the Schwarzman Scholars program from Orientation through the academic year and embedded in alumni programming after Scholars leave the College.  It is a vital part of both academics and student experience. To provide a foundation for the interactions students will have with mentors and through internships, the program offers courses and skills building workshops focused specifically on leadership development.
    • Language Classes
      All international students take required Mandarin classes during the fall term as part of their coursework. Courses are then optional for the remainder of the year.  Beginner to advanced level courses are available – scholars will take a placement test prior to the start of classes to determine their class. Chinese students will take advanced English language classes, focusing on writing and presentation skills, and professional and academic English.
    • Mentors Network
      Each student will have the opportunity to work closely with a senior mentor. Leading members of the Beijing business, academic, government, and NGO communities will help advance students’ understanding of Chinese society, culture, and career paths, and support personal growth.
    • Deep Dive
      The Deep Dive is a one-week, mandatory, for-credit field-based course that gives students the opportunity to learn about a different region of China as well as explore a research topic related to broader themes of economic, social, and political development. Deep Dive destinations have included Xi’an, Baoji, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shenzhen, and Shijiazhuang/ Xiong’an New Development Zone. Deep Dives that focus on business development visit prominent state-owned and private companies as well as start-ups to learn how these companies and their leaders are adjusting to the rapidly changing business landscape of China. Deep Dives that focus on social development visit schools, nursing homes, community centers, and small business incubators to see how cities and communities are addressing issues such as rural development, left-behind children, and China’s rapidly aging population. Students also have the opportunity to meet with local government officials in each city to discuss business and social development-related issues. Faculty join each of the Deep Dives in order to contextualize what the students are seeing and experiencing, to lead discussion sessions, and to help connect the visits to courses taught in the program.
    • Career Development
      Career Development encompasses a broad array of post-program goals – from pursuing a job search across myriad industries and geographies to applying to graduate school, to developing professional skills to further strengthen your long-term career aspirations. Support is available via individual coaching, programs and events, site visits, and resource materials and databases.
    • Practical Training Project
      The Practical Training Project (PTP) program enables students to apply what they have learned in the classroom by working in small groups on consulting-style projects for leading Chinese and international companies in a variety of fields, including finance, consulting, manufacturing, law, accounting, and sports, as well as nonprofit organizations addressing issues related to the environment, women, children, and education.  Schwarzman Scholars works with host organizations to identify projects that meet their business or institutional needs, while also enabling students to get first-hand experience working within the Chinese context.  The PTP is a mandatory course.
  • Events on Campus and Beyond
    Academic life will also be enriched by a range of extracurricular opportunities, from interactions with high-level visiting speakers at Schwarzman College to casual social activities at the student pub and extraordinary evenings with performing artists.
  • Opportunities after the program
    The inaugural class of Schwarzman Scholars, diverse in their backgrounds, experiences, and countries of origin pursued post-program endeavors that reflect these diverse interests and experiences.

Schwarzman Scholars Program Tsinghua University Eligibilities

    • Undergraduate degree or first degree from an accredited college or university or its equivalent. 
      Applicants who are currently enrolled in undergraduate degree programs must be on track to successfully complete all degree requirements before August 1 of their Schwarzman Scholars enrollment year. There are no requirements for a specific field of undergraduate study; all fields are welcome, but it is important for applicants, regardless of undergraduate major, to articulate how participating in Schwarzman Scholars will help develop their leadership potential within their field.
    • Age Requirement.
      Candidates must be at least 18 but not yet 29 years of age as of August 1 of their Schwarzman Scholars enrollment year.
  • English language proficiency. 
    Applicants must demonstrate strong English skills, as all teaching will be conducted in English. If the applicant’s native language is not English, official English proficiency test scores must be submitted with the application. This requirement is waived for applicants who studied at an undergraduate institution where the primary language of instruction was English for at least two years of the applicant’s academic program. The requirement will also be waived for applicants who have studied in English for two or more years at a Master’s degree level or higher.

The following items are not part of minimum eligibility requirements:

  • Marital status. Married applicants may apply and will be at no disadvantage in the application process. Spouses/partners may accompany Schwarzman Scholars to Beijing, but Scholars are expected to live in the dormitory and participate fully in the program like other students. Spouses/partners may not live in the dormitory, and no additional funding will be provided to support spouses/partners living off-campus.
  • There are no citizenship or nationality requirements.
  • Grade point average/class rank/pre-requisites.  Academic excellence is a requirement for successful applicants, but there is no minimum GPA or class rank required to apply. Applicants are expected to have demonstrated excellence in their academic studies, and the most competitive candidates are among the top students in their graduating class. There are no course prerequisites for applicants to the program, although some individual classes at Tsinghua University may have prerequisites.

Schwarzman Scholars does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job or course of study requirements.

Eligible Regions: Open for All.

How to apply for Schwarzman Scholars Program Tsinghua University 2024

Interested candidates participate in a rigorous and thorough selection process, designed to identify the most promising young leaders from around the world. Those selected will have demonstrated their potential to produce results within their own culture and context by inspiring and guiding groups and to not only benefit from but also contribute to the Schwarzman Scholars program. The process includes an online application and evaluation as well as in-person regional interview.

Applications for the U.S and Global applicants open in April 2024 for the 2024-2024 class, with selections made in November 2024. Applicants with Chinese passports apply by May 31, 2024, , with selections made in September 2024.  Please review basic eligibility requirements via the link to the right.

Required forms and records include:

  • Online application
  • Resume (2-page maximum)
  • Transcripts/Academic Records
  • Essays (2)
  • Letters of Recommendation (3)
  • Video (optional)

They discourage applicants from submitting any supplemental materials that are not required, such as portfolios, writing samples, additional recommendations, etc. Such materials will not be shared with the Review Committee.

    • Applicants who hold passports or permanent resident cards from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao, regardless of where they attended university or reside, will apply between January 1st and May 31, 2024, through the China application portal.
    • If the applicant were to apply via the U.S./Global system with a Hong Kong permanent resident card, he or she runs the risk of losing the permanent resident card.
    • The selection process for Chinese nationals shares the same principles as the U.S. and Global process and includes an online application and in-person interview at Tsinghua University in Beijing early July 2024.
    • Candidates will be notified as soon as admissions decisions are reached, by October 1, 2024, at the latest.

Scholarship in China

  • Applicants holding a passport from any other country apply between April and September.
  • The application, including all supporting documentation such as reference letters, must be submitted by the deadline.
  • Some universities or colleges, especially those in the United States, may opt to establish an earlier deadline for completion of letters of recommendation.
  • They encourage all currently enrolled undergraduate students to check with their university or college contact about any internal/campus-specific procedures that need to be followed.
  • Candidates invited for interview are notified in mid-October.
  • Interviews take place in three locations around the world with candidates often being invited to the location that is geographically closest.
  • Check the Apply Now link for further details.

Application Deadline: September 30, 2024

Apply Now