About
About Beijing Foreign Studies University
Beijing Foreign Studies University (北京外国语大学) traces its origins to 1941, when it was set up as the Russian Language Team in the Third Branch of the Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese Military and Political College. It took its present name in 1994. BFSU is under the direct administration of the Ministry of Education and has been part of Project 211, Project 985’s Innovation Platform and the first round of the Double First-Class initiative.
Languages are the core of the university. BFSU teaches 101 foreign languages — what its Overview page calls China’s largest non-general (less commonly taught) language cluster — and offers 122 undergraduate programs, 46 of which are offered by no other university in China. In the national discipline evaluation its first-level discipline of foreign languages and literature received an A+ rating, ranking first nationwide. Around the language schools sit law, international relations and diplomacy, business, journalism and communication, education, history and information science.
The university’s Facts & Figures page counts more than 5,700 undergraduates, more than 4,300 graduate students and more than 1,200 international students, with over 1,200 full-time faculty and supporting staff and about 200 foreign teachers from 57 countries and regions; the page does not date these figures. BFSU has two campuses, East and West, both in Haidian District, Beijing. At the opening ceremony in September 2026 the Overseas Students Affairs Office reported welcoming 1,147 international students from 92 countries alongside 3,292 first-year students from across China.
First-level discipline rated A+ and ranked first nationwide in the national discipline evaluation, per BFSU’s Overview page
Facts & Figures and Overview pages
Also Project 211 and Project 985’s Innovation Platform
101 languages under one roof
BFSU teaches 101 foreign languages across European, Asian and African regions — the largest range of any Chinese university, and the reason its visiting and master’s programs include translation and interpreting in Arabic, German, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Spanish.
A cradle of diplomats
The Overview page states that over 500 BFSU alumni have served as ambassadors and over 3,000 as counselors.
Two campuses in Haidian
The East and West campuses sit side by side in Haidian District. International student registration for autumn 2026 was held at the School of Chinese Language and Literature on the East Campus, and the international dormitories are split between the two.
Chinese- and English-taught routes
Undergraduate business and English majors can be studied in English; most language, literature, law and diplomacy programs are taught in Chinese or bilingually with the relevant foreign language.
Admission
Admission, programs & tuition
BFSU admits international students to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and to non-degree visiting study, all through the BFSU International Students Service System at study.bfsu.edu.cn. The 2026 undergraduate prospectus sets out one requirement that is new to many applicants: every undergraduate applicant must submit an official China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) report, with the subjects depending on the major — Chinese and Mathematics (liberal-arts or science version) for Chinese-taught majors, and Mathematics only for English-taught majors. For Chinese-language-and-literature majors the prospectus notes that HSK Level 4 exempts the applicant from the CSCA Chinese paper, and the 2026/2027 Silk Road scholarship notice puts that threshold at HSK Level 4 with 180 points or more. Undergraduates must have completed senior high school; applicants under 18 need the university’s approval and notarized documents for a local guardian in China. Applicants of Chinese heritage (born abroad to one or two Chinese parents, or former Chinese citizens) must have held foreign nationality for at least four full years with more than two years of physical residence abroad within the latest four years. At postgraduate level the 2026 Master’s and PhD program lists set tuition and language of instruction per program; entry conditions such as HSK level, English scores, interviews and age limits are set in the 2026 Postgraduate Prospectus and by each school, and the university-wide figures are not repeated on its English program pages — the age limits BFSU publishes for postgraduates (under 35 for master’s, under 40 for doctoral) appear in its Beijing Government Scholarship and Chinese Government Scholarship notices, so confirm the rule for self-funded applicants with the office before applying.
Degree programs
Select a degree level to see tuition, duration and entry requirements.
Bachelor’s degreeUndergraduate
Four-year degrees (a study period of 3 to 6 years is permitted). The 2026 prospectus lists Chinese-taught majors in diplomacy, computer science and technology (language intelligence), international business, accounting, business administration, Chinese language education, Chinese language, Chinese-English translation, and foreign-language majors such as Arabic, German, Russian and Italian; and English-taught majors in international business, finance, international trade, business administration, English and advanced diplomatic translation and interpreting. Most majors take autumn entry only; the Chinese-language-and-literature majors and the English-taught business majors also accept spring entry.
- Chinese-taught law, engineering and foreign languages & literature
- RMB 26,000 / year
- Chinese-taught management (International Business School)
- RMB 31,000 / year
- Chinese-taught Chinese language & literature majors
- RMB 26,000–28,000 / year
- English-taught economics & management majors
- RMB 39,900 / year
- English-taught English and advanced diplomatic translation & interpreting
- RMB 26,000 / year
Application requirements
- Non-Chinese citizen holding a valid ordinary foreign passport; applicants of Chinese heritage must have held foreign nationality for at least 4 full years, with physical overseas residence of more than 2 years within the latest 4 years (9 months in a year counts as a full year; cut-off 30 April 2026).
- Physically and mentally healthy, with no criminal record or public-security penalties.
- Completed senior high school education; applicants under 18 need school approval and notarized local-guardian documents in China.
- Official CSCA report: Chinese + Mathematics for Chinese-taught majors (liberal-arts or science Chinese depending on the major), Mathematics only for English-taught majors. HSK Level 4 exempts applicants to the Chinese-language-and-literature majors from the CSCA Chinese paper.
- A language proficiency certificate matching the teaching language of the major (HSK, IELTS, TOEFL, etc.). The 2026 prospectus does not print a minimum IELTS or TOEFL score, so confirm the threshold for your major with the office.
- A personal statement of at least 500 words, written in the major’s teaching language.
Master’s degreeGraduate
Nearly 60 program listings across 21 schools and institutes, from law and international relations to translation and interpreting in nine languages, education, journalism, business, history, Chinese studies and area studies. Academic master’s programs generally run 3 years; professional translation, interpreting, business and journalism degrees run 2 years. English-taught options include International Law, International Relations, Journalism and Communication, International Business, English Language and Literature and Translation Studies.
- Most programs (languages, translation & interpreting, literature, education, history, Chinese studies, journalism)
- RMB 30,000 / year
- International Relations (English-taught)
- RMB 40,000 / year
- International Business (English-taught, two listed tracks)
- RMB 45,000 / year or RMB 50,000 / year
- Finance (Chinese-taught)
- RMB 50,000 / year
- All Law School programs
- RMB 64,000 / year
Application requirements
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Language proficiency matching the program: the Chinese Government Scholarship “High-level Postgraduates” notice asks for HSK and/or IELTS or equivalent, with the level set per program, and waives HSK for applicants who earned a degree taught in Chinese at a Chinese university.
- Program-specific conditions vary: for example, the School of International Organizations’ Master in International Affairs suggests HSK 5 with 180+ points, asks for IELTS 6.5 or equivalent, a research proposal of 1,500+ words and two recommendation letters, and requires an entrance interview.
- Age: BFSU’s scholarship notices set master’s applicants at under 35; confirm whether a limit applies to self-funded applicants in your program.
Doctoral degreeGraduate
Four-year PhDs concentrated in BFSU’s strengths: English, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, European and Asian & African languages and literatures, translation and interpreting, Chinese literature and linguistics, foreign linguistics and applied linguistics, language policy, foreign language education, comparative education, international communication and country and area studies.
- All doctoral programs
- RMB 34,000 / year
Application requirements
- Master’s degree.
- Language proficiency matching the program (HSK and/or IELTS or equivalent per the High-level Postgraduates notice), with HSK waived for applicants who earned a degree taught in Chinese at a Chinese university.
- Age: BFSU’s scholarship notices set doctoral applicants at under 40; confirm whether a limit applies to self-funded applicants.
- Personal statement, recommendation letters, CV and study plan, as listed for the Chinese Government Scholarship postgraduate route.
Non-degree programs
Regular and Advanced Visiting Student Programs
Non-degree study attached to a school. The 2026 catalogue lists English-taught programs in China business studies and China e-commerce (International Business School), linguistics, English literature, social and cultural studies, country and regional studies, foreign language education and translation studies (School of English and International Studies) and global communication; Chinese-taught programs include Chinese language (School of Chinese Language and Literature), diplomatic studies and international relations, world history, Russian and translation, and Arabic and translation. Applicants must be high-school graduates; under-18s need the university’s approval and a notarized guardian document in China. Application windows are 15 October – 15 December and 10 March – 31 May. BFSU does not publish per-program visiting or Chinese-language tuition on its English pages, so ask the office for the fee of the program you want.
Fee · Tuition paid by semester, set per program; insurance RMB 400 / half year or RMB 800 / year
Short-Term Visiting Student Program
Short courses run by individual schools, plus a separate summer session (iss.bfsu.edu.cn). Semesters run September–January (autumn) and February–July (spring).
Fee · Set per program
Inter-university exchange (2026)
For full-time students officially nominated by an overseas university holding a valid exchange agreement with BFSU. Autumn semester starts in early September and spring in early March. Applications: 10 March – 31 May for autumn, 15 October – 31 December for spring.
Fee · Per the exchange agreement; accommodation follows the agreement where it specifies housing
Documents to prepare
- Passport biographical page (valid ordinary foreign passport).
- Senior high school graduation certificate (undergraduate) or degree certificate (postgraduate); non-English documents need a certified English translation.
- Complete transcripts; non-percentage grading systems need an official explanation of the scale.
- Official CSCA report — undergraduate applicants only (csca.cn).
- Language proficiency certificate matching the teaching language (HSK, IELTS, TOEFL, etc.).
- Personal statement in the teaching language — at least 500 words for undergraduates; postgraduate programs set their own research proposal length (1,500+ words for the Master in International Affairs).
- Admission commitment letter and sponsor guarantee letter.
- For applicants in work: an employment termination letter or the employer’s approval to study.
- Postgraduates: recommendation letters and CV; scholarship applicants also submit a physical examination record and non-criminal record.
- Extra materials required by individual schools or scholarship schemes; applicants of Chinese heritage submit the nationality certification materials set out in BFSU’s separate instructions.
Application timeline
These are the dates Beijing Foreign Studies University published for the 2026 intake. That cycle has closed. Use them as a guide to when each step falls in the year, and check the official pages for the 2027 dates before you plan around them.
- 1
CSC High-level Postgraduates — BFSU system deadline
By 20 Feb 2026The CSC system is open 5 January – 28 February 2026, only for applicants holding a BFSU pre-admission letter.
- 2
Undergraduate application window (autumn 2026)
10 Mar – 15 Jun 2026Per the 2026 Undergraduate Admissions Prospectus.
- 3
Postgraduate, visiting and exchange window (autumn 2026)
10 Mar – 31 May 2026The School of International Organizations gives 31 May 2026 as its master’s deadline; the visiting study and exchange notices use the same 10 March – 31 May window. Confirm your own school’s deadline in the 2026 Postgraduate Prospectus.
- 4
Silk Road Program (CSC) deadline
By 1 Jun 2026Undergraduate scholarship for Chinese language and literature (Chinese–foreign translation).
- 5
Beijing Government Scholarship deadline (autumn)
By 5 Jun 2026 - 6
Admission letter and JW201/JW202
4–5 weeks after admissionSent to the applicant’s registered email.
- 7
Registration for new international students
2–4 Sep 2026At the School of Chinese Language and Literature, East Campus; dormitory check-in must happen in the same period.
- 8
Undergraduate spring-intake window
15 Oct – 15 Dec 2026Printed in the 2026 prospectus for spring entry; only the Chinese-language-and-literature and English-taught business majors take spring students.
2026 tuition at BFSU runs from RMB 26,000 a year for most Chinese-taught bachelor’s majors to RMB 39,900 for English-taught business majors; master’s programs are RMB 30,000 a year for most subjects, rising to RMB 40,000–50,000 for international relations (English), business and finance and RMB 64,000 for every Law School program; all doctoral programs are RMB 34,000 a year. Degree students pay tuition annually. Add the RMB 800 non-refundable application fee, compulsory insurance of RMB 800 a year (RMB 400 per half year) and dormitory fees of RMB 40–100 a day, paid per semester in a lump sum. The registration guide also suggests arriving with around RMB 2,000 in cash for visa fees, a SIM card and services that do not accept international cards.
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Funding
Scholarships
BFSU’s scholarship page separates awards for incoming students from awards for students already enrolled. Incoming students can apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship (Type A through embassies, and Type B through BFSU for the High-level Postgraduates and Silk Road programs), the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, China Studies Program awards and the Beijing Government Scholarship. The Beijing Government award is the only one open to self-funded applicants of every level without a home-country channel, but in principle only its Category C (tuition and insurance) is available to undergraduates, master’s and non-degree students. The BFSU International Student Scholarship is for enrolled self-financed students only. Undergraduate Type A applicants are limited to Chinese-taught programs and must take the CSCA.
Chinese Government Scholarship — Type A (Bilateral)
Tuition, accommodation, living allowance and insurance.
Eligibility: Doctoral, master’s, undergraduate and visiting students; undergraduates are limited to Chinese-taught programs and must take the CSCA. Apply to the dispatching authority or Chinese embassy at home, complete the CSC online application with the agency number, then apply through the Chinese Government Scholarship channel in study.bfsu.edu.cn.
Chinese Government Scholarship — High-level Postgraduates (Type B, 2026/2027)
Tuition waived; free dormitory or a housing subsidy (RMB 700 a month for master’s, RMB 1,000 for doctoral); living allowance of RMB 3,000 a month (master’s) or RMB 3,500 a month (doctoral); comprehensive medical insurance.
Eligibility: Master’s applicants under 35 with a bachelor’s degree and doctoral applicants under 40 with a master’s degree, with excellent results; HSK and/or IELTS at the level each program sets (HSK waived for Chinese-taught degree holders from Chinese universities). BFSU system deadline 20 February 2026; CSC system 5 January – 28 February 2026.
Chinese Government Scholarship — Silk Road Program (Type B, 2026/2027)
Tuition waived; free dormitory or RMB 700 a month; living allowance RMB 2,500 a month; comprehensive medical insurance.
Eligibility: Undergraduate entry to Chinese language and literature (Chinese–foreign translation) for high-school graduates aged 25 or under from New Zealand, Portugal, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Russia. CSCA Chinese and Mathematics required; HSK 4 with 180+ points exempts the CSCA Chinese paper. Deadline 1 June 2026.
International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship
Tuition, accommodation, living allowance and insurance.
Eligibility: Master’s, undergraduate and visiting students in Chinese language and international Chinese language education.
China Studies Program scholarships
Full tuition, accommodation, living allowance and insurance.
Eligibility: Master’s students in advanced Chinese interpreting and translation, and doctoral candidates through the Ph.D. Fellowship.
Beijing Government Scholarship for International Students (freshmen)
Category A covers tuition, accommodation, living allowance and medical insurance; Category B tuition, accommodation and insurance; Category C tuition and insurance. In principle only Category C is available to undergraduates, master’s and non-degree students, and the scholarship index describes it as tuition for the first academic year only.
Eligibility: Bachelor’s applicants under 25, master’s under 35, doctoral under 40; HSK Level 4 for Chinese-taught degree programs (HSK 3 for foundation and visiting); an average of 80/100 or GPA 3.0. Deadlines: 5 June for autumn, 30 November for spring. Enrolled students can re-apply each year for tuition and insurance.
BFSU International Student Scholarship (enrolled students)
First class RMB 15,000, second class RMB 12,000, third class RMB 10,000, paid in a lump sum to a Chinese bank account.
Eligibility: Registered full-time self-financed degree students with good academic performance, attendance and conduct; applications in mid-May each year, by personal application, school recommendation and university review.
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Research at the university
Research at BFSU follows its languages: country and area studies, linguistics, translation, foreign-language education and international communication. The university runs 54 research bases at national, provincial and ministerial level, including 37 centres for country and regional studies registered with the Ministry of Education, and publishes five CSSCI source journals. Its Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press is one of China’s major academic and language-teaching publishers. For international students this shows up most clearly in the graduate programs of the National Research Centre for Foreign Language Education and the Country and Area Studies Academy.
Country and area studies
37 MOE-registered centres, and a Country and Area Studies Academy that admits international master’s and doctoral students.
Foreign language education & applied linguistics
The National Research Centre for Foreign Language Education offers doctoral programs in foreign linguistics and applied linguistics, language policy and planning, and foreign language education.
Translation and interpreting
The Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation and the language schools offer professional master’s degrees in interpreting and translation in English, Arabic, German, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Spanish.
International communication
The School of International Journalism and Communication offers an English-taught master’s and a doctoral program in international communication.
- Foreign languages and literature rated A+ and ranked first nationwide in the national discipline evaluation.
- 54 research bases at national, provincial and ministerial level.
- Five CSSCI source journals, plus the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
- About 1.6 million books in the BFSU Library.
Global engagement
Global engagement
BFSU has exchange and cooperation agreements with more than 300 universities and academic institutions in more than 80 countries and regions, and runs 23 Confucius Institutes in 18 countries — the highest number of any Chinese university, according to its Overview page. About 200 foreign teachers from 57 countries and regions teach on campus.
Confucius Institutes
23 Confucius Institutes worldwide, the most of any Chinese university, coordinated through BFSU’s Confucius Institute office.
Inter-university exchange
Students nominated by partner universities can study at BFSU for one or two semesters, with English-taught and Chinese-taught courses available.
School of International Organizations
Runs a Master in International Affairs for international students, aimed at careers in international organizations.
Career
Career & alumni
BFSU is known as “a cradle of diplomats”: its Overview page states that over 500 alumni have served as ambassadors and over 3,000 as counselors. The university does not publish employment or salary statistics for its international graduates on its English pages, so treat any such figure you see elsewhere with caution. The Overseas Students Affairs Office site links to the university’s careers site at jyzd.bfsu.edu.cn.
Career support
- A university careers site (jyzd.bfsu.edu.cn), linked from the Overseas Students Affairs Office website; the office does not describe a separate careers service for international students on its English pages.
Notable alumni
Campus life
Campus life
International students live in university dormitories on both campuses or off campus. On-campus accommodation must be checked into during the registration period (2–4 September 2026 for the autumn intake), registered within 24 hours, and paid by semester in a lump sum; students living off campus must obtain a Temporary Accommodation Certificate within 24 hours of moving in. BFSU publishes separate rules on reservation, renewal and room changes, and a dormitory FAQ, on the Overseas Students Affairs Office site.
Accommodation
East Campus International Dormitory
RMB 90 / day
West Campus White Building
RMB 60 / day (shared bathroom) or RMB 70 / day (private bathroom)
General dormitories
RMB 40 / day (shared bathroom) or RMB 70 / day (private bathroom)
West Campus “Domestic Mansion” (as named in the English prospectus)
RMB 90–100 / day
All four prices are as listed in the 2026 Undergraduate Admissions Prospectus; the current room list is published as a separate notice by the Overseas Students Affairs Office.
Dining
BFSU does not publish canteen locations or meal prices for international students on its English pages; budget for food separately and check on arrival.
Facilities
Library
About 1.6 million books in the BFSU Library.
Insurance
Comprehensive Insurance for Foreigners Staying in China is compulsory: RMB 400 per half year or RMB 800 per year.
Visa & residence permit
The Overseas Students Affairs Office handles visa and residence-permit procedures; under-18 applicants have separate student-visa instructions.
Cultural life
The office organises events such as the International Cultural Festival (now in its fifth edition), sports tournaments and dormitory safety drills.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at Beijing Foreign Studies University?+
For 2026, Chinese-taught bachelor’s majors cost RMB 26,000 a year (RMB 26,000–28,000 for Chinese language and literature, RMB 31,000 for management), and English-taught majors RMB 39,900 (business) or RMB 26,000 (English and diplomatic translation and interpreting). Most master’s programs are RMB 30,000 a year, International Relations in English RMB 40,000, International Business RMB 45,000 or 50,000, Finance RMB 50,000 and Law RMB 64,000. All PhDs are RMB 34,000 a year. The application fee is RMB 800 and non-refundable.
Do I need the CSCA to apply for a bachelor’s degree at BFSU?+
Yes. The 2026 undergraduate prospectus requires an official CSCA report from every applicant: Chinese and Mathematics for Chinese-taught majors, Mathematics only for English-taught majors. HSK Level 4 exempts applicants to the Chinese-language-and-literature majors from the CSCA Chinese paper. Postgraduate applicants do not take the CSCA.
When are the application deadlines?+
For autumn 2026, the undergraduate window was 10 March – 15 June 2026, and the postgraduate, visiting and exchange window 10 March – 31 May 2026. Scholarship deadlines are earlier: 20 February 2026 for CSC High-level Postgraduates, 1 June for the Silk Road Program and 5 June for the Beijing Government Scholarship. The 2026 prospectus opens a spring-intake window of 15 October – 15 December 2026 for the majors that accept spring entry.
What scholarships can international students get at BFSU?+
Incoming students can apply for Chinese Government Scholarships (Type A through their home country; High-level Postgraduates and Silk Road through BFSU), the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, China Studies Program awards and the Beijing Government Scholarship, which in principle covers tuition and insurance (Category C) for undergraduates and master’s students. Once enrolled, self-financed students can apply each May for the BFSU International Student Scholarship of RMB 10,000–15,000.
Is there an age limit?+
BFSU’s undergraduate prospectus sets no upper age limit but requires under-18s to have school approval and a notarized local guardian in China. The Beijing Government Scholarship sets under 25 for bachelor’s, under 35 for master’s and under 40 for doctoral applicants, and the CSC High-level Postgraduates notice uses the same postgraduate limits; the Silk Road Program is for applicants aged 25 or under.
How much do dormitories cost?+
The 2026 undergraduate prospectus lists RMB 40 a day for a double room with shared bathroom, RMB 60–70 a day for singles in the West Campus White Building, RMB 90 a day for a single with private bathroom in the East Campus International Dormitory and RMB 90–100 a day for a single in the West Campus “Domestic Mansion”. Fees are paid per semester in a lump sum.
Contact
Contact the admissions offices
Reach the Overseas Students Affairs Office (留学生办公室), Beijing Foreign Studies University for questions about applications, documents, scholarships and arrival. Type university programs and offices are based on campus in Beijing.
- Office
- Overseas Students Affairs Office (留学生办公室), Beijing Foreign Studies University
- Address
- Room 201, Student Center, East Campus, No. 2 Xisanhuan Beilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100089, P.R. China
- study@bfsu.edu.cn — admissions, scholarships and general enquirieswsclxb@bfsu.edu.cn — listed on the 2026 exchange and CSC High-level Postgraduates noticesbfsu-sio@bfsu.edu.cn — School of International Organizations (Master in International Affairs)
Verified from official sources · last checked 2026-09-28
Tuition, fees and deadlines change every intake. Always confirm the current figures on the official Beijing Foreign Studies University pages before applying.
- 2026 Undergraduate Admissions Prospectus for International Students
- 2026 Master’s Programs for International Students
- 2026 PhD Programs for International Students
- Admissions prospectus list (Chinese)
- 2026/2027 CSC High-level Postgraduates notice (Chinese)
- 2026/2027 CSC Silk Road Program notice (Chinese)
- 2026 inter-university exchange notice (Chinese)
- Visiting study application information (Chinese)
- Application Information for Visiting Study Programs
- Visiting & Advanced Study Program Catalogue
- SIO 2026 Master in International Affairs prospectus
- Scholarships
- Chinese Government Scholarship (Type A)
- Beijing Government Scholarship (freshmen)
- BFSU International Student Scholarship
- Accommodation
- Fall 2026 Registration Guide
- Contact Us
- Overseas Students Affairs Office home (news)
- BFSU Overview
- BFSU Facts & Figures
- BFSU English homepage