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PhDRecommended
PhD of China Studies
Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
- Suzhou, China
- 3 years
- English
- On campus
- PhD
About the program
A joint doctoral programme focused on humanities and social science research about China.
Program highlights
- Internship available: no
- Placement support: yes
- Work during study: yes
- Post-study work rights: no
- PR pathway friendly: no
Career outcomes
- International business
- Education
- Media
- Nonprofit or governmental organisations
Curriculum
- Organised around four research areas: Chinese society
- Chinese politics and economy
- China's international relations
- and Chinese history
- literature and culture. Applicants may come from varied disciplines such as history
- sociology
- anthropology
- geography or politics. Each student has an XJTLU principal supervisor and a Liverpool co-supervisor
- About three years of research plus one year of thesis writing.
Entry requirements
Academic
- Bachelor and master degrees in a relevant field: UK first or 2:1 bachelor and Pass with Merit master
- North America 3.0/4.0
- or China 75-85% weighted average
- Exceptional bachelor-only candidates are considered individually.
Accepted academic background
Bachelor and master degrees in a relevant field, Exceptional bachelor-only candidates considered individually
Language tests
- IELTS 6.5 - 7.0 (min 6.0 - 6.5 per band)
- TOEFL iBT 88 - 100 (or 4.5 - 5.0 overall on the new scale from 2026-01-21)
- PTE Academic 61 - 69
Documents you’ll need
- Research proposal
- Bachelor and master degree transcripts and certificates
- English proficiency results
- Statement of purpose
- CV
- Two signed academic reference letters
- Passport copy for international applicants
- Translations where needed
- Additional writing sample if programme requests
How to apply
- Contact potential research supervisors and identify an available project in the doctoral programme. Check the programme entry criteria and choose an existing funded project or another permissible research funding route. Prepare a research proposal
- academic qualifications
- English proficiency evidence
- references
- a CV
- passport documents. Apply through the doctoral application portal. For a funded project beginning in Sep-2027
- the published general deadline is 30/04/2027; self-funded and merit-based applications follow a different schedule. Monitor the portal and respond to any request for additional documents.
Other costs
| Tuition per year | ¥99,000 CNY |
|---|---|
| Application fee | _ |
| Deposit | _ |
Program details
| Campus | Suzhou Campus |
|---|---|
| Faculty or school | School of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Department | _ |
| Teaching language | English |
| Credit value | _ |
| Study pace | _ |
| Post-study stay | _ |
| Scholarship note | _ |
Intakes and deadlines
Program starts
June 2027
Apply by
15 Jan 2027
63 days leftProgram starts
September 2027
Apply by
30 Apr 2027
168 days leftProgram starts
March 2027
Apply by
No deadline listed
Frequently asked questions
The program takes 3 years.
The next deadline is 15 Jan 2027. Apply early, because some programs close when places fill up.
Tuition is ¥99,000 CNY per year. The estimated living cost is ¥77,400 CNY.
Accepted language tests: IELTS 6.5 - 7.0 (min 6.0 - 6.5 per band), TOEFL iBT 88 - 100 (or 4.5 - 5.0 overall on the new scale from 2026-01-21), PTE Academic 61 - 69.