Tsinghua International Summer School, Beijing

What this is

A summer school run by Tsinghua University in Beijing for students working in environmental and related fields. Two weeks of teaching, site visits and project work, with the academic side handled by one of China's leading research universities.

Who it is for

Currently enrolled undergraduate or master's students studying environmental science or an adjacent field. International applicants are explicitly welcomed — this is not a domestic programme with a few overseas places.

Doctoral students are outside the stated criteria.

What is covered

The China Scholarship Council covers accommodation and living costs in Beijing, and both the registration and application fees are waived.

Flights are not mentioned. That is the gap to budget for, and it is the single largest cost of attending from outside Asia. Treat "funded" here as meaning your time in Beijing is paid for, not your journey to it.

Timing

The 2026 round closed on 10 May 2026 and ran from 3 to 17 July. The programme runs annually, so the realistic move now is to prepare for the next intake rather than to apply.

Applications have opened around March in recent years, with a second round closing in May. If you are a first or second-year undergraduate, that gives you most of an academic year to build the record an application needs.

Preparing for the next round

Summer schools attached to research universities select on academic fit more than on general enthusiasm. What helps:

• A clear line between what you study and what the school teaches
• Any project, fieldwork or lab experience in environmental science
• A named academic reference who can speak to your work

A visa for China takes several weeks and needs an invitation letter from the host, which selected participants receive — factor that into the gap between acceptance and travel.

Applying

Applications go to Tsinghua directly through the official link on this page. We do not administer this programme.