Peking University Law School

About Peking University Law School

Peking University Law School stands at the pinnacle of legal education in China, training lawyers, judges, and scholars who shape the country's rapidly evolving legal system. Founded in 1904 as China's first modern law school, the institution carries a heritage that predates the People's Republic and connects contemporary legal education to reformist traditions stretching back to imperial China's final decades. Located on Peking University's historic campus in Beijing, the law school draws on the broader university's intellectual resources while maintaining its own distinguished identity. The approximately 12% acceptance rate for the law program makes it one of the most competitive academic programs in China, attracting the highest-performing students from across the country who see legal careers as pathways to influence in Chinese society. The law school has produced generations of China's legal elite, including supreme court justices, legal scholars cited internationally, and partners at the country's leading law firms. Faculty members include prominent academics whose scholarship shapes legal doctrine and former government officials who bring practical experience to their teaching. International partnerships with law schools in the United States, Europe, and Asia provide students with global perspectives on legal systems and create opportunities for exchange and collaboration. For students seeking to practice law at the highest levels in China, Peking University Law School represents the essential credential.

Admission to Peking University Law School is extraordinarily competitive, requiring academic performance that places applicants in the top fraction of a percent of Chinese students. Undergraduate admission depends primarily on gaokao scores, with provincial score cutoffs among the highest in the country. Students should focus intensively on gaokao preparation throughout high school, recognizing that a few points can determine access to China's most elite institutions. International students follow separate admission processes that evaluate academic records, language proficiency, and potential contribution to the student body. Graduate program admission requires strong undergraduate records, typically from top universities, combined with performance on national entrance examinations. For doctoral programs, research potential and alignment with faculty interests become crucial factors. Letters of recommendation from professors who can speak meaningfully about applicants' abilities and potential add weight to applications. Demonstrated interest in specific legal fields through prior research, internships, or relevant work experience strengthens applications at the graduate level. International applicants must demonstrate Chinese language proficiency sufficient for legal study, a high bar that requires years of preparation. Connect with current students or alumni if possible to understand the program's expectations and culture before committing to the demanding application process.

The academic program at Peking University Law School combines the study of Chinese law with comparative and international perspectives that prepare graduates for an increasingly globalized legal profession. The undergraduate law program (LLB) provides foundational training in constitutional law, civil law, criminal law, and procedural law, establishing the knowledge base that Chinese legal practice requires. Graduate programs (LLM and JD equivalents) allow specialization in areas from intellectual property to environmental law to international economic law. The doctoral program produces scholars who will become the next generation of law faculty at universities across China. Faculty scholarship addresses both doctrinal questions within Chinese law and comparative analyses that situate Chinese legal development within global contexts. Teaching methods have evolved from pure lecture toward more interactive approaches, though the Chinese tradition of respect for professorial authority shapes classroom dynamics. Moot court competitions, legal clinics, and externships supplement classroom learning with practical skill development. The law school maintains partnerships with leading institutions including Harvard, Oxford, and Sciences Po, creating opportunities for exchange semesters and collaborative research. Assessment typically combines written examinations with research papers, and competition for top grades is intense among these high-achieving students.

Student Life & Environment

The Peking University campus is among the most beautiful in China, featuring traditional Chinese gardens, historic buildings, and Weiming Lake, which has inspired generations of students and poets. Law students share this spectacular setting with scholars from every discipline, creating intellectual community across fields. The law school building houses classrooms, faculty offices, and study spaces where students prepare for the demanding academic program. Libraries across campus provide resources ranging from ancient Chinese legal texts to the most current international legal scholarship. Students at Peking University Law School describe an experience defined by intellectual intensity, competitive pressure, and access to the commanding heights of Chinese legal education. Classmates include some of the brightest minds of their generation, students who achieved near-perfect gaokao scores or succeeded in equally demanding graduate admissions processes. Study groups form around exam preparation and research projects, with students pushing each other toward excellence while also providing crucial support. The pressure to succeed is significant, as academic performance at Peking University Law School shapes career opportunities for decades to come.

Location & Surroundings

Beijing's position as China's political and legal capital makes the city itself an essential part of legal education. Students attend proceedings at the Supreme People's Court, visit the National People's Congress, and observe how law functions in practice at the highest levels of Chinese governance. The city's law firms, many with offices near Peking University, provide internship opportunities that introduce students to professional practice. Campus life balances intense study with engagement in student organizations, athletic activities, and exploration of Beijing's cultural treasures. The food options, from campus cafeterias to surrounding restaurants, satisfy both local and international students. Beyond academics, students engage with the broader Peking University community through lectures, cultural events, and the particular atmosphere of China's most prestigious university. Many students become deeply involved in legal aid clinics that provide services to Beijing residents who cannot afford lawyers, developing practical skills while contributing to access to justice. International students, though a small minority, find welcoming communities and opportunities to build Chinese language skills and professional networks. The experience of studying law at the institution that has trained so many of China's legal leaders creates a sense of historical connection and future responsibility. Graduates carry the Peking University name throughout their careers, marked forever by their association with this remarkable institution.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Graduates of Peking University Law School enter career markets that actively recruit them for the most competitive positions in Chinese law. The elite law firms, both Chinese and international, concentrate their hiring efforts on Peking University and a handful of comparable institutions. Government positions in the judiciary, procuracy, and legal departments of ministries are filled substantially by PKU law graduates. Academic careers at law schools throughout China are essentially closed to those without degrees from top institutions, making the Peking University credential a necessary first step. Starting salaries at major law firms in Beijing and Shanghai have risen dramatically, with top graduates earning compensation comparable to starting associates at elite firms in New York or London. In-house legal positions at major Chinese corporations and multinational companies with China operations provide alternatives to law firm practice. Some graduates pursue careers in international organizations, where expertise in Chinese law is increasingly valuable. The path to partnership at top firms typically takes a decade, with many Peking University graduates reaching this milestone. For graduates interested in public service, careers as judges or prosecutors offer prestige if not comparable compensation. The Peking University Law School network provides ongoing support, with alumni readily assisting fellow graduates throughout their careers.