Beijing Normal University "Freshman Scholarship"

About the university

Beijing Normal University (BNU), jointly built by the Ministry of Education and Beijing Municipality, is a national key university directly under the central government, with a primary focus on teacher education, educational science, and basic disciplines in liberal arts and sciences. It is a member of the national "985 Project," "211 Project," and "Double First-Class" A-level universities. During the Seventh and Eighth Five-Year Plan periods, it was one of the first ten key universities in China. BNU has been selected for the "National Teacher Training Program," "Everest Plan," "101 Plan," "Strengthening Basic Disciplines Plan," "2011 Plan," "111 Plan," "Talents Program," "Excellent Teacher Training Program," "Excellent Legal Talent Education and Training Program," the Beijing-Hong Kong University Alliance, the "Belt and Road" International Science Organization Alliance, and the China University Planetary Science Alliance. Its predecessor was the Normal School of the Imperial University of Peking, founded in 1902. In 1908, it was renamed the Capital Advanced Normal School and became an independent institution. In 1912, it was renamed Peking Higher Normal School, and in 1923, it became Beijing Normal University. In 1931 and 1952, Peking Women's Normal University and Fu Jen Catholic University were successively merged into BNU. In April 2019, the Ministry of Education officially approved the establishment of the Zhuhai Campus. As of March 2025, the university has two campuses in Beijing and Zhuhai, with 3 faculties, 29 schools, and 77 undergraduate programs. Its library holds over 5.84 million printed volumes and over 10.03 million e-books. It offers 36 first-level master's degree authorization points, 34 first-level doctoral degree authorization points, 6 professional doctoral degree authorization points, 25 professional master's degree authorization points, and 30 postdoctoral research stations. The university has 2,637 full-time faculty members, 16,543 full-time undergraduate students, 16,296 full-time graduate students, and 5,879 part-time graduate students. In the late 19th century, after the Qing government's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and the signing of the humiliating Treaty of Shimonoseki, imperialist powers intensified their scramble for concessions in China, leading to a deepening national crisis. Concerned intellectuals, acutely aware of the urgent situation, sought to save the nation from extinction, and one of their measures was to establish new schools to cultivate talent. Historical evolution: In 1898, the Qing government formulated the "Imperial University of Peking Charter," stipulating that the university would offer general and specialized courses, and also set up a Normal School and a Translation Bureau. Subsequently, due to events such as the "Hundred Days' Reform," the Boxer Rebellion, and the invasion of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance, the Imperial University of Peking suffered repeated setbacks and was even suspended. In 1901, the Qing government reestablished the Imperial University of Peking, first setting up an accelerated program divided into the "School of Official Training" and the "Normal School." The Normal School began enrolling students and opened on December 17, 1902, at the site of the Jing Shan East Horse Temple. In May 1908, the Advanced Normal School of the Imperial University of Peking was renamed the Capital Advanced Normal School, and its campus was moved to the Five-City School in Changdian. This marked the beginning of independent higher normal schools in China. In 1920, Peking Higher Normal School established the Graduate School of Education, admitting graduates of higher normal schools and specialized schools as well as outstanding third-year university students, pioneering the admission of graduate students through examinations in Chinese higher education.