About the School of International Relations and Diplomacy

The School of International Relations and Diplomacy (SIRD) at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) is dedicated to educating next generation diplomats, scholars, and global affairs professionals. Founded in 2006, SIRD builds on the distinguished heritage of BFSU, an institution long recognized as "the cradle of Chinese diplomats."

SIRD prepares students to engage the complex challenges of international affairs through rigorous academic training and a commitment to cultivating critical thinking, social responsibility, and global perspective. Our graduates go on to serve in diplomatic missions, international organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions at home and abroad.

The school's 28 full-time faculty members hold doctoral degrees from leading Chinese and foreign universities, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University, the University of Georgia, and Northwestern University. Their research spans American politics, comparative politics in Southeast Asia and Africa, China's foreign relations, European Union foreign policy, and global governance. Faculty research regularly appears in high-quality Chinese and English-language academic journals and presses.

SIRD offers a comprehensive range of degree programs. Undergraduate students may pursue degrees in Diplomacy or International Organization and Global Governance. At the graduate level, the school offers MA programs in Diplomacy, International Relations, Political Theory, and Comparative Politics, as well as a doctoral program in International Relations and Area Studies. The curricula draw on various foreign languages taught across BFSU, and students can choose courses in journalism, law, business, history, and other disciplines offered throughout the university.

Our student community numbers more than 600, including over 400 undergraduates, over 150 graduate students, and more than 20 international students. Approximately 80 percent of graduating seniors are admitted to master's programs at leading universities in China and abroad. Among graduate students, job placement rates reach nearly 90 percent.

SIRD is committed to international engagement. In 2018, the school partnered with Keele University to establish a double degree program in International Governance and Public Policy, the first undergraduate collaborative program in diplomacy between a Chinese university and an overseas institution. Students in this program spend three years at BFSU and one year at Keele, earning degrees from both universities. More than 200 students have completed this program. The school also maintains partnerships with institutions in Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Russia, and Japan, hosting visiting international students each year while sending Chinese students abroad.

At SIRD, we are guided by the university's founding commitment to "Learn with an Open Mind and Serve a Great Cause." We prepare our students not only with analytical skills and disciplinary knowledge, but also with the intellectual curiosity, team spirit, and sense of purpose required to contribute meaningfully to international understanding and cooperation.

Program Highlights

1. Multi-tiered Educational System: SIRD provides academic education for international students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, complemented by non-degree education programs, so as to meet their diverse learning needs.

2. Disciplinary Strengths and Platforms: SIRD runs a master's program in International Relations taught in either Chinese or English. Meanwhile, its undergraduate program in Diplomacy has been designated as a National First-Class Undergraduate Program.

3. High-Caliber Research-Oriented Faculty: All full-time faculty members hold doctoral degrees from prestigious universities in China and abroad. Their research regularly gets published in high-impact academic journals.

4. Integrated Teaching Model: The Chinese-taught programs emphasize integrated learning for Chinese and international students, actively fostering cross-cultural exchange and mutual learning. The English-taught programs focus on China Studies and incorporate field research to facilitate the synergistic development of students' language proficiency and professional competence.

Programs Details

Chinese-Taught Program

The Chinese-taught programs for international students at our school are divided into two categories: degree and non-degree education, covering both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Adopting a joint-class teaching mode for Chinese and international students, these programs create a deeply integrated learning environment that helps international students enhance their cross-cultural communication skills through intellectual exchange and improve their Chinese proficiency through immersive learning. Drawing on BFSU's distinctive strengths in foreign language education and area studies, the program cultivates professionals who can navigate complex international environments with both regional expertise and global perspective.

English-Taught Program

The MA program in China Studies provides international students with a comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding of contemporary China through the lens of political science and international relations. The program underscores foundational training in Chinese Government and Politics, Contemporary Chinese Foreign Policy, and International Relations Theory. It also offers courses on China's political economy, social transformation, its relations with major powers and regions, and its role in global governance. A distinctive feature is the integration of classroom instruction with field research trips, including visits to public institutions, cultural sites, private companies, and rural towns.

Students study China's domestic dynamics and international engagement across multiple dimensions—political, economic, social, and cultural. Elective courses include China's Economic Diplomacy, China-US Relations, China-EU Relations, China-Africa Relations, Traditional Chinese Political Thought, and China and Global Governance. These courses enable students to develop expertise aligned with their professional interests. The program aims to cultivate analytical skills, cross-cultural competencies, and substantive knowledge required for careers in diplomacy, international business, cultural exchange, research institutions, and multilateral organizations. Dissertations must address China-related topics, demonstrating both academic rigor and practical relevance.

Required Documents

1. Copy of passport photo page

2. Application Form

3. Custody Release Form (Please download, fill in and upload online)

4. Student Affirmations (Please download, fill in, and upload online)

5. Copy of guardian's ID card or passport photo page

6. Valid English Proficiency Certification: IELTS or TOEFL transcript

7. Valid Chinese Proficiency Certification: HSK transcript

8. Transcripts/Mark Sheets (Please provide original or certified copies. Documents not in Chinese or English must be accompanied by a certified translation.)

9. Diploma/Degree Certificate/Pre-graduation Certificate (Please provide validated copies. If the documents are written neither in Chinese nor English, a Chinese or English translation version should be submitted at the same time.)

10. Personal Statement

11. Two academic recommendation letters (for postgraduate programs applicants)

12. Resume (for applicants of postgraduate programs)

13. Study Plan (for applicants of postgraduate programs, minimum 1500 words)

14. Visa Page (for applicants currently studying in a university in China)

15. Study Certificate (for applicants currently studying in a university in China, please upload under "Other Attachments".)

16. School transfer certificate or school withdrawal certificate (for applicants currently studying for degrees in a university in China, please upload to the file entitled "other attachment".)

17. Recommendation letter and academic transcript from your current university (for applicants currently studying in a university in China, please upload to the file entitled "other attachment".)

18. Application Website: http://study.bfsu.edu.cn

Contact Information

School of International Relations and Diplomacy, Beijing Foreign Studies University

Room 407, Domestic Building 1, School of International Relations and Diplomacy, West Campus

No.19 North Xisanhuan Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing, 100089, China

Phone: +86 10 8881 7822

Email: huangmingzhu@bfsu.edu.cn

Web: https://sird.bfsu.edu.cn/