Yang Xiao Enters Tsinghua Graduate School After Eight Attempts

Yang Xiao, a 31‑year‑old from Shenyang in Liaoning Province, China, worked as a cleaner and later as a dormitory guard at Tsinghua University while repeatedly preparing for the university’s graduate entrance exams. After four failed attempts and incurring debts of more than 100 million yuan, he persisted and, on his eighth try in June, was admitted to the Tsinghua School of Art and Design with a score 34 points above the admission line.

He will study intangible cultural heritage and digital innovation, aiming to complete the three‑year program in two years. Yang has set his next goal on a fully funded PhD program at Harvard University. His story has drawn widespread attention on Chinese social media, praised for its resilience and determination.