This disclosure includes a transmission scheme indication method, and a data transmission method, apparatus, and system, pertaining to the field of communications technologies. The transmission scheme indication method includes: generating transmission scheme indication information, where the transmission scheme indication information is used to indicate one of at least two transmission schemes included in a current transmission mode, and the at least two transmission schemes include a beamforming transmit diversity transmission scheme; and sending the transmission scheme indication information. This application resolves a problem of relatively low flexibility in UE data transmission, and improves flexibility in UE data transmission. This application is used for data transmission.