Your Guide to Chinese Government Scholarships
Last updated by Kamilla Yunusova on May 25th, 2015.
This article is part of a three-part series on finding scholarships in China. For more information, check out Finding the Right Scholarship for China Study and 20 Scholarships to Get You to China.
by Austin Groves and Francis Miller
Believe it or not, some of the more attractive but lesser-known scholarships are offered by the Chinese government. These include the Chinese Government Scholarship Program, local government scholarships, Confucius Institute Scholarships and university-specific scholarships. If you’re looking to study in China one of these might be just what you’re looking for.
Chinese Government Scholarship Program
The Chinese Government Scholarship Program consists of full and partial scholarships to attend Chinese universities for an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, language training or independent research. The scholarship covers tuition, lab fees and accommodations and students can also receive a living stipend of RMB 1,400-2,000 per month.
How do I apply?
The first part of the application process is done online. After that students are required to submit additional materials to a dispatching authority which in many cases is the nearest Chinese consulate. These additional materials include notarized photocopies of your passport, diplomas, school transcripts, health certificates, a study plan and recommendation letters. You will also be expected to get a physical examination based on the Chinese Scholarship Council’s (CSC) requirements and submit it along with your application.
Students can list their top three choices for schools they would like to attend but the Chinese government reserves the right to select the school they will attend.
If you are interested in the University Postgraduate Program or the Cooperative Program with Provinces and Autonomous Regions, you should apply directly to the university as each university has specific scholarship quotas. These two programs are an attractive option for students who want to study in a specific region of China.
Students can apply to these scholarships from the CSC website.
Additional Information
All undergraduate classes at Chinese universities are conducted in Chinese. Some Chinese higher education institutions conduct postgraduate programs and non-degree courses in English. If students do not already have a command of the Chinese language, they will be required to take one to two years of language instruction prior to beginning their degree.
Local Government Scholarships
Local government scholarships typically give a flat sum ranging from RMB 5,000-30,000 per year. The scholarships given out by local governments are focused on attracting foreign college students to study in a specific region in China. Click here to see a complete list. Applications are generally accepted from January to April every year.
University-Specific Scholarships
Many Chinese universities also offer scholarships to attract students from all over the world. Students interested in these should go to the university’s website for scholarship application and apply directly to the school. These scholarships are great for students that have a specific Chinese university in mind. For example, Peking University offers a scholarship for academic excellence.
Confucius Institute (Hanban) Scholarships
Deadline: 15th April, 2014
The Confucius Institute, otherwise known as Hanban, offers money to students who have studied Chinese and want to pursue majors such as Chinese language and literature, Chinese history and Chinese philosophy. Scholarships are also available for scholars and Chinese language teachers who plan on pursuing a master’s in teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages (MTCSOL) at a Chinese university. Many of the scholarships have an HSK score requirement which can be found on the Confucius Institute Scholarship website.
From what we’ve gathered, the Hanban scholarships are similar to the previous Chinese Government Scholarships in terms of the structure and award; the only difference is the eligibility requirements. To apply for Hanban scholarships your school must have a Confucius Institute on campus and you must be interested in studying a major related to Chinese.
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Francis Miller, Pengyou Intern, is a master’s student at the University of Pennsylvania studying Chinese. He won a FLAS Fellowship to study at the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He enjoys suannai, a traditional Beijing yogurt consumed with a straw.
Austin Groves, Pengyou Intern, is a senior at Drexel University studying business and Chinese. Austin received the Freeman Award for Study in Asia to help him pay for studying in China.
Are students eligible to apply for the Chinese Government Scholarships if they are studying at a partner institution for only one semester and taking courses in English, but also studying Chinese?
Unfortunately, there is a lot more to it than described above (paperwork, annual reviews, applicable majors, procedures). I had to study Chinese first, before pursuing my Master’s in Biomedical Engineering, which is finally finished after about 4 years in China under a CSC scholarship.
As far as the ‘academic excellence scholarship’ is concernced…when I was studying I won it; second place, amongst master’s students. North Koreans won the first prize all around.
Can anybody tell me what should be included in writing effective Study plan for Chinese Government Scholarship.
Hey Arif, here is what I found a minute a go, now I’ll strat my own study plan:
Study Plan:
It’s basically a proposal/personal statement introducing yourself and explaining why you want to learn Chinese. You should write about why you think learning Chinese is important, why you think learning Chinese in China is important, and how you hope to use your new knowledge in the future. Talking about Chinese culture and how China’s becoming a major world power wouldn’t hurt either.
Write as much as you can – the CSC application requires NO LESS THAN 200 words. I remember writing a freaking book basically on why and how I’m so awesome, why all the goals/intentions of study I have are so awesome, and why the Chinese government would become infinitely more awesome than it already is by giving me the scholarship.
Rubjar was able to find this online regarding the personal statement – it includes some o the criteria your essay should address:
• The reasons for which you want to study under such scholarship.
• Your academic, work and personal interests.
• Your work experience, and its relevance for what you want to accomplish.
• The Particular objectives that you wish to accomplish
• What are you expecting of the program
• The benefits of the scholarship in it’s hole that you would obtain in case you where accepted.
ok
Hi, can anyone tell my if I can apply to complete my 3rd (and final) year of a Bachelor degree in China?
I just got notice that I recieved the CGS for Chinese Language Study. Did anyone else get it?
Hi, Shawn casey, i am currently applying to study for a masters in Biomedical Engineering in shanghai university. since u studied biomedical engineering, can u give me a gist of the GPA that you used to get the scholarship
Please my friends here, can someone help me out with the application for the csc scholarship? i am currently registering for masters in public health and i will like to know some names of three universities offering this course in english and also if i can get a guide or sample to some of the study plan so that i can study well and make my own. thanks for caring. my email id is….
(mrsadiqueaziz@gmail.com)
Friends I really appreciate your contributions, please can somebody help me with his/ her study plan in engineering related courses. your help would be appreciated tanx alot. dis is my email address; blessedferdinand12@gmail.com
Pls tell me how can i get preadmission letter from any university
I hold a Master’s degree in Education Economics and Management
given at Guangxi Normal University 2015, and i want to apply for a Phd
scholarship program in China.Majors that i’m interested in is ,(
International Trade, , Economics Management,
and/or Chinese Language) But i’m not sure if
i’m able to apply for any of these Majors with the Chinese Government
Scholarship.
I would like to ask you for an advice about which Phd programs that
i’m eligible to earn or apply for.Thank you in advance .
please i need in formation on Chinese scholarship and other scholarship guidelines
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