China Scholarship Council

Chinese Government Scholarship

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About the Scholarship

The Chinese Government Scholarship is China's national scholarship programme for international students, administered by the China Scholarship Council on behalf of the Ministry of Education and tenable at designated Chinese universities.

It is offered through several programmes. The Bilateral Program runs on education exchange agreements between China and other governments, and applications go through the authority responsible for overseas study in the applicant's own country. The University Program is applied for directly at a designated university. Further programmes are reserved for students from EU member states, ASEAN member states, Pacific Island Forum members, and developing countries nominated through UNESCO.

The award covers tuition, accommodation on campus or a housing subsidy, a monthly stipend that rises with degree level, and comprehensive medical insurance. Chinese language study before the degree is funded for one year, or two years for literature, history, philosophy and Chinese medicine. International travel to China is not covered.

Applications open each autumn and run through the following spring, with the exact deadline set by each dispatching authority or university.

Nationality eligibility verified on 19 September 2026 against the official programme guidance. Citizenship, residency and programme-specific conditions in the eligibility description still apply.

The official CSC programme guidance confirms that undergraduate applicants must register for and take the CSCA before the application deadline and submit a valid score report with their application. Consult the official CSCA website for the current test schedule and the target university for its required test subjects. Verified on 19 September 2026.

What It Covers

Tuition
Housing
Living stipend
Health insurance
Language training

Tuition waiver, free university dormitory or an accommodation subsidy, a monthly stipend of CNY 2,500 for undergraduates, CNY 3,000 for master's students and CNY 3,500 for doctoral students, and comprehensive medical insurance of CNY 800 per person a year (CNY 400 for stays under six months). One year of Chinese language study is funded, rising to two years for literature, history, philosophy and Chinese medicine.

Eligibility

Applicants need a high school diploma for undergraduate study, a bachelor's degree for master's study, and a master's degree for doctoral study, plus a health certificate. Undergraduate scholarship applicants must register for and take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) before the application deadline and submit a valid score report with their scholarship application. Check the current test schedule at https://www.csca.cn and confirm required subjects and score-submission deadlines with the receiving university and dispatching authority. Chinese-taught programmes require HSK, with postgraduate applicants normally at HSK Level 4 or above, and English-taught programmes require IELTS or TOEFL. Under 25 for undergraduate applicants, under 35 for master's, under 40 for doctoral, and under 45 for general scholar applicants.

Eligible Countries

citizenship: Open to citizens of any country other than China, and applicants must hold a valid foreign passport; permanent residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan are Chinese nationals under PRC law and are not eligible for this scheme, though separate compatriot scholarships exist for them. Individual programmes narrow this further: the EU Program is for EU member states, the AUN Program for ASEAN member states, the Pacific Island Forum Program for forum members, the Great Wall Program for developing countries nominated through UNESCO, and the Bilateral Program for countries with an education exchange agreement with China.

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How to Apply

Choose one of two routes. Bilateral Program applicants apply through the authority responsible for overseas study in their own country, which issues an agency number. University Program applicants apply directly to a designated Chinese university. Both routes then complete the online application in the CSC Information Management System and submit documents to the receiving agency.

Application Routes and Dates

Bilateral Program through your national dispatching authority

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Each national dispatching authority sets its own deadline within the annual application window, which opens each autumn and runs through the following spring.

Apply through the authority responsible for overseas study in your country, which sets its own deadline and issues the agency number needed for the online form.

Timing source · Checked 2026-09-19

University Program through a designated university

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Each designated university sets its own deadline within the annual application window, which opens each autumn and runs through the following spring.

Apply directly to one of the designated Chinese universities, which nominates candidates to the China Scholarship Council.

Timing source · Checked 2026-09-19