Over the past decade, China has established one of the largest higher education systems in the world. Chinese graduates dominate the largest numbers worldwide annually, with many excelling in different industries and fields. China is also home to top-tier universities that have kept moving upwards in major global university ranking tables.
Recognizing the role of quality education in national industrialization and social progress, the Chinese government offers numerous scholarships for resident and international students. In fact, China is one of the most generous countries providing scholarships to foreign students and there are currently over 50,000 international students in China with scholarships.
The scholarships can be very valuable, covering the tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses worth up to $30,000 USD.
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Types of Scholarships in China
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Dulguun is from Mongolia and has successfully received scholarships to study in China. Now she is an admissions officer at China Admissions based in Beijing.
CSC Scholarships – Chinese Government Scholarships
CSC scholarships are one of the most common scholarships awarded to international students. Provided by the Chinese Scholarship Council, this type of government scholarship is a initiative of the Chinese Ministry of Education to promote education, cultural exchange, political cooperation and mutual understanding between other countries and China. CSC scholarships can be partially or full-funded.
CSC does not cover MBA programs, MBBS programs (MBBS have very limited scholarships), or those programs with a very high tuition fee. You will need to look at the other types of scholarships below.
Undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students who qualify for a government scholarship receive a monthly stipend, free tuition and free accommodation during their study.
NOTE: There are many different websites with information about CSC scholarships, but the official website of the Chinese Scholarship Council is: www.csc.edu.cn.
There are 279 different universities that can accept CSC scholarship students. The list is here.
In order to apply, you will need the agency number which you can find here.
The Chinese Scholarship Council has a few different types of scholarships:
– Type A – Bilateral Program
– Type B – Chinese University Program
– Great Wall Program
We have a Step by Step Guide explaining all the different types of CSC scholarships, eligibility, and how to apply for them in detail. Check it out!
CSC Scholarships Explained in 6 minutes!
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Chinese Embassy Scholarships
Some students ask us about Chinese embassy scholarships. This is actually the Chinese Scholarship Council scholarship Type A which is handled by embassies all around the world (see the video above). You can read more here. The complete guide to apply to Chinese Embassy Scholarships/CSC Type A is here.
Chinese University Scholarships
The majority of universities in China offer scholarships for students. These scholarships can cover your tuition fees, as well as the cost of your accommodation.
Most of the time, these scholarships are offered to students who apply early, have high grades, or have other exceptional extracurriculars. You can increase your chance of winning a university scholarship by earning high scores in your classes, having relevant and exceptional work experience, or doing other activities like volunteering or research. Sometimes, you may also be asked to submit a formal application. Other times, the university will consider you automatically for such a scholarship.
United International College offers limited scholarships for academically exceptional students. Check it out here.
Xiamen University is offering five different scholarships for international students so they can study in China. The application process to apply for university scholarships is more simple than CSC scholarships. You can see the full list here.
Jiangsu University also offers all the students who apply through China Admissions a presidential scholarship. You can apply here.
SUSTech also has full undergraduate scholarships for the top-ranking students (very competitive scores in Maths and Sciences required).
There are 150+ university scholarships on the official Chinese school scholarship webpage, including for top universities like Peking University, Renmin University, Shandong University, and East China Normal University. See the whole list here.
To see more scholarships, you can search for programs on our website here, and see which programs have the “Scholarships Available” tag next to them like this:
MBA Program Scholarships
We have a complete list of MBA programs with scholarships: Click here.
There are 11 total MBAs with dozens of scholarship opportunities for you.
Confucius Institute Scholarships
The Confucius Institute Scholarships are another type of Chinese Government Scholarship. The Complete Guide to the Chinese Government Scholarship is here.
In order to support development of Confucius Institutes, facilitate Chinese language promotion and Chinese cultural transmission in the world, cultivate qualified Chinese language teachers and talented students of Chinese language, Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) launches the “Confucius Institute Scholarships” program for providing sponsorship to students, scholars and Chinese language teachers of other countries for pursuing a study in relevant universities in China.
You can apply for the Confucius Institute Scholarships by applying to the university and the Confucius Institute website at the same time.
City Scholarships
Many cities have scholarships to attract more international students. Have a look at some of these scholarships here:
– Beijing City Scholarship
– Jiangsu Jasmine Scholarship
– Shanghai City Scholarships
– Yiwu City Scholarship
– Liaoning Scholarships
– Ningbo City Scholarship
– Hangzhou Government Scholarship
See the complete list here.
CCN Scholarships
China Campus Network is a consortium of Chinese universities. They offer an international foundation program in Chinese. After taking the program you can get a scholarship to study Bachelor’s in Chinese. You can learn more about CCN here and the scholarships here.
BLCC Scholarships
Beijing Language and Culture College also has a similar scholarship at Tianjin University. Learn more here
Private Scholarships / Others
These types of scholarships are offered by distinguished alumni, big companies and charitable institutions. Independent scholarships can cover the full or partial tuition fee and are usually awarded to international students who have an exemplary academic record.
Have a look at our list of scholarships in China here. It includes scholarships like British Council Scholarship
China Scholarship Service
There are many different types of scholarships, and it can be hard to know which ones you are eligible and how to apply. We have a lot of experience helping international students to get scholarships. Thats why we offer our China Scholarship Service, to share our experience, save your time, and help you to increase your chances of getting a scholarship.
Learn more here.
Thanks a lot. I’m totally indebted to you, I”m so relieved, I feel like I have finally accomplished something. Heartfelt appreciation for your efforts. Zahir, a student from India, who applied for Beihang University.
Respected sir, let me inform you with great respect and regards that I have been awarded full scholarship of Tsinghua University and thanks for giving me guidance regarding my matter. Jamali’s, Tsinghua University scholarships student.
Our Online Course: “How to get a Scholarship in China?”
You can also take our online course here. Where we share everything we’ve learned about how to get the scholarship. This is included in all the Scholarship packages above.
How Much Are the Scholarships Worth?
There are minor and full scholarships. They can include a portion or all of the tuition fee, accommodation, and some will pay living expenses every month which can be worth up to $30,000 USD.
5 Tips to Apply for the Scholarship
1) Apply early – the application deadline is open for a limited time only, so you need to apply on time. There are often too many students applying and so it may be hard to get feedback. Apply to multiple universities and scholarships. It is very competitive so it is better to apply to numerous opportunities.
2) Contacts – Try to get in contact with someone from the university and/or embassy so they can check your application documents are correct. (Guess what? China Admissions can help you with this! Check out our scholarship application service)
3) Prepare Documents Carefully – Because there are so many students applying it is important that you prepare all your application documents correctly. If you do not prepare them correctly then your application may not be processed.
4) Learn Chinese!
5) Get High Grades and a Good CV
Scholarships are often given to the most academically advanced students, high-achieving, ambitious, and exemplary students with good work experience, high scores, or unique project experience. Focus on keeping your grades up and being an involved student leader to increase your chances.
Register on China Admissions for monthly updates about scholarships here.
Also make sure to check out our Instagram, and Youtube for more updates.
How to Apply for Scholarships in China?
The largest scholarship is the Chinese government scholarship which is managed by the China Scholarship Council. The full scholarship typically includes all tuition fees, living expenses, accommodation, and some intercity travel. The cost of living expenses depends on whether you are a Chinese language student, undergraduate, master’s, or PhD student.
Register on China Admissions to get real-time and monthly updates and tips about scholarships.
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Apply By Yourself
You can apply for the CSC scholarship yourself. Here is a step-by-step guide.
Preparing Application Documents
Preparing the required documents is an important step to get a Chinese scholarship. In addition to providing soft copies of documents, you may also be required to provide hard copies for mailing.
Some of the most basic requirements include:
- Notarized highest diploma
- Academic transcripts
- A study plan or research proposal
- Recommendation letters
- If planning to stay in China for more than 6 months, you must submit a photocopy of Foreigner Physical Examination Form (valid for 6 months)
- Applicants with the Pre-admission Letter/Admission Letter from designated universities should enclose the letter in the application package
Chinese universities may require other documents as needed.
Scholarship Agents & Guaranteed Scholarships
Because there is a lack of information it can be difficult for international students to know about the process of applying for scholarships, there are a number of agents around the world who are selling “Guaranteed Scholarships”. This can be for a fee of $1000 USD-$4000 USD + You can find these on Facebook, Wechat, and Whatsapp. This is especially common in countries that do not speak English.
We do not offer Guaranteed Scholarships, and on China Admissions you can not buy a scholarship. We believe it is better to be transparent and so we are trying our best to share all the information about scholarships so you are able to understand the process and apply by yourself.
We do have some universities that we regularly send students for Scholarships, such as Beijing Foreign Studies University but we do our best to share this information on our platform and you do not need to pay any extra fee.
We do have a China Scholarship Service if you would like more support throughout the process and to save time. We do need to charge for it because it can take a lot of our time. But due to the complexity of applying for scholarships, we do not manage the scholarship for you.
We offer our China Scholarship Service where you can buy some of our hours where we work with you as a consultant. We can work with you through various stages and help to educate you about the process, and be available for support so you can apply by yourself.
You can learn more here.
Questions about Scholarships
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