Many universities in China reward students who apply early, either with a straight discount on tuition or with entrance scholarships.
Here are some of the universities offering early bird scholarships to international students.
Early bird offers in China
Some set a fixed discount with a published cutoff date, so student who submits a complete application before that date gets the discount no matter how many other people applied, and the deadline is the only thing you have to beat. XJTLU and the Sino-British College both work this way.
Others run a limited pool of entrance scholarships awarded on a first come, first served basis.
BNBU offers full tuition waivers on a first come, first served basis
Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University in Zhuhai was the first full-scale higher education partnership between mainland China and Hong Kong, it teaches all 32 of its undergraduate programs entirely in English, and located about an hour from Hong Kong and a bridge crossing from Macau. Tuition is 110,000 RMB a year for most bachelor’s degrees.
- Full scholarship worth 110,000 RMB a year, for a high school average above 90 or IB 36 and above
- 50% waiver worth 55,000 RMB a year, for an average between 85 and 90 or IB 33 to 35
- 30% waiver worth 33,000 RMB a year, for an average between 80 and 85 or IB 30 to 32
- Housing waiver covering your actual accommodation fee, for the first 50 students who enroll
You can learn more about BNBU scholarships here.
XJTLU offers 10% off tuition for applications
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) is the leading international joint venture university in China, founded in 2006 through a unique partnership between Xi’an Jiaotong University and the University of Liverpool.
Tuition for international students is 93,000 RMB a year, and the early bird is a flat 10% discount for international undergraduates who submit their application and supporting documents before the published cutoff, which fell on 15 April for the most recent September entry, and who pay the deposit by the date stated in their offer letter. That is 9,300 RMB off every year, or 37,200 RMB across a four year degree. Applicants from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan are not eligible for this one.
It also offers separately from the Entry Scholarship for Academic Excellence, worth up to 50% of annual tuition on academic merit, which you flag your interest in inside the online application rather than on a second form.
Read more: XJTLU Undergraduate Admissions Guide 2027
The Sino-British College offers 10,000 RMB off for applying early
The Sino-British College is a joint venture between the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology and eight UK universities, including the University of Sheffield, and students either finish the degree in Shanghai or transfer to the UK partner for the final years. Teaching is entirely in English, tuition is 100,000 RMB a year for both the dual degree and the single degree route, and the college is accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
The Early Application Scholarship is worth 10,000 RMB and goes to international applicants who get their file in ahead of the main deadline, which was 31 July for the most recent September intake.
- Early Application Scholarship, 10,000 RMB
- High Achiever Scholarship, 20,000 RMB
- Executive Dean’s Outstanding Performance Scholarship, 50,000 RMB
- HSK 4 Scholarship, 20,000 RMB, dual degree students only
Explore 9 Sino-British College programs
MBA applicants have an early bird option at SJTU
Antai College at Shanghai Jiao Tong University offers an Early Bird Scholarship worth 10,000 RMB for students who apply in Round 1 or Round 2 and finish in the top five of their round.
Your next steps
Timing is the one part of this you still control. Your grades are already on the transcript and test scores take months to move, but the gap between submitting in October and submitting in April is a decision you make this week, and at BNBU it is the difference between a full tuition waiver and paying 110,000 RMB a year.
Check the entry requirements for the program you want, get your transcripts and English certificate translated early, since that is usually what holds applications up, and submit as soon as the portal opens for your intake.
Read more: Top 5 Prestigious Full Scholarships at China’s Leading International Universities
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