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Scholarship programs

The routes into a funded place in China

These are the main scholarship programs international students use to study in China. Details shift slightly year to year, so treat deadlines here as a planning guide and confirm the exact date on the relevant embassy or university page before you apply.

Options Apply Requirements
Government · Type A

Chinese Government Scholarship — Bilateral Program

The embassy-nominated route into the CSC scholarship. You apply through your home country's Chinese embassy, which reviews and forwards a set number of applications to the China Scholarship Council.

Funded byMinistry of Education, via the China Scholarship Council
CoverageFull tuition, campus accommodation, medical insurance, and a monthly stipend (roughly CNY 2,500–3,500 depending on degree level)
Typical deadlineUsually January–April, set by each embassy
LanguageChinese or English, depending on the program

Who it's for

  • Non-Chinese citizen in good health
  • Under 25 for bachelor's, 35 for master's, 40 for doctoral programs
  • HSK Level 4 for Chinese-taught master's/PhD programs, or IELTS 6.0+/TOEFL 80+ for English-taught programs
  • Bachelor's applicants must also sit the CSCA academic assessment
Government · Type B

Chinese Government Scholarship — University Program

The same CSC funding, but applied for directly through a designated university rather than through an embassy. This route gives you more say over which university you attend.

Funded byMinistry of Education, via the China Scholarship Council
CoverageFull tuition, campus accommodation, medical insurance, and a monthly stipend (roughly CNY 2,500–3,500 depending on degree level)
Typical deadlineVaries by university, commonly December–March
LanguageChinese or English, depending on the program

Who it's for

  • Same core eligibility as the Bilateral Program
  • A pre-acceptance letter from a supervisor is optional but noticeably strengthens master's and PhD applications
  • Each university sets its own internal deadline, which can close before the CSC portal does
Language & culture

Confucius Institute Scholarship (CIS)

Aimed squarely at Chinese language, culture and Chinese-teaching qualifications rather than general academic study — from a short course up to a full teaching degree.

Funded byCenter for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC)
CoverageTuition, accommodation (or a housing allowance), a monthly living allowance, and medical insurance
Typical deadlineAround May 1 for a September start, November 1 for March
LanguageChinese

Who it's for

  • Aged 16–35 (up to 45 for working Chinese-language teachers)
  • A recommendation from a Confucius Institute, Confucius Classroom, or approved language centre
  • HSK level required varies by track, typically HSK 3 to HSK 5
  • No current or very recent period of study in China, for most tracks
Regional

Provincial & Municipal Government Scholarships

Individual provinces — Jiangsu, Shandong and Zhejiang among the most active — fund their own scholarships to draw international students to universities within their region.

Funded byProvincial or municipal education departments
CoverageRanges from a tuition waiver only, up to full tuition plus a stipend, depending on the province
Typical deadlineSet independently by each province, commonly March–May
LanguageChinese or English, depending on university

Who it's for

  • Requirements are set by the individual province and host university
  • Generally similar academic and health requirements to CSC
  • Often less competitive than the national CSC scholarship
Institutional

University-Specific & Partner Scholarships

Many universities run their own funding on top of national programs — covering everything from a small tuition discount to a fully-funded place for exceptional applicants.

Funded byThe individual university, sometimes with a partner government or foundation
CoverageVaries widely by university and program — always check the specific scholarship page
Typical deadlineSet by each university, often aligned with its main admissions cycle
LanguageChinese or English, depending on university

Who it's for

  • Set entirely by the host university
  • Frequently reserved for applicants who have already secured admission
  • Worth checking even if you already hold a CSC or provincial award — some can be combined

Not sure which one fits your situation?

The application guide walks through how to pick a route and a university before you fill in a single form.

See the application steps
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