Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)

What the scholarship covers

• Full tuition waiver
• Free on-campus accommodation or housing allowance
• Monthly stipend (CNY 2,500–3,500 by level)
• Comprehensive medical insurance

Eligibility requirements

• Non-Chinese citizen in good health
• Under 25 for bachelor's, 35 for master's, 40 for PhD
• Relevant prior degree for the level applied to
• Chinese or English proficiency depending on the programme

Documents you will need

• CSC online application form
• Notarised highest diploma and transcripts
• Study plan or research proposal
• Two recommendation letters from professors
• Foreigner physical examination form
• Pre-admission letter from a Chinese university (recommended)

How to apply, step by step

1. 1

   Choose your application channel

   Type A is through your home country's education ministry or the Chinese embassy; Type B is directly to a Chinese university. Type B is usually less competitive.

2. 2

   Pick universities and programmes

   Only designated universities participate. Check the CSC list before falling in love with a programme.

3. 3

   Contact a potential supervisor

   For master's and PhD, an informal acceptance letter from a professor substantially strengthens the application, though it is not always mandatory.

4. 4

   Complete the CSC online form

   Register on the CSC portal, fill in the agency number for your chosen channel, and upload every required document.

5. 5

   Get the medical examination done

   The Foreigner Physical Examination Form must be completed by a licensed hospital and is valid for six months.

6. 6

   Submit to both CSC and the university

   Most universities require a separate application on their own system in addition to the CSC form.

When to do what

Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.

1. 20 weeks before

   Decide between Type A and Type B and identify target universities.

2. 16 weeks before

   Email potential supervisors with your CV and research interests.

3. 12 weeks before

   Begin notarisation and translation of degrees and transcripts.

4. 10 weeks before

   Write the study plan or research proposal.

5. 8 weeks before

   Book the foreigner physical examination.

6. 6 weeks before

   Request two recommendation letters from professors.

7. 3 weeks before

   Submit on the CSC portal and the university's own system.

What the panel is actually looking for

• Academic record and fit with the chosen programme
• Quality and feasibility of the study plan or research proposal
• Supervisor support where applicable
• Age limits by level, which are applied strictly

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying only to CSC and skipping the university's own separate application.
• Missing that notarised and translated documents take weeks to prepare.
• Submitting a medical form older than six months at the point of review.
• Choosing a university not on the CSC designated list.
• Ignoring the age limits, which differ for bachelor's, master's and PhD.

Fields of study