Things You Should Know before Applying for Chinese Government Scholarships

As an overseas student in China, to obtain Chinese Government Scholarship is inevitably a big affirmation to your study. If you want to apply for Chinese Government Scholarship, the following five aspects you should pay attention to.

As an overseas student in China, to obtain Chinese Government Scholarship is inevitably a big affirmation to your study. If you want to apply for Chinese Government Scholarship, you should pay attention to the following six aspects.

Application Approach and Recruitment Time

The period for recruiting international students under Chinese Government Scholarship Programs is normally from the beginning of January to the end of April. Details on application procedures are determined by the consultation between Chinese diplomatic missions and the relevant authorities in the applicants' home country. You may contact the relevant authorities or Chinese diplomatic missions in your home country for details.

Application Requirements for International Students

1) Applicants must be non-Chinese nationals in good health.

2) Education qualifications and age limits:

a. Applicants for Undergraduate studies must have completed high schools with good grades, and be under the age of 25.

b. Applicants for Master's degree studies must be Bachelor's degree holders, and be under the age of 35.

c. Applicants for Doctoral degree studies must be Master's degree holders, and be under the age of 40.

d. Chinese language students must have finished high schools and be under the age of 35.

e. Visiting scholar candidates must have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies, and be under the age of 45.

f. Senior visiting scholar candidates must have a Masters degree or above, or hold academic titles of Associate Professor or above, and be under the age of 50.

Materials for Application

1) Application Form for a Chinese Government Scholarship (printed by CSC). One original and one photocopy, in Chinese or in English

2) Notarized highest diploma photocopy. Documents in languages other than Chinese or English must be attached with Chinese or English translations.

3) Applicants for undergraduate studies must provide a notarized copy of high school transcripts. Applicants for other categories need to provide relevant notarized transcripts. Transcripts in languages other than Chinese or English must be attached with Chinese or English translations.

4) A study or research plan in Chinese or English (no less than 200 words for undergraduates, no less than 400 words for visiting scholars, no less than 500 words for postgraduates).

5) Applicants for Master's or Doctoral degree studies and Senior Visiting Scholars must submit two letters of recommendation in Chinese or English by professors or associate professors. Applicants who apply in China for Master's or Doctoral degree studies must submit the Admission Notice of the Chinese higher education institutions.

6) Photocopy of Foreigner Physical Examination Form (printed by Chinese quarantine authority) filled in English. The medical examinations must cover all the items listed in the Foreigner Physical Examination Form. Incomplete records or those without the signature of the attending physician, official stamp of the hospital or sealed photographs of the applicants are invalid. The medical examination results will be valid for 6 months. All applicants are advised to take this into consideration while determining when to take the medical examination.

Note: Application documents will not be returned whether the applicants are admitted by Chinese institutions or not. Documents such as original diplomas and original Foreigner Physical Examination Form must NOT be sent as application documents.

Selection of Higher Education Institutions and Specialties

To apply for Chinese Government Scholarships you must choose your host institutions and specialties from the institutions of higher education designated by the Ministry of Education of China. Remember to check the Directory of Chinese Institutions Admitting International Students under the Chinese Government Scholarship Program or the website of CSC (http://www.csc.edu.cn) for details.

Language of Instruction

The Chinese institutions of higher education generally use Chinese as the language of instruction. So you are generally required to take Chinese language courses for 1-2 years before pursuing your major studies if you are with no command of Chinese. In some institutions, English-Taught Programs are also available.

Recruitment of Scholarship Students

CSC will review all the application documents received from the designated authorities to make necessary adjustments on the proposed institutions. You will not be processed if you are not compliant with recruitment regulations or the application documents are incomplete. Qualified applications will be forwarded to different institutions and the final decision whether to admit the applicants or not will be made by the institutions. Finalized placements, specialties and duration of studies are in principle not to be changed. If you have been contacted by or admitted by an institution prior to application, you are requested to enclose relevant admission letters for the reference of the host institution.

Scholarship applicants accepted by Chinese institutions will be officially confirmed as Chinese Government Scholarship students with endorsement from the Ministry of Education of China.

CSC will send the List of Admitted Students, Admission Notice and Visa Application Form for Study in China to the relevant dispatching authorities, so as to have the documents forwarded to the students.

College Preparatory Program

According to the regulation of MOE, applicants coming for their undergraduate studies under the Chinese Government Scholarship Program are required to attend the college preparatory courses in the universities appointed by CSC for one to two years. College preparatory courses include the fundamentals of Chinese language, mathematics, physics and chemistry. Only by passing the examinations set for the college preparatory courses, can they start their undergraduate studies on time.

CSC entrusts Beijing Language and Culture University, Tianjin University, Shandong University, Nanjing Normal University, Huazhong Normal University and Tongji University to offer the college preparatory courses in 2010/2011 academic year.

Fresh students could be exempted from the college preparatory courses if they:

A. Complete their secondary school education in Chinese: a letter from their school of secondary education certifying that Chinese language is the instruction language for the compulsory courses must be submitted.

B.Take the HSK test and reach the certain level required by the host university. The HSK Certificate must be attached to the application documents and submit to CSC in the meantime. The validation of the HSK test result is two years.