中国政府奖学金（CSC）：申请资格、生活补助与申请方法

What the award covers

A full CSC award covers the full tuition fee for the programme you are admitted to, free or subsidised on-campus accommodation, comprehensive medical insurance under the national student scheme, and a monthly stipend of CNY 2,500 for undergraduates, CNY 3,000 for master's students and CNY 3,500 for doctoral students.

Partial awards exist for some categories, covering tuition and accommodation but not the stipend. Always check which category a specific programme falls under.

Eligibility and age limits

You must be a citizen of a country other than the People's Republic of China and be in good physical and mental health. Age limits are strict: under 25 for undergraduate programmes, under 35 for master's, under 40 for doctoral, under 45 for general scholar programmes and under 50 for senior scholar programmes.

Academic requirements: a high school diploma for undergraduate study, a bachelor's degree for master's and a master's degree for doctoral study. Chinese-taught programmes generally require HSK 3 for language training and HSK 4 for master's and doctoral degrees. All applicants must meet the host university's own language and academic standards in addition to CSC's.

The pre-admission letter requirement

Since 2020 CSC has required every applicant to upload at least one pre-admission document issued by a target university — a pre-admission notice from the international admissions office, an invitation letter from a school or an acceptance letter from a supervisor. Applications without one are rejected automatically.

Practically, this means the CSC process starts months before the CSC portal opens: you must identify two or three target universities, contact them, submit their own application, and obtain the pre-admission letter before you can complete the CSC form.

The CSCA test for undergraduate applicants

From the 2026/2027 cycle, applicants for undergraduate programmes must sit the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) and upload a valid score report. For September 2026 enrolment the required test dates were 21 December 2025 and 25 January 2026.

CSCA is registered at csca.cn. Check the specific subject tests your target major requires — mathematics is standard, and science and engineering majors usually require physics or chemistry as well.

Application steps in order

Step 1: between September and December, shortlist 2–3 designated universities, read their international admission pages and note their own deadlines. Step 2: register and sit the CSCA if you are applying for an undergraduate programme. Step 3: submit the university application and obtain the pre-admission letter. Step 4: register on the CGSIS portal at studyinchina.csc.edu.cn, select the correct programme type and agency number for your country, and upload all documents. Step 5: submit before your embassy's deadline, which varies by country — recent deadlines have ranged from 1 February to 22 February.

Required documents typically include the application form, a notarised highest diploma, transcripts, a study plan or research proposal, two recommendation letters for graduate applicants, the Foreigner Physical Examination Form, a police clearance certificate, a passport copy, the CSCA score report for undergraduate applicants and the pre-admission letter.

Which programme type to choose

Type A is the embassy route: you apply through the Chinese embassy or the designated agency in your country, which reviews applications and forwards candidates to CSC. Type B is the university route: you apply directly to a designated Chinese university, which nominates you. Type C covers specific institutional agreements.

You can only use one Type A application per year, but you can separately apply to multiple Type B universities. Diversifying across schemes increases your chances considerably.

Annual review and renewal

CSC awards are subject to an annual academic review. Students who fail to progress, or who fall below the required attendance and grade thresholds, can have their scholarship suspended or terminated. Undergraduate scholarship holders who did not have sufficient Chinese on entry must complete a preparatory Chinese year at one of the ten designated universities and pass the required test before starting their major.