Fully funded undergraduate scholarship in China: the official conditions

The Chinese Government Scholarship covers tuition fees, a free university dormitory or accommodation subsidy, a stipend of CNY 2,500 per month for undergraduates, and comprehensive medical insurance of CNY 800 per person per year. Every rule in this article is taken from the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, published by the China Scholarship Council. Each rule is therefore a condition of that scholarship, not a general admission rule for self-funded students.

What the scholarship covers

Section III lists four kinds of coverage.

1. Tuition fees (section III, item 1). Section III, item 1 names tuition fees but gives no amount.
2. A free university dormitory or accommodation subsidy (section III, item 2). Section III, item 2 gives no amount.
3. A stipend. For undergraduates it is CNY 2,500 per month (section III, item 3).
4. Comprehensive medical insurance. It is CNY 800 per person per year. For programs lasting less than six months it is CNY 400 per person (section III, item 4).

Conditions for undergraduate applicants

Section IV sets the conditions. The four items below apply to bachelor programs.

• Item 1: The applicant must be a citizen of a country other than the PRC and be in good health both mentally and physically.
• Item 2: The applicant must be an academically excellent holder of a high school diploma or its equivalent, under the age of 25 when applying for an undergraduate program. Section IV, item 2 names no date from which age is counted.
• Item 7: When applying for bachelor programs, the applicant must take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) and upload a valid score report.
• Item 11: For a program taught in a language other than Chinese, the applicant must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others. Item 11 names no specific language test.

The other items in section IV set conditions for master's, doctoral and scholar programs, and they are outside this article.

Length of study

Section II (II) states that the scholarship covers both major study and Chinese language (preparatory) study. The language courses last one year. The duration of the scholarship for major study "conforms to that as required." Section II (II) names no number of years for major study.

Documents for undergraduate applicants

Two items in section VI apply to undergraduates.

• Item 6 (CSCA score report): An applicant seeking a bachelor's degree must register for and take the CSCA before the application deadline and obtain a valid score report. Item 6 says to contact the target institution for the test subjects required for the applied major.
• Item 8 (study or research plan): The plan must be written in Chinese or in English, with "no less than 200 words/characters for undergraduates." Section VI, item 8 gives no upper limit.

Application routes

Section I describes four scholarship programs. Each one has its own place to file.

1. Bilateral Program (section I, (I)). It is open to undergraduates, postgraduates, general and senior scholars. The applicant files with the dispatching department of their home country.
2. University Program (section I, (II)). This program finances international students who are recommended by designated Chinese universities. The student categories depend on the requirements of each university. The applicant files with the Chinese universities that run this program.
3. Designated Scholarship Programs (section I, (III)). These are set up under cooperation agreements between China and international organizations and institutions. The applicant files with the international organizations and institutions concerned.
4. Student Exchange Program (section I, (IV)). This program supports general and senior scholars for a training session of no more than 12 months. The applicant files with Chinese universities and their foreign partners.

Section V sets seven steps for the application process:

1. An applicant shall learn about designated Chinese universities and majors they offer, and identify the preferred scholarship program, designated university and major.
2. An applicant shall reach the designated university for admission documents.
3. An applicant shall reach an application receiving agency for a recommendation.
4. An applicant shall fill in and submit the Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarship online, via the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System.
5. The application receiving agency shall submit the recommended candidates list and their application documents.
6. The CSC will organize designated universities and experts concerned to examine applicants' eligibility and academic performance before finalizing the short-list candidates.
7. The CSC will notify the admission results to the application receiving agency, which will then have the applicant informed.

Scope

The age limit, HSK levels, the CSCA requirement and the document list in this article belong to the Chinese Government Scholarship. They are not rules for self-funded applicants. Admission decisions, programs, dates, fees and language requirements are set by each university in its own admissions brochure.

Sources

• Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship (China Scholarship Council, Campus China)

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the Ministry of Education, the China Scholarship Council or any university, and it is not legal advice. If the official text and the current notice of the university or authority handling your case differ, the official text and that notice prevail.