Senior scholar programme in China: the conditions in the scholarship guide

Under the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, a senior scholar applicant must be a master's degree holder or an associate professor (or above) under the age of 50 when applying for a senior scholar program (Section IV, item 6). For a senior scholar program taught in Chinese, the applicant must also have passed the HSK (Level 3) (Section IV, item 9). These are conditions of that scholarship, so they are not general admission rules for self-funded students.

Who the conditions cover

Section IV says that an applicant must meet the listed conditions to be eligible. Item 1 requires the applicant to be a citizen of a country other than the PRC and in good health both mentally and physically.

Item 6 sets the age and degree conditions for a senior scholar program. It names two routes: a master's degree holder, or an associate professor (or above). Item 6 names no date from which the age is counted.

Item 9 covers Chinese-taught senior scholar programs only. For programs taught in a language other than Chinese, Section IV item 11 refers to the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others.

Documents for a senior scholar applicant

Section VI lists the application documents. The items that apply to a senior scholar applicant are these:

• Item 1: the Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarship, filled in online.
• Item 3: a notarized photocopy of the diploma and certificate of highest education.
• Item 5: for a Chinese-taught senior scholar program, a valid HSK score report that meets the corresponding Chinese language proficiency requirements.
• Item 7: a pre-admission document issued by the university applied to, such as a pre-admission notice or an invitation letter from a school or professor.
• Item 8: a study or research plan written in Chinese or in English, of no less than 500 words/characters for scholars.
• Item 9: two recommendation letters in Chinese or in English, from professors or associate professors, for academic education as a senior scholar.

Item 9 names two recommendation letters for an applicant for academic education as a senior scholar. Item 8 sets the minimum length for scholars at 500 words/characters and gives no upper limit.

Stipend and medical insurance

Section III item 3 sets the stipend for doctoral students and senior scholars at CNY 3,500 per month. Section III item 1 lists tuition fees without an amount.

Section III item 4 sets comprehensive medical insurance at CNY 800 per person per year. For programs lasting less than six months, it sets CNY 400 per person.

Student Exchange Program

Section I (IV) describes the Student Exchange Program. It supports general and senior scholars for a training session of no more than 12 months. Section I (IV) also states that an applicant shall file an application with Chinese universities and their foreign partners.

Application steps in order

Section V sets out seven steps:

1. The applicant learns about designated Chinese universities and the majors they offer, through the Campus China website (campuschina.org) or other means, and identifies the preferred scholarship program, designated university and major.
2. The applicant contacts the designated university to obtain admission documents.
3. The applicant contacts an application receiving agency for a recommendation.
4. The applicant fills in and submits the Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarship online, through the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System.
5. The application receiving agency submits the recommended candidates list and the application documents.
6. The China Scholarship Council organizes designated universities and experts to examine the applicants' eligibility and academic performance before the short-list is finalized.
7. The China Scholarship Council notifies the admission results to the application receiving agency, which then informs the applicant.

Questions people ask

Does the senior scholar age limit apply to a self-funded applicant?

Section IV item 6 is a condition of the Chinese Government Scholarship. For a self-funded applicant, the rule belongs to the scholarship only, and this article does not state it as a general admission rule.

Which step comes first?

Section V step 1 comes first. The applicant identifies the scholarship program, the designated university and the major before contacting the university for admission documents in step 2.

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. The official text and the current notice of the university or authority handling your case prevail if they differ.