University scholarships for international students: Articles 32 to 34 and how awards are assessed
Besides the Chinese Government Scholarship, Order No. 42 names local people's governments, universities, and enterprises, public institutions, social organisations and individuals as possible sponsors of scholarships for international students. Article 32 encourages local governments to set them up, Article 34 says universities may set them up, and Article 34 encourages enterprises, public institutions, social organisations and individuals to do the same, provided they attach no unreasonable conditions. Section 2.4 of the Quality Standards then sets how universities must assess their scholarship awards.
About the texts
Order No. 42 (the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students, issued by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security) and the Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial) are published in Chinese. The English wording on this page is this site's translation of those Chinese texts.
Who may fund international student scholarships
The table below lists each provision separately. Each row states one provision only.
| Sponsor | Provision | What the provision says |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Government | Order No. 42, Article 32 | Sets up Chinese Government Scholarships for international students receiving higher education |
| Local people's governments | Order No. 42, Article 32 | Encouraged to set up scholarships for international students |
| Universities | Order No. 42, Article 34 | May set up scholarships for international students |
| Enterprises, public institutions, social organisations and individuals | Order No. 42, Article 34 | Encouraged to set up scholarships for international students, without attaching unreasonable conditions |
Chinese Government Scholarship (Article 32)
Article 32 states that the Chinese Government sets up Chinese Government Scholarships for international students receiving higher education. It also states that the administrative measures for these scholarships are formulated by the relevant administrative departments of the State Council. Article 32 states no amount.
Universities (Articles 33 and 34)
Article 33 says that the education administration department of the State Council selects, on merit, universities to train Chinese Government Scholarship students. Universities given that task shall give priority to enrolling Chinese Government Scholarship students. Article 33 states no number of students.
Article 34 says that universities may set up scholarships for international students. This is a permission, not a requirement.
Enterprises, public institutions, social organisations and individuals (Article 34)
Article 34 encourages enterprises, public institutions, social organisations and other social organisations and individuals to set up scholarships for international students. It also says such scholarships must not attach unreasonable conditions. Article 34 does not define what counts as an unreasonable condition.
How awards are assessed (Quality Standards, section 2.4)
Section 2.4 applies to universities that run scholarship programmes for international students. It makes four requirements of those universities:
- Formulate clear scholarship assessment standards and procedures, in line with national rules and scholarship funding policies.
- Assess awards on the principle of merit in academic performance and conduct, in a standardised, objective and fair way.
- Publish the assessment results.
- Accept supervision.
Section 2.4 names no scholarship amount and no number of awards. It also leaves the content of the assessment standards to each university, which must set them. The Quality Standards are trial standards addressed to higher education institutions.
Suggestion, not a requirement
Because section 2.4 leaves the assessment standards to each university, it may help to read the scholarship notice of the university you are applying to. That notice is the place where its criteria appear.
Questions people ask
Who may set up scholarships for international students?
Article 32 encourages local people's governments to set them up. Article 34 says universities may set them up, and encourages enterprises, public institutions, social organisations and individuals to set them up.
Can a sponsor attach conditions to a scholarship?
Article 34 says that scholarships set up by enterprises, public institutions, social organisations and individuals must not attach unreasonable conditions. Article 34 does not define unreasonable conditions.
How must universities assess scholarship awards?
Section 2.4 of the Quality Standards requires universities to assess awards on the principle of merit in academic performance and conduct, in a standardised, objective and fair way, and to publish the results.
Sources
- Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), Ministry of Education of the PRC
- Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), Ministry of Education of the PRC
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 or the current notice of the university or authority handling your case differs from this page, the official text and that notice prevail.