How to apply for a scholarship in China

24 Sep 2019

Would you love the chance to study in China? It definitely would be a great opportunity as China is the second largest economy in the world, and is full of rich history and culture.

It’s also a safe country where living costs are relatively low compared to Western countries, and international students can work part-time while studying. If you’ve always wanted to learn Mandarin, China is of course one of the best places to do it, giving you the chance to easily practice with the locals.

There are also many English-taught programmes in some of the world’s best universities. Universities like Tsinghua and Peking consistently rank well in university world rankings, attracting faculty from all over the globe.

Here are two ways you can go about applying for a scholarship in China:

Apply for a CSC scholarship via the government website

The Chinese government has offered scholarships to Kenyan students every year since 1982. This year 182 Kenyan students got the Chinese Government Scholarship, reaching a record high.

Visit @ChineseKenya’s stand at the #KorogaFestival this weekend to learn more. pic.twitter.com/Lpcb2CVHkv

— Capital FM Kenya (@CapitalFMKenya) September 21, 2019

To attract more international students to China, the national government partners with several universities to offer scholarships for those who come from overseas.

The Chinese government has a list of available Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarships on the website, also known as Chinese Government Scholarships (CGS), where there are deadline dates and detailed instructions on how to apply.

There are currently 273 Chinese universities offering CSC scholarships to international students.

According to the website, applying for scholarships at multiple universities is recommended. You just need to be sure to fill out separate CSC online application forms for each university.

“If you apply for Chinese Scholarship in more than one university, it will increase the chances to win a scholarship.”

If you get approved for more than one scholarship in China, the CSC will determine which one is better for you. You don’t necessarily need an acceptance letter to the university you’re applying for at the time of application, but it may increase your chances of winning a scholarship.

Writing a good research proposal or study plan in addition to having higher-than-average grades gives you the best chance of winning a CGS scholarship.

The website states that applicants who have high grades but do not write a proper research proposal or study plan often get rejected.

On the flip side, students with average grades who have submitted a well-researched and well-written study plan or research proposal with complete documentation have successfully won fully-funded CSC scholarships in the past.

Apply for a Beijing Municipal Government Scholarship

There are a lot of RMB floating around on both the national and local city level of government when it comes to scholarships. Make sure you get your share! #studyinchina https://t.co/RO8yI41X7O

— thebeijinger (@thebeijinger) September 16, 2019

You can also get a scholarship in China from the Beijing Municipal Government. The capital city of China offers its own scholarships for international students, both for undergraduate and graduate programmes.

According to the website, “Beijing Municipal Government Scholarship is established by Beijing Municipal Government, aiming to provide tuition fees fully or partially to the international students studying or applying for studying in Beijing. This scholarship is given to those who are diligent, hard-working individuals.”

Consider yourself a diligent, hard-working individual? Follow the instructions on the website on how to apply, which includes downloading and filling in an application form for graduate students.

Undergraduate students don’t need to fill out an application form. As the website states, “For undergraduate [programme applicants], you don’t need to apply this scholarship on your own, the scholarship will be given based on your exam score and interview.”

If you already have a Chinese Government Scholarship, a scholarship from your home country or a Confucius Institute Scholarship, you will not be eligible to apply for a Beijing Municipal Government Scholarship.