Chinese Government
Chinese Government Scholarship — Bilateral Programme (Type A)
Funded under the education agreements China signs with foreign governments, institutions, universities and international organisations. It carries the largest quota and the widest country coverage, funds every level from bachelor to senior scholar, and is applied for through your own government rather than in China.
What it covers
- Tuition: waived in full, banded by discipline — CNY 20,000–27,000 (bachelor), 25,000–34,000 (master), 33,000–45,000 (doctoral) a year
- Accommodation: free twin room on campus, or an off-campus allowance of CNY 700/month (bachelor, master) and 1,000/month (doctoral)
- Stipend: CNY 2,500/month (bachelor), 3,000 (master and general scholar), 3,500 (doctoral and senior scholar)
- Comprehensive medical insurance: CNY 800 per person per year
Amounts and standards
| Full award (annual) | CNY 59,200–66,200 bachelor; 70,200–79,200 master; 87,800–99,800 doctoral |
|---|---|
| Partial award | One or several components of the full package — most often tuition and accommodation only |
| Stipend | CNY 2,500 / 3,000 / 3,500 a month by level, paid monthly by the host university |
| Off-campus housing allowance | CNY 700/month (bachelor, master); 1,000/month (doctoral) |
Who is eligible
- Non-Chinese nationals in good physical and mental health; naturalised applicants face additional residence requirements
- Age limits: under 25 (bachelor), 35 (master), 40 (doctoral), 45 (general scholar), 50 (senior scholar)
- Diplomas: high school for a bachelor's, a bachelor's for a master's, a master's for a doctorate
- Chinese-taught: HSK 3 for language study, HSK 4 for master and doctoral; English-taught: TOEFL/IELTS or the host university’s own proof
- At least one pre-admission document from a target university — without it the portal rejects the application outright
How to apply
- 1
Confirm the quota with your dispatching authority
Usually the ministry of education, ministry of higher education or the Chinese embassy. Quotas are allocated by country and change every year, so ask two things first: is there a quota this year, and what is the Agency Number?
- 2
Fill in the CSC portal
Register at studyinchina.csc.edu.cn, choose the Chinese Government Scholarship application, and list up to three universities and your intended major.
- 3
Upload the documents
Notarised degree certificates and transcripts, language certificate, study plan, two recommendation letters, the foreigner physical examination form, a police record check, passport page and the pre-admission letter.
- 4
Submit through the dispatching authority
The authority screens applications and forwards them to CSC in one batch. You cannot skip this step and apply to CSC directly.
- 5
Wait for the decision
CSC reviews in spring, results are published between May and July, admission documents arrive through the authority or embassy, and enrolment is in September.
Deadline and timing
Opens in November; national deadlines cluster between mid-January and early March — for September 2026 entry most countries closed on 1–22 February.
Type A and Type B are reviewed by separate committees, so a rejection on one does not affect the other. Applying to both costs almost nothing and roughly doubles your chances.
CSC funding standards
The annual standard, in CNY, by discipline band and study level — the table the CSC circular publishes.
| Level | Band | Tuition | Housing | Stipend | Insurance | Annual total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | I | 20,000 | 8,400 | 30,000 | 800 | 59,200 |
| Bachelor's | II | 23,000 | 8,400 | 30,000 | 800 | 62,200 |
| Bachelor's | III | 27,000 | 8,400 | 30,000 | 800 | 66,200 |
| Master's | I | 25,000 | 8,400 | 36,000 | 800 | 70,200 |
| Master's | II | 29,000 | 8,400 | 36,000 | 800 | 74,200 |
| Master's | III | 34,000 | 8,400 | 36,000 | 800 | 79,200 |
| Doctoral | I | 33,000 | 12,000 | 42,000 | 800 | 87,800 |
| Doctoral | II | 38,000 | 12,000 | 42,000 | 800 | 92,800 |
| Doctoral | III | 45,000 | 12,000 | 42,000 | 800 | 99,800 |
Discipline bands
| Band I | Philosophy, economics, law, education, humanities (excluding fine arts), history, management |
|---|---|
| Band II | Sciences, engineering, agriculture |
| Band III | Fine arts and literature-arts, medicine |
Study, preparatory year and total funding period
| Level | Degree | Preparatory | Funded period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 4–5 years | 1–2 years | 4–7 years |
| Master's | 2–3 years | 1–2 years | 2–5 years |
| Doctoral | 3–4 years | 1–2 years | 3–6 years |
| General scholar | up to 1 year | up to 1 year | up to 2 years |
| Senior scholar | up to 1 year | up to 1 year | up to 2 years |
The ten preparatory-year universities
Tianjin University · Nanjing Normal University · Shandong University · Central China Normal University · Tongji University · Beijing Language and Culture University · Northeast Normal University · Beijing International Studies University · Capital Normal University · University of International Business and Economics
Source: campuschina.org · Last verified 2026-10-19