Quick Information
| Country | China |
|---|---|
| Degree Level | Bachelor's/Master's/PhD |
| Funding Type | Fully Funded |
| Scholarship Value | Monthly stipend CNY 2,500 (Bachelor's) / CNY 3,000 (Master's) / CNY 3,500 (PhD); full tuition, free dormitory or housing subsidy, medical insurance |
| Last Verified Date | November 11, 2026 |
| Official Source | https://www.campuschina.org |
Overview
The Chinese Government Scholarship, known as the CSC scholarship, is run by the China Scholarship Council, the government body of the People’s Republic of China, and it is taught in both English and Chinese at more than 270 Chinese universities. The award is available for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral study, for non-degree general and senior scholars, and the application is made through the Chinese embassy or the chosen university. The place to start is the Campus China website, where the full list of universities, programmes and the application system can be found.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens aged under 25 for bachelor’s, under 35 for master’s and under 40 for doctoral study, and must hold the previous degree required for the level applied for. Since the 2026/27 cycle the China Scholarship Council requires undergraduate applicants to take the CSCA, or China Scholarship Council Academic Assessment, before applying, while graduate applicants may also be asked to take it; the admissions scores follow the same academic year. Students studying Chinese-taught programmes must provide HSK test results, and those on English-taught programmes must show the required English proficiency.
Available Fields
The scholarship covers all subject areas taught in China, including engineering, medicine, business, economics, education, law and the arts. The application must be made to one of the 270+ universities listed on the Campus China website — those are the only institutions that can accept CSC students.
Scholarship Benefits
The package covers full tuition for the whole programme, free on-campus dormitory accommodation or a housing subsidy instead, and comprehensive medical insurance. The monthly stipend is 2,500 Chinese yuan for undergraduate students, 3,000 yuan for master’s students and general scholars, and 3,500 yuan for doctoral students and senior scholars. The housing subsidy, where the university pays it instead of a dormitory place, is about 700 yuan a month for undergraduate and master’s students and 1,000 yuan for PhD students. Travel to and from China is generally not covered.
Required Documents
Applicants apply through the official Campus China portal and provide a passport copy, academic transcripts and diplomas, a study plan or research proposal, two recommendation letters, a medical examination form, and language test results. Type B applicants also submit a pre-admission letter from the chosen university where the university asks for one.
Application Process
For Type A, apply through the Chinese embassy or the designated agency in the home country, following that authority’s own call and deadline. For Type B, apply directly to the chosen university through the Campus China portal and the university’s own system, using the university’s agency number. Each university and embassy sets its own deadline, so the dates must be checked on the official notice for the chosen route. Results are usually announced in the summer before the September start.
Important Dates
There is no single CSC deadline. For the 2026/27 cycle, embassy (Type A) deadlines fell between early February and late March, and university (Type B) deadlines commonly fell between February and April. Embassy and university calls for the 2027/28 intake began appearing from October 2026. Type A (embassy) deadlines are typically February–March 2027 and Type B (university) deadlines February–April 2027; results are usually announced in June–August 2027. These are expected dates, not confirmed — check the official portal and your embassy’s or university’s notice for the exact dates.
FAQs
Is the CSC scholarship fully funded? Yes — tuition, dormitory or a housing subsidy, medical insurance and a monthly stipend are covered; travel is usually not.
Can I apply to more than one university? Under Type B, applicants may apply to more than one university, but only one award can be accepted.
Do I need to know Chinese? No, for English-taught programmes — but Chinese-taught programmes need an HSK result.
Where do I apply? Only through the official Campus China portal; copycat sites are common, so the portal address should be checked carefully.