China is becoming a famous study abroad destination. Before the spread of COVID, almost 500,000 foreign students were studying in the “Land of the Red Dragon.”
And why shouldn’t they?
The Chinese educational institutions promise quality education. In fact, they rank six of their universities among the top 100 in the World University Rankings.
You will find work both as a student and after finishing your studies in China. You also get an excellent chance and motivation to learn Mandarin in natural settings.
You will learn everything about China. Studying in China allows you to immerse yourself in the country’s rich culture, magnetic traditions, and delicious cuisine.
Here is my extensive guide to studying in China through scholarships.
Because of increased educational prospects, higher education appears to be a sure thing for students worldwide.
You get plenty of international exposure. Most people view it as a sign of intellect and ambition.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Why choose China as a study destination?
- Various types of scholarships in China
- 1. Scholarships from the Chinese Government
- 2. Scholarships At Chinese Universities
- 3. Schwarzman Scholars Program
- 4. Embassy Scholarships
- 5. Scholarships for MBA programs
- 6. Confucius Institute Scholarships
- 7. City and local Scholarships
- 8. Scholarships from the CCN
- 9. Enterprise, Private, and Other Scholarships
- The advantages and what do you get?
- Is it worth trying for Chinese scholarships?
Why choose China as a study destination?
We know China for its high international student inflow and top-ranking universities that offer varied courses and specializations. As a result, students across the globe express an interest in studying in China.
China is a rapidly developing nation with a diverse range of cities and cultures. It has stunning architecture and a fascinating way of life.
China, located in Asia, has some excellent colleges and institutions offering various degree programs. These universities are well-known, and their international university rankings are improving.
China has invested a significant amount of money in its educational system. It has granted many full scholarships to college students in recent years.
Hence, companies value the language, skills, and experience earned in mainland China.
You internationalize your CV by using lessons learned from overcoming obstacles. For example, language barriers and cultural differences, customs, and gastronomic.
You will be exposed to a new world while studying there. So, you become more conscious of yourself and your culture. And you also get more aware of the history of your host nation.
You become more adaptable in your interactions with others and more receptive to them. These abilities will be helpful not just in everyday life but also in the future if you work in an international setting or with co-workers from other origins.
Employers value your ability to adapt to diverse cultures and surroundings because it provides you with a fresh viewpoint.
The Chinese people want to learn English and learn about different cultures. As a result, you can also teach English in China as a foreigner.
Knowing China, its culture, and its people is a significant advantage for those aspiring to be the world’s next leaders.
Compared to the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, and other European nations, studying in China is affordable. Plus, those who study in China are less burdened because of the assured level of excellent education.
Many institutions and government-sponsored scholarships pay the entire cost of tuition or a portion of it. Thus, some students even complete their education almost for free.
Yet, these scholarships are diverse. So, we have detailed some basic information that will help you understand how it works.
Various types of scholarships in China
China offers many types of scholarships.
Scholarships in China do not cover the entire cost of education, which is essential. Most of them only cover a percentage of tuition and living expenses.
Make sure you choose scholarships that meet your needs.
For clarity, I’ve provided some basic information on how they work.
Here are some of the most recognizable Chinese scholarships.
1. Scholarships from the Chinese Government
CSC scholarships are among the most famous kinds for foreign students. The Chinese Scholarship Council awards this sort of government aid.
The Chinese Ministry of Education’s effort promotes education, cultural exchange, political collaboration, and mutual understanding between other nations and China. Scholarships from the CSC might be partially or fully sponsored.
CSC scholarship recipients can attend almost 280 different universities. Some include Beijing University, Shanghai University, Jiangsu University, Tsinghua University, Jinan University, etc.
The phrase “CSC Scholarship” refers to a wide range of opportunities. Thus, there are many ones under this category for which you can apply.
They offer CSC Program Category Type C to students who have already arrived in China and enrolled at a university. The first years are not eligible for this.
You do not need to speak Mandarin. Still, language skills can boost your chances. This is because, in China, most jobs are for Chinese speakers.
2. Scholarships At Chinese Universities
The Chinese University Program Scholarship is a CSC Program Category Type B.
The applied universities evaluate Type B applications. Applicants to the Chinese University Program can apply to one of three universities.
These are available at most of the universities in China. These scholarships may pay for both your tuition and your living expenses.
They often give these incentives to students who apply early. Good grades and having outstanding extracurricular activities are positive points.
Earning outstanding grades in your classes and having relevant and remarkable job experience benefits. Plus, if candidates participate in other activities such as volunteering or research, it can help them receive a university scholarship.
You will also be required to fill out a formal application. Other times, the institution will immediately consider you for a scholarship.
Some famous ones include:
3. Schwarzman Scholars Program
They provide this one at Tsinghua University in Beijing for international students to pursue a master’s degree in Global Affairs.
United International College provides limited financial aid to students with remarkable records.
Xiamen University, where international students can study in China, thanks to five different scholarships offered.
Jiangsu University also provides a presidential scholarship to students who apply through China Admissions.
SUSTech offers full undergraduate scholarships for the top-performing candidates. Still, very competitive scores in Math and Sciences would be required.
On the official Chinese school scholarship homepage, over 150 university scholarships are available.
This includes funding for prestigious colleges such as Peking University, Renmin University, Shandong University, and East China Normal University.
University scholarships have a more straightforward application process than CSC scholarships.
4. Embassy Scholarships
Non-university scholarships are classified as CSC Program Category Type A.
Applicants for such programs must provide the “Agency Number” of the associated accepting institution. For example, the Chinese Embassy in a particular country.
That institution will examine the applications.
Type A programs include the Bilateral, Great Wall, European Union, ASEAN University Network, Pacific Islands Forum, World Meteorological Organization, Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road, MOFCOM SCHOLARSHIP-CSC, and Chinese Marine.
Students who apply through the Chinese Embassy are eligible to apply to two universities.
CSC does not cover MBA, MBBS, and other programs with a very high tuition charge. Also, MBBS has very restricted scholarships.
For further information, see their official website at www.csc.edu.cn.
5. Scholarships for MBA programs
The scope for an MBA is quite limited in China.
Still, some top universities offering such a scholarship include—Peking University, Fudan University, China Europe International Business School, Zhejiang University International Business School, and more.
You can apply through CGS, CLGS, US, and ES programs in most cases. Still, some private colleges also give significant discounts and perks to applicants from abroad.
6. Confucius Institute Scholarships
This type A CSC scholarship is for language learners and language teachers.
The Confucius Institute headquarters offers seven scholarships to overseas students between the ages of 16 and 35 who want to study at a Chinese institution.
Undergraduate and postgraduate students can apply. The scholarship includes tuition, room, board, a monthly living stipend, and full medical insurance.
You can apply for Confucius Institute Scholarships by going through the institution on the Confucius website.
7. City and local Scholarships
China is divided into 22 provinces, each of which has its own budget for educational development.
Educational subsidies for foreigners from various provinces in China are sponsored here. Provincial awards are like university grants in many ways.
These include the Tianjin City scholarship, Beijing, Jasmine in Jiangsu, Scholarships offered by Shanghai, Yiwu Scholarship, Liaoning one, Ningbo one, Government Scholarship in Hangzhou, and more.
8. Scholarships from the CCN
China Campus Network is a group of universities in China. As of today, they are 28 universities across 15 cities in China.
They provide a Chinese-language international foundation program. After completing the course, you may be eligible for a scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Chinese.
9. Enterprise, Private, and Other Scholarships
Distinguished alumni, large corporations, and charity organizations all provide these sorts of scholarships.
They frequently give such independent scholarships to overseas students with a top academic record that covers their fees in part or wholly.
The advantages and what do you get?
While most of the scholarships that are not government-funded would focus on tuition fees. Each has different benefits depending on the type of scholarship and your eligibility criteria.
The Chinese Government Scholarship offers plenty of great benefits.
The type A scholarships include registration costs, housing (in a university house in a shared room with another person), basic medical insurance, and even a monthly stipend for personal expenses.
Except for the monthly stipend for personal costs, the Type B CSC Scholarship covers the same as the Type A one. On the other hand, the Type C CSC offers only basic coverage.
Eligibility criteria
The criteria are specific to the type of scholarship. While most CSC scholarships have streamlined criteria, others’ eligibility criteria are based on their own particular guidelines.
The following are the minimal prerequisites for obtaining a Chinese Government Scholarship:
• You should be a student from another country, i.e., not a Chinese citizen.
• You must not have received any other scholarship from the Chinese government or its delegations.
• Age Requirement: Undergraduate students must be no older than 25 years old, while master’s degree students must be no more than 35 years old. The age restriction for a Ph.D. is 40 years old.
• For undergraduate students, a Higher Secondary School Certificate or equivalent is required; for master’s degree students, a Bachelor’s Degree is required. The doctorate requires a master’s degree.
• When applying for a Chinese-taught undergraduate or general scholar program (excluding Chinese language majors), have passed the HSK level 3. You should have given the HSK (Level 3) when applying for a Chinese-taught senior scholar program. An HSK (Level 4) is required when applying for a Chinese-taught postgraduate program.
• It would require you to meet the university’s admission requirements of preference regarding Chinese proficiency and academic ability. This is, among other things, when applying for a Chinese-taught postgraduate program.
How do you apply?
Early applications help beat the competition as the application deadline is only available for a short time. Applying to various institutions and scholarship opportunities can help, as the competition is very high.
Ensure that you have a stark academic reward. Chinese scholarships emphasize academically strong students with good grades and unique experiences.
Networking and contacting people from the university or related parties will help speed up the process.
Last, learning and reaching minimum fluency or the dialect of the province you want to settle in will help immensely. For that, take HSK, the most popular Mandarin language test.
We can categorize the process into steps. First, for most scholarships, the application process is through the CSC.
First, you want to identify the universities that offer the subjects you wish to pursue. For example, over 1000 universities in China, but not all have the same courses and scholarship programs.
Thus, making a list of universities that appeal to you and then sorting them into those that fall into the CSC scheme or any other scholarship scheme would help.
We can apply online through either the university or the CSC website.
It might be difficult for overseas students to understand how to apply for scholarships because of a lack of knowledge. That’s why many agencies are marketing “Guaranteed Scholarships” worldwide.
These agencies often help through the application process for a fee that differs from case to case.
The documentary requirements are sometimes intricate, so diligent and thorough documentation would be requisite.
Upon submission, the university will contact you to know if you have received the scholarship.
Thus, you can now easily apply for a scholarship to the university of your choice. And then explore the country of China while reaching one step closer to becoming a global asset with your experience and education.
Is it worth trying for Chinese scholarships?
China is a land of limitless opportunities. So what else could be better than studying there? And, if you do not have enough money, a scholarship is the best option.
You can travel across China by applying for courses at your preferred institution. Then, with your experience and expertise, you’ll be one step closer to being a global asset.
Before applying, carefully study the eligibility criteria and their conditions. One advantage of applying for a scholarship in China is the availability of nearly all kinds of courses.
So get ready to explore China’s beauty and culture while receiving a high-quality education. You will also benefit from learning Mandarin and improving your career prospects.
I hope this article on the best international scholarships in China is helpful. Share your views or questions in the comments section below.
I need this scholarship.