Scholarships to Study in China Compared: CSC, Provincial, University and More

"Fully funded scholarship in China" is the promise in thousands of videos. Some scholarships really do pay for everything; others cover only tuition. This guide puts the five main kinds side by side, so you can see which ones fit you and what each one really pays.

The five kinds at a glance

Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)

China's main full scholarship. It waives tuition, provides a dorm room, includes comprehensive medical insurance and pays a monthly stipend.

• Two routes: Type A through a Chinese embassy or your home country's dispatching authority, Type B (Chinese University Program) directly with a designated university. Both use campuschina.org.
• Who: non-Chinese citizens in good health. Bachelor's applicants need a high-school diploma and a CSCA score; master's applicants a bachelor's degree; PhD applicants a master's degree.
• Language: Chinese-taught master's and PhD programs need at least HSK 4. English-taught programs need proof of English, such as IELTS or TOEFL.
• Every applicant needs a pre-admission document from a Chinese university.
• When: for September intake, most embassies close in January or February and most universities between December and March.

Step by step: how to apply for the CSC scholarship. This round's deadlines by country: application deadlines.

International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship

Formerly the Confucius Institute Scholarship, run by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. It is the best fit if you want to learn Chinese in China or become a Chinese teacher.

• Covers tuition, a dorm room, insurance and a monthly stipend.
• Programs: four-week courses, one semester, one year, and bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees in International Chinese Language Education.
• HSK needed: for a one-year program, HSK 3 with at least 210 points, usually with an HSKK score; for a master's, HSK 5 with 210 and HSKK intermediate 60.
• Recommendation from an institution such as a Confucius Institute, an HSK test center, a university Chinese department abroad or a Chinese embassy.
• Several intakes a year. Applications open on 1 March. In 2026 they closed on 15 April for July courses, 15 May for September, 15 September for December and 31 October for March 2027.

See also studying Chinese and teaching Chinese in China.

MOFCOM Scholarship

From China's Ministry of Commerce, with the China Scholarship Council. It funds English-taught master's and PhD programs in fields such as public administration, trade, agriculture, engineering and health.

• Who: citizens of developing countries under 45 who are government officials at division level or above, senior managers, or established academics or researchers. Master's applicants need at least three years' work experience.
• English at about IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80.
• Covers tuition, a dorm room, insurance, a stipend and international airfare.
• When: spring of the intake year. In 2026 embassies took applications until 6 June, and many governments ran their own nomination round in April or May.

Provincial and city scholarships

Many provinces and cities fund international students at their local universities.

• Beijing has three levels of award.
• Shanghai's Type A pays 2,500 to 3,500 CNY a month, and its Type B covers tuition and insurance. Its age limits follow the CSC's, and it is not open to students who already hold another scholarship.
• How: choose the scholarship option, or upload its form, in your application to a university in that province or city. Deadlines usually match the university's, for example 30 April at Shanghai Maritime University and 1 May at Beijing Institute of Technology.

University scholarships

Many universities that admit international students run their own awards.

• Levels: at Beijing Institute of Technology, a first prize covers tuition, housing, a stipend and insurance, and a third prize tuition only.
• Renewal: multi-year awards are usually renewed each year only after an annual review.
• How: usually by ticking a scholarship option in your admission application, before the university's deadline.

Which one fits you?

• Finishing high school, under 25: the CSC (Type A and Type B) plus university scholarships at the universities you apply to. Plan for the CSCA test.
• Want to learn Chinese, or teach it: the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship.
• A graduate under 35 with a clear research plan: CSC Type B with a supervisor's or university's pre-admission letter, plus a provincial or university award as a backup.
• An official or manager from a developing country, under 45: the MOFCOM Scholarship.
• Over the CSC age limits: self-funded places, whose limits can be higher, and Chinese language courses, some of which take students up to 55 or 60. See age limits.

Watch out for fake "full scholarships"

• Ask what it covers, in writing. A "scholarship" that only lowers tuition is still worth having, but it is not a full scholarship.
• No one can guarantee a scholarship. Scholarship committees decide, not agents.
• Never pay a deposit to "keep" a scholarship. The China Scholarship Council has warned about fake scholarship admission notices that ask for deposits. See how to apply without an agent.

Not sure where to start?

Tell us your level, your grades and what you want to study, and we will help you choose scholarships and universities to apply to. Ask for free application help: advice and application help are free for students. You can always apply directly at campuschina.org or on a university's own system.