The Chinese government has established several scholarship programs to sponsor international students, teachers, and scholars to study and conduct research in Chinese universities to promote mutual understanding, cooperation, and exchanges in various fields between China and other countries.

The China Scholarship Council (CSC), entrusted by the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Education, is in charge of the enrolment and administration of Chinese Government Scholarship programs.

According to CSC standards, all CSC holders must conduct an annual review. Academic achievement, learning attitude, attendance, student behavior, incentives and punishments, and so on are all included in the Annual Review. Students who pass the Annual Review during the scholarship period will continue to earn the scholarship the following year. Otherwise, the scholarship will be revoked or suspended.

Highlights of the Scholarship

• Organized by: China Scholarship Council (CSC)
• Host University: Tsinghua University
• Location: China
• Application Opening Date:  October 15, 2022
• Application Deadline: December 15, 2022
• Duration for Master’s Students: 1-3 Years
• Duration for Doctoral Students: 3-4 Years
• Medium of Instruction: English or Chinese
• Eligible Countries: International

Fields of Study:

• List of Masters Degree Programs Chinese/English
• List of PhD Degree Programs Chinese/English
• List of Graduate Programs in English

Benefits:

• The whole CGS normally includes tuition, *stipend, housing, and medical insurance. Partial CGS coverage comprises one or more elements from Full CGS coverage. All CGS holders must complete an annual review.
• Tsinghua University Tuition Scholarship covers full or partial tuition fees for one academic year. Annually, applicants may apply for Tuition Scholarships (competitive).
• For present graduate students, Tsinghua University provides Teaching Assistantships, Research Assistantships, and Management Assistantships. Typically, applications for assistantships open at the start of each semester.
• Tsinghua University offers prizes and distinctions to outstanding current Chinese and international graduate students. Top Grade Award, Jiang Nanxiang Award, Graduate Students All-Round Excellence Honors, Specialized Awards, school/department awards, and Outstanding Doctoral and Master’s Graduates of Tsinghua University are all part of the reward and recognition system.

Scholarship Categories:

CGS Application for Program Category Type A

• Except for Chinese universities, Type A generally refers to CGS programs overseen by authorities. CGS-Bilateral Program, CGS-EU Program, CGS-AUN Program, and so on.
• The application period for CGS of Program Category Type A typically runs from November to early April (much earlier than Type B). Timetables differ by country.
• To find out where, when, and how to apply, visit the CSC website. Please consult the appropriate authorities ahead of time to avoid missing the deadline.
• The authorities above will announce the results of CGS Program Category Type A applications.
• CSC will send qualified applications to universities for placement. CSC reserves the right to make necessary adjustments/changes to the candidate’s host university, field of study, supporting categories, and scholarship duration based on various factors such as the different scholarship funding requirements of each country, the host university’s teaching capacity, study length, and applicants’ criteria. Please visit the CSC website for more information.

Tsinghua University accepts CGS applications for Program Category Type B. (highly competitive)

• Type B CGS programs are generally managed by Chinese universities as part of the CGS-Chinese University Program.
• You should check with your target school/department ahead of time to see if your CGS application is eligible. Some Type B CGS programs have requirements for relevant graduate programs/majors or nationalities.
• Tsinghua University can only recommend a limited number of candidates, and applying through Tsinghua University is extremely competitive. Tsinghua University typically chooses candidates from among pre-admitted applicants of exceptional merit.

Who Can Apply? (Eligibility)

• The candidate must be in good mental and physical health and a citizen of a nation other than the People’s Republic of China.
• The degree and age criteria for candidates are as follows:
  • When applying for a Master’s program, you must be an academically exceptional holder of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent under the age of 35.
  • When applying for a Ph.D. program, you must be an academically exceptional Master’s degree holder or equivalent under the age of 40.
  • If qualified, bachelor’s degree holders who want to pursue doctorate degrees at Tsinghua University may apply for CGS Type A or B.
• When enrolling for a Chinese-taught postgraduate program, the candidate must have passed the HSK (Level 4).
• When applying for a program taught in a language other than Chinese, the candidate must fulfill the admission standards of the institution of preference, including language competence and academic aptitude.
• Applicants must be pre-admitted to Tsinghua University and have their pre-admitted schools/departments recommend them for CGS. Otherwise, Tsinghua University will not evaluate or process your application.
• No other grants for potential graduate studies at Tsinghua University are provided to applicants.
• Applicants have not been submitted as CGS candidates to the CSC for future graduate studies by other universities or institutes.

Language Requirements:

CGS candidates seeking Chinese-language graduate programs must present a valid HSK certificate and score report with a Level 4 or above. The HSK scores are good for two years as a Chinese language certificate for international students seeking admission to Chinese colleges (beginning from the test date). Applicants with a Chinese university degree do not need to produce an HSK certificate but must provide an official document stating that the teaching language is Chinese. There are no additional exceptions.

Non-native English speakers admitted to graduate programs taught in English must submit valid English Proficiency tests (such as the IELTS or TOEFL test report) certifications.

Required Documents (English or Chinese or translated into English/Chinese)

The following papers must be uploaded online:

• Application Form for CGS (in Chinese or English).
• Photo ID.
• A Scan of the Passport Information Page
• Highest Education Diploma and Certificate
• Transcripts of Academic Achievement (from the undergraduate program onwards).
• Language Qualification Certificate that is valid.
• Letter of Pre-admission.
• A research proposal or study plan (in Chinese or English, no less than 1000 words).
• Two Letters of Recommendation (in Chinese or English).
• A photocopy of the Form for Foreigner Physical Examination (in Chinese or English).
• Report on Non-Criminal Records
• Other Supplementary Materials.

Note: All uploaded supporting papers must be clear, authentic, and valid. Otherwise, either the recommendation or the scholarship will be withdrawn.

Application Procedure:

Application Procedure through Tsinghua University

• Step 1: Admission
  • Applicants must be pre-admitted and consult target schools/departments in advance about CGS application eligibility.
• Step 2: School/Department Recommendation
  • When notified by their schools/departments, applicants complete the CGS Online Application on the CSC website.
  • Regularly check your email and stay in touch with your school/department. If applicants cannot be reached or fail to complete the CGS online application in a timely manner, their candidacy will be considered renounced.
  • Recommendations are made by schools/departments.
  • CGS applications will not be processed unless schools/departments recommend them.
• Step 3: Nomination of Tsinghua University to the CSC
  • Tsinghua University selects CGS candidates based on school/department recommendations and higher authority requirements, then nominates them to the CSC.
• Step 4 Approval by the CSC:
  • Before finalizing the short-list candidates, the CSC organizes designated universities and experts to examine applicants’ eligibility and academic performance (new), and notifies Tsinghua University of the results.
  • The schedule is subject to change based on notices from higher authorities.

How to Apply?

Complete your application for graduate programs at Tsinghua University before applying for scholarships. Given the scholarship application deadlines, applicants interested in the Chinese Government Scholarship (Type A or Type B) should apply for graduate programs at Tsinghua University as soon as possible (highly recommended to complete in the first round, between October 15, 2022 –  December 15, 2022). Tsinghua University only accepts scholarship candidates from pre-admitted students.

Apply Now to a Graduate Program at Tsinghua University

Apply to CSC Scholarships

To learn more about Chinese Government Scholarship at Tsinghua University 2023, visit the official website.

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