Scholarships in China for International Students 2024
Here you will find some clues that will help you decide which scholarship is best for you, as well as the steps and documents necessary to apply for them. Good luck and Cheer up!
What type of scholarships are available to study in China?
There are three most popular scholarships to study in Chinese universities:
- Chinese Government Scholarships
- Scholarships from the Provincial Governments of China
- Confucius Institute Scholarships (governmental entity for the teaching of the Chinese language to foreigners)
These scholarships in China are universal. Citizens of almost all countries can apply for these scholarships, depending on educational agreements between countries. These scholarships do not have many application requirements. Because of the expensive university education in the eastern country, these economic endowments are quite generous.
Of course there are  many other scholarships, such as inter-university scholarships, those granted by private organizations, scholarships awarded by Chinese universities, or others that may be granted by educational institutions in your country. However, in this article I will focus only on the most popular and universal scholarships in china.
Which type of Chinese Scholarship is suitable for me?
This question is tricky. The first thing you have to ask yourself is what are you going to study? You basically have two options: study Chinese language (with which you obtain a university diploma of advanced studies), or do a degree (Bachelor’s Degree, Master of Science or PhD). Then, you have to think about which city you want to study, since that will also influence the choice of your scholarship.
To give you an idea, the entities that grant the scholarships have agreements with many universities nationwide (in China everything belongs or is connected in some way to the government). After all, both the sections of the governments which provide scholarships, such as the Confucius Institute and the various universities, are part of the government body.
Several scholarships quotas are derived from these agreements that each financier grants to each university by the type of course. Students from all countries are eligible to apply for Chinese government scholarship, which translates into a very high competition.
That is why it is very important that, once you are clear about what are you going to study and in what city or university you would like to study, you have to investigate the following points university by university:
- If they offer scholarships to study what you want (master’s degree, Chinese course, etc.)
- How many scholarships each entity grants to the type of course you choose?
The research can be done online, but not all universities have published this information on their web pages (especially in the English version), so I recommend you ask them directly by email. And it is absolutely essential that you do this sweep if you want to have some scholarships to finance your study in China.
Now I will give you a series of clues about scholarships in China which, I hope, will guide you a bit more and help you to find that Which type of Chinese Scholarship is best for you, for example, Chinese Government Scholarship or Confucius Institute Scholarship.
Scholarships to Learn Chinese Language in China
Many foreigners venture to take a Chinese course at a Chinese university. It is a great idea if you already study the language in your country . You will see how your level progresses exponentially, unlike the minimal advances that are occasionally seen in your city. If you have never studied Chinese before, it is perfect to try and see if you like it and have aptitudes. I have friends who spent one year studying Chinese in China, know more than I learned in five years studying in UK. But that evidently depends on you.
The three scholarships mentioned in the previous section accept Chinese language course students, the Confucius Institute scholarship being the most oriented for this purpose (it also offers grants for doctoral students and researchers, but they are not very popular). However, this scholarship requires that you have studied Chinese before and in priority in one of the countless subsidiaries that have throughout the world.
Scholarships for Undergraduate or Postgraduate Studies in China
Many people decide to go to China to study undergraduate, master or doctorate, whether in Chinese or English. In this case, as in the previous one, you must first investigate which universities offer your required course that you want to do and, secondly, review if such universities offer scholarships to students granted by the government (national or provincial).
Scholarships for Undergraduate or Postgraduate Studies in China
Many people decide to go to China to study undergraduate, master or doctorate, whether in Chinese or English. In this case, as in the previous one, you must first investigate which universities offer your required course that you want to do and, secondly, review if such universities offer scholarships to students granted by the government (national or provincial).
Both routes have the power to grant the scholarship of the Chinese government, and both have a different scholarship quota. Also, if you apply, for example, through the Chinese embassy in your country, you will only compete with other students of your same nationality. But if, on the contrary, you decide to apply for this scholarship directly at the destination university, you will compete with students from all over the world as they accept applications from all five continents. Because of this and because the scholarship quota awarded directly by the university is lower, it is more complicated to obtain the Chinese government scholarship if you choose this route (if you are already in China, for example).
On the other hand are the scholarships of the provincial governments. The way of application for this scholarship is exclusively delivering the documentation at the destination university. This means that it is necessary to be in China to request them (you can also ask someone to do it for you or send the documentation by mail, but this last option I do not recommend).
Obviously, this requirement greatly reduces competition, as there are not many candidates who are already in China before beginning their studies. However, unless you want to study Chinese language, provincial government scholarships require that you already hold an official Chinese or HSK diploma (normally 4 for a degree and 5 for a master’s or doctorate, depending on each university).
