CSC Scholarship 2026 — Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS): Full Guide, Eligibility, Benefits & How to Apply

The CSC Scholarship — officially the Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS), run by the China Scholarship Council — funds international students to study full degrees and Chinese-language programmes at Chinese universities. A full award usually covers tuition, accommodation, medical insurance and a monthly stipend. You apply free of charge through the official CSC online system and, separately, to your chosen university. Around 280 universities across China take part, and the intake generally runs from December to April each year, with results announced by the end of July.

What is the CSC / Chinese Government Scholarship?

The China Scholarship Council is a government-funded body that supports international students who want to study in China. Its main scheme, the Chinese Government Scholarship, is one of the most popular fully funded routes for students from Pakistan and around the world. It is offered for undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees in almost every field — engineering, medicine, management, law, sciences, agriculture, arts and more — and many universities also offer a year of Chinese-language study under the same award.

You do not need an agent and you should never pay a commission to "secure" the scholarship. The application is straightforward enough to complete yourself, and anyone guaranteeing selection for a fee is best avoided.

Scholarship programmes under the CGS

The Chinese Government Scholarship is an umbrella that includes several distinct programmes. The two most relevant to most applicants are the Chinese University Programme (apply through a university) and the Bilateral Programme (apply through your country's channel, usually the embassy). Others target specific regions or organisations:

• Chinese University Programme — applied for directly through a CSC-affiliated university.
• Bilateral Programme — applied for through the Chinese embassy under agreements between China and your country.
• Great Wall Programme — for students nominated through UNESCO.
• EU Programme — for students from European Union countries.
• AUN Programme — for students from ASEAN University Network members.
• WMO Programme — linked to the World Meteorological Organization.
• PIF Programme — for Pacific Islands Forum countries.
• Marine Scholarship of China — for marine-related fields.
• MOFCOM Scholarship — offered via China's Ministry of Commerce to strengthen cooperation with and develop talent for partner and developing countries.

Other China-based scholarships worth knowing

Beyond the core CGS, the China Scholarship Council and Chinese institutions support several related awards:

• Silk Road / Belt and Road Scholarship (also referred to as the Forbidden City Scholarship for some Beijing universities) — aimed at students from countries in the Belt and Road Initiative. The funding is broadly comparable to the standard CGS award.
• Provincial and municipal government scholarships — many regions run their own awards, including the Zhejiang Provincial, Jiangsu "Jasmine", Guangdong, Shanghai, Henan, Jilin, Tianjin, Yunnan, Shandong, Sichuan, Hubei, Liaoning, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Inner Mongolia government scholarships, among others. These are applied for through the relevant university.

Benefits — what the scholarship covers

A full CSC award typically includes a tuition-fee waiver, free on-campus accommodation (or a housing allowance), comprehensive medical insurance for international students, and a monthly living stipend that scales with your study level:

Exact amounts and what is included are set by the CSC and the host university and can change, so confirm the current figures on the official source before you apply.

Age limits

The general age limits are:

• Undergraduate — under 25 years.
• Master's — under 35 years.
• Doctoral — under 40 years.

Scholarship categories: Type A, Type B and Type C

In the online application you must choose a category that matches how you are applying:

• Type A — select this if you are applying through the Chinese embassy or a bilateral programme.
• Type B — select this if you are applying through a CSC-affiliated university.
• Type C — select this if you are applying through other channels or programmes.

Because most international applicants apply directly to a university, they choose Type B.

How many universities can you apply to?

Under the current CSC policy, each applicant may submit a maximum of three applications in a single enrolment year — up to two Type A and one Type B. Two Type A applications cannot be sent to the same agency. If you have several preferred universities for your Type B application, you must pick one; that choice is treated as final once processing begins and cannot be changed. If more than one university selects you, the CSC decides which one you are admitted to.

Who is eligible?

• You are a citizen of a country other than China and are in good health.
• You meet the degree and age requirements for your level (high-school graduate for bachelor's, a bachelor's degree for master's, a master's degree for doctoral study).
• You meet the programme's language requirement — an English proficiency certificate for English-taught programmes, or HSK for Chinese-taught ones.
• Strong grades plus a clear, original study plan or research proposal markedly improve your chances; well-organised, complete documentation matters as much as raw marks.

How to apply — step by step

1. Find a CSC university and programme

   Choose a CSC-affiliated university that runs your subject. Note its agency number — a unique code for each university that you will need in the form.

2. Contact a potential supervisor (optional)

   Email a professor in your field and request that they accept you as a student. If they agree, ask for a pre-acceptance or supervisor request letter. It isn't mandatory, but it helps.

3. Fill the CSC online application

   Register and complete the form on the official CSC online application system, then select the correct category (usually Type B for a direct university application) and enter the agency number.

4. Complete the university's own application

   Submit the host university's separate admission application as well — both the CSC form and the university application are required.

5. Do the medical and notarise your documents

   Complete the Foreigner Physical Examination Form with the required medical reports, and have your educational documents attested by a notary.

6. Courier your documents to the university

   Print the application, attach every required document, and send the package to the university's International Students Office by a reliable courier before its deadline. State clearly that you are applying for the CSC Scholarship.

7. Track your result

   Monitor your application status online. Results are generally announced by the end of July, and selected students enrol from the start of September.

Documents you'll typically need

Requirements vary slightly by university, but most ask for:

• Passport copy (photo page).
• Highest degree certificate and academic transcripts, notarised where required.
• A study plan (for taught programmes) or research proposal (for research degrees), written in your own words.
• Two recommendation letters from professors or associate professors.
• Foreigner Physical Examination Form plus the required medical reports.
• English proficiency certificate (or HSK for Chinese-taught programmes); IELTS/TOEFL is optional for most.
• Pre-acceptance / acceptance letter from a supervisor (optional but helpful).
• An updated CV, a motivation or cover letter, and a police clearance / character certificate.
• Any additional items the university lists, such as a polio certificate, experience certificates, or a passport-style photograph.

Attest your educational documents through the relevant notary and, where applicable, your country's higher-education authority before submission.

CSC-participating universities

Around 280 Chinese universities admit Chinese Government Scholarship students from across the world, spanning top research universities, medical and arts institutions, and language and technology schools. A representative selection includes:

• Tsinghua University
• Peking University
• Fudan University
• Zhejiang University
• Shanghai Jiao Tong University
• University of Science and Technology of China
• Nanjing University
• Wuhan University
• Harbin Institute of Technology
• Xi'an Jiaotong University
• Sun Yat-sen University
• Beijing Institute of Technology
• Tongji University
• Tianjin University
• Southeast University
• Beihang University
• Nankai University
• Sichuan University
• Central South University
• Huazhong University of Science and Technology
• Shandong University
• Jilin University
• Lanzhou University
• Chongqing University
• Dalian University of Technology
• Northwestern Polytechnical University
• Renmin University of China
• Beijing Normal University
• East China Normal University
• Xiamen University
• Hunan University
• Northeastern University
• Ocean University of China
• China Agricultural University
• University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications
• Soochow University
• Jiangsu University
• Hohai University
• Northwest A&F University

This is only a sample. The full, official list of participating universities — along with the subject-wise breakdown and agency numbers — is maintained by the China Scholarship Council, so check there for the current year.

Universities with no application fee

Some universities charge no application fee at all, and others waive it for CSC applicants under the Chinese University Programme. Institutions that have commonly waived the fee include Chongqing University, Donghua University, Jiangsu University, Capital Normal University, Dalian University of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Nanjing University, Southeast University, Sichuan University, Wuhan University and Tianjin University, among others. Confirm the current fee status with each university before applying.

What is an agency number?

An agency number is a unique code assigned to each Chinese public university for scholarship applications. It identifies the specific university you are applying to within the CSC system, and you must enter the correct number when completing the online form. Each university publishes its own agency number.

Do you need IELTS, and what is an English proficiency certificate?

For most universities, IELTS or TOEFL is not required if your mother tongue is English or your most recent degree was taught in English. In that case an English proficiency certificate — a document from your previous university confirming that your studies were conducted in English — is generally accepted. You can request it from the registrar's office of your last institution. Programmes taught only in Chinese may require HSK, and many of those include a funded year of Chinese-language study, so you usually don't apply for the language year separately.

Can you work part-time while studying in China?

Yes. International students in China may take part-time work or internships, but it must be done legally: you need a no-objection certificate (NOC) from your supervisor and approval from the International Students Office to obtain a part-time work permit. You must hold a student (X) visa — the X1 visa is issued for longer courses and the X2 for shorter ones. Graduates with a master's or higher degree from a recognised university may also qualify for an employment licence and work permit in China.

Timeline and result

Applications generally open between December and April, though each university sets its own deadline. The CSC result is usually announced by the end of July, and successful students join their universities from the start of September. Once the CSC assigns you a university, you cannot change it.

The official CSC online application system is at studyinchina.csc.edu.cn. Always apply through the official portal and the university directly.

Frequently asked questions