China Scholarship Council, Chinese Ministry of Education - China Scholarships Council

China Scholarship Council (CSC) PhD Scholarship at Glasgow

You will receive a full package to do a 3-year PhD at the University of Glasgow at no cost to you. The university will waive your tuition fees in full. The China Scholarship Council (CSC), which is affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education, also provides a monthly living allowance, the amount of which is set by the Chinese government. This includes health insurance for students, a return flight between China and the UK via the most economical route, and your visa fees. The programme is run jointly by the CSC and the University of Glasgow.

Who can apply

• Nationality: At the time of applying, you are a citizen of or permanently resident in the People’s Republic of China.
• Degree: You are applying for a full-time PhD post at the University of Glasgow.
• Field of study: The range of courses on offer covers almost every subject area, from accounting and law to physics, veterinary medicine and Chinese studies.
• Offer needed: You have already received a firm offer of admission to a PhD programme from the University of Glasgow’s Admissions Team. This may be unconditional or subject only to your English language test result. An informal offer from a supervisor is not sufficient.
• English: You meet Glasgow’s requirements regarding English language proficiency.
• Grades: You have an outstanding academic record and a compelling research proposal.
• Where you are now: At the time of applying, you must not be working outside China. Even if you are studying abroad, you may still apply.
• After the PhD: You agree to return to China once the programme has finished.

How to apply

First, apply for a PhD place in Glasgow and state in your application that you wish to apply for a CSC scholarship. The application deadline for PhD places at the College of Social Sciences is 31 January 2026. Once you have received a firm offer of admission, submit your complete CSC application, together with a letter of support from your supervisor, by 27 February 2026. The College’s funding committee decides who will be nominated. Only nominated candidates apply directly to the CSC, which makes the final decision.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding is awarded on a highly selective basis. You must be a Chinese national, already have a firm offer of a place on a PhD programme in Glasgow, and be nominated by your college before the CSC even sees your application. At the College of Social Sciences, around 10 applicants are shortlisted for 5 funded places, so whilst competition is fierce, the pool of applicants is small. With a solid offer of admission, a compelling research proposal, the support of your supervisor and adherence to the deadlines, your chances are good.