China Scholarship Council - University of Birmingham PhD Scholarships

China Scholarship Council - University of Birmingham PhD Scholarships

You get a fully funded PhD place at the University of Birmingham, paid by two funders together. The university pays your full tuition fees at the overseas rate and all lab (bench) fees. The China Scholarship Council (CSC) pays a monthly living allowance and your return flights between China and the UK. Up to 10 of these scholarships are awarded each round, for students starting a PhD in October 2026.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You hold a passport of the People's Republic of China. Applicants from Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan cannot apply.
• Where you live: You live permanently in China, or you currently study abroad. If you work abroad, you cannot apply.
• Return commitment: You agree to return to China after finishing your PhD, as the CSC requires.
• Admission: You already hold an offer for a full-time PhD at Birmingham starting October 2026. A conditional offer counts only if the sole thing left is finishing your current degree and/or getting your ATAS certificate.
• English: You already meet the English language requirement of your offer before you apply to the CSC.
• Field of study: All research areas are open. Priority goes to fields such as rail decarbonisation, sustainable plastics, water science, quantum technologies, cancer immunology, liver transplantation, health data, African studies, inclusive education and global ethics, but you are not limited to these.

How to apply

First secure your PhD offer. Then contact your proposed supervisor at Birmingham by 6 February 2026 to express interest. Each college shortlists candidates and nominates them to the CSC. You must also submit a separate application directly to the CSC by its March 2026 deadline. Only candidates nominated by Birmingham and offered funding by the CSC are selected. Results come in June.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is tightly targeted. Only Chinese passport holders with a PhD offer already in hand can enter, and just 10 places are shared across the whole university. You must clear two stages: Birmingham's nomination and the CSC's own selection. If you fit a priority research field, have a strong supervisor backing you and contact them well before the February deadline, your prospects improve.