Ministry of Education of P. R. China - Chinese Government Scholarship Program: General scholar

Chinese Government Scholarship: General Scholar

You will receive a full scholarship from the Chinese government for a study or research placement without leading to a degree at a university in China. ‘General Scholar’ means that you will study or conduct research in a particular subject without aiming to obtain a degree. You will receive a monthly living allowance of CNY 3,000 (about 390 EUR). The scholarship also covers your tuition fees, on-campus accommodation (CNY 8,400 per year) and basic health insurance (CNY 800 per year). In total, the scholarship package amounts to approximately CNY 70,000 to 79,000 per year, depending on your university and field of study. The scholarship is administered by the China Scholarship Council and advertised by Chinese embassies worldwide. You are responsible for your own travel costs to and from China.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a national of any country other than China.
• Education: You must have at least a secondary school leaving certificate (upper secondary level). A higher qualification would be an advantage.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Age: You are currently at 45 in the application process.
• Language: For degree programmes taught in Chinese, you will need to have achieved HSK level 3, a standardised test to assess your Chinese language proficiency. This requirement does not apply if you are coming to learn Chinese. For degree programmes taught in English, you must meet the university’s IELTS or TOEFL requirements.
• Health: You are in good physical and mental health.
• University place: You already have a pre-admission document from your chosen university, such as a certificate of admission or an invitation from a professor.

How to apply

You can apply online at www.campuschina.org and upload your documents there. You do not need to send any paper documents to the embassy. Each Chinese embassy sets its own deadline, so please check the deadline applicable to your country. For the 2026/2027 round via the Embassy in Indonesia, the deadline is 8 February 2026; the results are expected to be announced in July or August 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a large, well-funded programme run on a global scale, which consequently attracts many applicants. Your chances depend less on the level of competition and more on whether you have already secured a place at university. You cannot take part without a certificate of preliminary admission from a Chinese university. If you have this invitation, meet the language requirements and apply in good time before the deadline set by your embassy, your chances are good.