Great Britain China Educational Trust - Great Britain China Educational Trust

Great Britain China Educational Trust award

You will receive a one-off grant of up to about 3,450 EUR (£3,000). Most grants range from around 1,700 to 2,300 euros (£1,500–£2,000). The grant is intended to cover your tuition fees and living costs whilst you are studying at a UK university. The Trust is a UK charity founded in 1975 to promote educational links between China and the UK. Its board of trustees decides on the award of scholarships twice a year. You may apply a maximum of twice, with a one-year interval between applications; however, once you have been awarded the scholarship, you may not apply again.

Who can apply

This entry focuses on the Foundation’s main area of work: scholarships for Chinese students.

• Nationality: You are a Chinese national of the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong.
• Degree level: You are a PhD student and have already started your third year. Undergraduates, students on teaching-oriented Master’s programmes (MA, MSc) and PhD students in the first two years of their PhD programme are not eligible to apply.
• Where you study: You are enrolled at a university in the United Kingdom.
• Field of study: Any subject.
• Prior study in China: You have attended at least one university or higher education institution in China.
• What it is for: The funding covers tuition fees and living costs. It does not cover travel to conferences, fieldwork, research trips or research materials such as books, laboratory equipment or software.

How to apply

You should submit an application form and a form containing your supervisor’s comments to the Great Britain-China Centre. The Board of Trustees meets in the spring and autumn, so there are two submission deadlines each year: 11 October for the autumn session and 11 April for the spring session.

How realistic are your chances?

The eligibility criteria are strictly defined: only Chinese PhD students at British universities who have reached their third year of study and have previously studied in China are eligible to apply. This keeps the pool of applicants small. If you clearly meet these criteria and can demonstrate that you need the funds to cover tuition fees and living costs, your prospects are good. As the total funding available is limited, a focused, well-reasoned application is more important than a perfectly polished one.