Are there master's scholarships in China for international students?
Unofficial answer · Sources checked
Yes. Several national scholarship schemes fund master's study in China, including the Chinese Government Scholarship, the Youth of Excellence Scheme of China, the MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program, the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 and the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship. Each scheme sets its own eligibility, duration and coverage, so the conditions below apply only to the scheme named beside them.
This page is an unofficial summary, written in English from the Chinese text where the source is in Chinese.
Master's conditions by scheme
The table lists the master's-specific wording of each scheme, copied as closely as possible from its notice. Schemes are listed in the order they appear on this page, not in any order of merit.
| Scheme | Who it is for | Master's-specific condition as printed | Where printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Government Scholarship | Applicants who are not citizens of the PRC and who are in good health | "be an academically excellent holder of a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent under the age of 35 when applying for a Master's program"; HSK (Level 4) for Chinese-taught master's programs | Section IV, items 1, 3 and 10 of the application guide |
| Youth of Excellence Scheme of China (2026 intake) | Citizens of countries other than the PRC, under 45, in good health; holders of a bachelor's degree or higher with at least three years of work experience | "Master students"; "In principle, the curriculum leads to a master's degree and lasts 12 months." | Section 2 (Contents) and section 3 (Application requirements) of the 2026 intake notice |
| MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program | Citizens of developing countries other than the PRC, under 45 | "Master's program for 2-3 years"; "be a bachelor's degree holder when applying for master's program" | Section I (duration and language) and section III (eligibility) of the enrollment guide |
| International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 | Non-Chinese citizens aged 16 to 35 on 1 September 2025 | "Scholarship for Master's Degree in International Chinese Language Education"; "maximum of two academic years"; "Applicants shall hold a Bachelor's degree"; minimum HSK score of 210 (Level 5) | Program category 2, and eligibility item 5 |
| ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship | Applicants routed through the ACYLS national focal points of their home countries; ASEAN university staff who apply through the AUN network | "Masters Students": length of schooling 2-3 academic years, length of scholarship 2-3 academic years; study plan of at least 800 words for graduate students | Length of scholarship table, and list of application documents, items 5 and 6 of the guidebook |
Two points in the table need care. The Youth of Excellence notice and the ICLT 2025 guidelines have application deadlines that have already passed for their named intakes. The ICLT 2025 guidelines set 15 May 2025 (Beijing Time) as the deadline for programs commencing in September 2025, and the Youth of Excellence notice sets 23:59 on 31 March 2026 (GMT+8) as the online deadline for the 2026 intake. Those dates belong to those intakes only.
The Youth of Excellence notice gives its coverage as "Full scholarship". Its coverage line does not state a monthly amount.
What the schemes pay
The Chinese Government Scholarship guide lists, in section III, tuition fees, a free university dormitory or accommodation subsidy, a stipend and comprehensive medical insurance. For master's students and general scholars, the stipend is "CNY 3,000 per month", and medical insurance is "CNY 800 per person per year" (section III, items 1 to 4).
The MOFCOM notice sets its stipend in section IV, item 3, as "36000RMB per year per master student". Section IV, item 4 adds a one-off resettlement fee of "3000RMB per person".
The ICLT 2025 guidelines set the living allowance for master's students in International Chinese Language Education at "RMB 3,000 per person" per month (Appendix 1, item 3). Appendix 1, item 4 gives the medical insurance premium for students studying more than one year as "RMB 800 per person/year".
Who decides
The China Scholarship Council (CSC) handles admission, enrollment and administration of the Chinese Government Scholarship, entrusted by the Ministry of Education (guide, introduction). The CSC also administers the MOFCOM Scholarship and the Youth of Excellence Scheme of China.
The Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) runs the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship (guidelines, preamble). The ACYLS guidebook names the Joint Committee of the ACYLS as the body that decides the final recommendation list, and the CSC processes only the applications on that list (procedures, step 2 and step 3).
Each scheme sets out its own application route. Section I of the Chinese Government Scholarship guide sets out where each program type is filed. Section V of the MOFCOM enrollment guide sets out the application documents and submission steps. Section 3 and section 5 of the ACYLS guidebook set out when and where to apply and the procedures. The Youth of Excellence notice sets out its procedure in section 4 (Application approach) and section 6 (Time and steps).
Where to check the rest
For the current year's deadlines, the MOFCOM guide says to consult the application receiving authority for each year's deadline (section II). The ACYLS guidebook says applicants should consult the ACYLS national focal points or the AUN Secretariat directly for the deadline of the current year (section 3).
For a Chinese-taught or English-taught master's, the university's own admission requirements apply in addition to the scheme's language rule. The Chinese Government Scholarship guide says that for programs taught in a language other than Chinese, the applicant must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability (section IV, item 11).
Related questions
Is a master's under the Youth of Excellence Scheme always two years long?
The 2026 notice says that "In principle, the curriculum leads to a master's degree and lasts 12 months." It also describes a "1+1" paradigm for some programs, in which the first academic year is spent in China and the second in the applicant's home country, followed by a return to China to defend the dissertation.
Does a Chinese Government Scholarship master's applicant need HSK?
Yes, if the master's program is taught in Chinese. Section IV, item 10 of the guide requires the applicant to have passed the HSK (Level 4) for a Chinese-taught master's or doctoral program. For programs taught in another language, section IV, item 11 applies the university's own language requirements.
What is the age limit for a Chinese Government Scholarship master's?
Section IV, item 3 of the guide sets the age limit at under 35 when applying for a master's program. Section IV, item 5 sets a different limit of under 45 for the general scholar program, and item 6 sets under 50 for the senior scholar program.
Sources
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
- Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program Chinese Government Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
- MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program (Enrollment Guide), China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
- Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025, Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, chinese.cn)
- Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
Checked 10 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, it is not published by or affiliated with the bodies named, and where the official text differs from this page, the official text and the instructions of the university, embassy or exit-entry office handling your case prevail.