Is there a scholarship for a one-year Chinese language course in China?

Yes — two official routes can fund a one-year Chinese language course in China. The International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship runs a 'One-Year Study Program' (its 2025 guidelines set the September 2025 start, a maximum of eleven months, and HSK/HSKK minimums by field), and the Chinese Government Scholarship covers one year of Chinese language (preparatory) study. The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh's announcement of 19 December 2025 separately lists a 'One-Year Chinese Language Program' among the Chinese Government Scholarship Type A options for that intake, with coverage printed as full tuition fees, on-campus accommodation, comprehensive medical insurance, a monthly living allowance of approximately CNY 2,500–3,500 depending on programme level, and international round-trip airfare.

What the rules say

International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship — One-Year Study Program. Section 4 of the Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 (Center for Language Education and Cooperation) states that the programme commences in September 2025 and the scholarship is provided for a maximum of eleven months. The same section sets HSK and HSKK minimums by field: applicants to international Chinese language education programmes need a minimum HSK score of 270 (Level 3) and an HSKK test score is required; applicants to Chinese language and literature, Chinese history or Chinese philosophy programmes need a minimum HSK score of 180 (Level 4) and an HSKK score of 60 (Intermediate Level); and applicants to Chinese language study programmes need a minimum HSK score of 210 (Level 3), with priority given to those who provide an HSKK score. These minimums and the age conditions in Section I are conditions of that scholarship, not rules stated by the pages read for this page as general conditions of studying in China.

Section I of the same guidelines sets the eligibility conditions: applicants must be non-Chinese citizens, be interested in Chinese language education and related work, and be aged between 16 and 35 on 1 September 2025 (the maximum age for in-service Chinese teachers may be extended to 45, and those applying for a Bachelor's degree scholarship shall be younger than 25 under most circumstances). For the September 2025 start used by the one-year programme, Section III gives the applicant deadline as 15 May 2025 (Beijing Time), with Recommending Institutions and Host Institutions completing review by 25 May 2025. Those dates belong to that intake and have passed; the guidelines are dated January 2025 and written for programmes starting between July 2025 and March 2026.

Appendix 1 states that the scholarship supports tuition, accommodation, a living allowance (excluding four-week study programme students) and comprehensive medical insurance. One-year study programme students receive a living allowance of RMB 2,500 per person per month from the Host Institution. Accommodation is free on-campus accommodation (typically double rooms); a student who lives off-campus with Host Institution approval receives RMB 700 per person per month, while the RMB 1,000 rate applies to doctoral students. The appendix prints comprehensive medical insurance premiums for four-week students (RMB 100 per person), one-semester students (RMB 400 per person) and students studying more than one year (RMB 800 per person/year); it does not print a premium for one-year study programme students. For the general question of whether HSK is required to study in China, see Do I need HSK to study in China?.

Chinese Government Scholarship — one-year language study. Section II of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship (China Scholarship Council, Campus China) states that the scholarship covers both major study and Chinese language (preparatory) study, and that "the language courses last one year". The duration of the scholarship for major study conforms to that required. The supporting categories listed in that section sponsor undergraduates, postgraduates, general and senior scholars, and the guide directs readers to the China Scholarship Council website at www.campuschina.org for designated universities and majors.

The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh's announcement of 19 December 2025 (Chinese Government Scholarship / CSC Type A, for Bangladeshi students) lists a 'One-Year Chinese Language Program' among the programme options, alongside Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees. That announcement is the embassy's statement for that intake: it prints the coverage as full tuition fees, on-campus accommodation, comprehensive medical insurance, a monthly living allowance of approximately CNY 2,500–3,500 depending on programme level, and international round-trip airfare. It states an application deadline of 10 January 2026 for that intake and says applicants must apply online through the China Scholarship Council website at www.campuschina.org; the notice for the next intake had not been published on that page when it was checked. The announcement prints no academic year. See Scholarships for the site's other scholarship answers.

Who decides

Under the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guidelines, CLEC entrusts an expert panel to review applications; decisions are based on HSK and HSKK levels and scores, geographical distribution, and other factors. Results are announced about three months before the programme starts, and the successful applicant must confirm with the Host Institution and register on the date given in the Letter of Admission.

For the Chinese Government Scholarship, the section of the Application Guide read for this page does not name a decision-maker; it directs readers to www.campuschina.org for information about designated universities and majors. The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bangladesh's announcement states that applicants are encouraged to contact that embassy for official guidance, clarification or inquiries regarding the application process, and that the scholarship is administered by the China Scholarship Council. Those are that embassy's statements for that intake, not rules stated by the pages read for this page for all missions.

What the official pages do not say

The sections of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship read for this page (Section II) do not state tuition, accommodation, living-allowance or insurance amounts, and do not name a standalone one-year language programme as a supporting category; they describe the language courses as lasting one year and as preparatory study. The coverage figures for the Type A 'One-Year Chinese Language Program' come from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bangladesh announcement, not from that guide.

The appendix of the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guidelines read for this page does not print a comprehensive medical insurance premium for one-year study programme students. The 2025 guidelines carry dates only for programmes starting between July 2025 and March 2026; the pages read for this page do not state whether a later edition has been published, and the September 2025 start's 15 May 2025 deadline has passed. The Bangladesh announcement's 10 January 2026 deadline belongs to that intake, and the pages read for this page do not state the dates or options of the next intake. The official texts read for this page do not give admission or award rates, and this page does not estimate them.

Related questions

What HSK and HSKK scores does the one-year programme require?

Section 4 of the 2025 International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guidelines sets the minimums by field. Applicants to international Chinese language education programmes need an HSK score of at least 270 (Level 3) and must provide an HSKK score. Applicants to Chinese language and literature, Chinese history or Chinese philosophy programmes need an HSK score of at least 180 (Level 4) and an HSKK score of 60 (Intermediate Level). Applicants to Chinese language study programmes need an HSK score of at least 210 (Level 3), and priority is given to those who provide an HSKK score.

What does the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship one-year programme cover?

Appendix 1 states that the scholarship supports tuition, accommodation, a living allowance and comprehensive medical insurance. One-year study programme students receive a living allowance of RMB 2,500 per person per month from the Host Institution. Accommodation is free on-campus accommodation (typically double rooms), or an off-campus allowance of RMB 700 per person per month with Host Institution approval. The appendix prints insurance premiums for four-week (RMB 100 per person), one-semester (RMB 400 per person) and more-than-one-year students (RMB 800 per person/year), but does not print one for one-year study programme students.

How long is the Chinese Government Scholarship language course?

Section II of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship states that the scholarship covers Chinese language (preparatory) study and that "the language courses last one year". The duration of the scholarship for major study conforms to that required. The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh's announcement of 19 December 2025 lists a 'One-Year Chinese Language Program' among the CGS Type A options for that intake; that listing is the embassy's statement for that intake.

Sources

• Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 — Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, chinese.cn)
• Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
• Announcement: Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS) / CSC Type A — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bangladesh (bd.china-embassy.gov.cn)

Checked 10 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by or affiliated with the bodies named, and the official text and the instructions of the university, embassy or exit-entry office handling your case prevail if they differ.