Applying for Chinese Government and University Scholarships
A scholarship is not a substitute for university admission. Once you have confirmed the program, application channel and agency number, track the university and scholarship applications, pre-admission and final funding separately, and verify coverage for tuition, accommodation, insurance and living expenses.
Where to start a scholarship application
Chinese Government Scholarships, local government scholarships and university scholarships use different application channels. Some applications go through the study-abroad authority in your home country or a Chinese embassy or consulate, some go through the university, and some must be submitted in both the scholarship and university systems. Read the official notice for the target year; do not reuse a program category or agency number from another university.
Full name of the scholarship and funding year.
Application authority and official system.
Whether university pre-admission is mandatory.
Whether a separate university application is also required.
Whether the program, language of instruction and degree level are covered.
Treat admission and funding as separate tracks
The university decides whether you qualify for academic admission; the scholarship body decides whether to fund you. Submitting a scholarship application does not mean you have applied to the university, and receiving university pre-admission does not mean the scholarship has been approved. The two tracks may have different deadlines, documents and final notices.
For example, Peking University's 2026 international undergraduate guide states that applicants for the Chinese Government Scholarship Bilateral Program apply through the dispatching authority in their home country and select Type A and their first-choice university in the scholarship system. The university will still conduct an eligibility review and interview. Other universities, programs and years may follow different routes.
Build a scholarship application tracker
Scholarship name, program category and official link.
Application authority, university and agency number.
Separate deadlines for the university and scholarship applications.
Language of instruction, degree level and eligible fields of study.
Coverage for tuition, accommodation, insurance, living expenses and international travel.
Annual review, grades, attendance and renewal conditions.
Application system, account, application number and contact person.
Record each item of funding separately. Even a ‘full scholarship’ may exclude international airfare, deposits, visas, medical examinations, accommodation above the standard allowance or expenses for dependants. Ask in advance when the living allowance begins, whether it continues during holidays and what you must pay before registration.
Prepare a first-month cash-flow plan for the possibility that the scholarship is delayed: estimate advance tuition payments, the dormitory deposit, insurance, the medical examination, residence documents, transport and daily living costs separately. Confirm whether the university permits deferred payment, the date from which funding is calculated and how the first living-allowance payment is collected, so a local account that is not yet active does not prevent you from completing registration.
Documents and submission order
Confirm that you meet the nationality, age, education and language requirements.
Choose a university and field of study covered by the scholarship.
Contact the dispatching authority, university or supervisor as required.
Prepare your passport, academic credentials and transcripts, study plan, recommendation letters and health documents.
Complete the scholarship-system and university-system submissions separately.
Check the university, agency number and program category before confirming.
Keep checking for requests for additional documents, interviews, pre-admission and the final notice.
Do not give an unfamiliar agent long-term control of your account. Keep copies of the final submitted form, attachments, payments and notices yourself. Application materials must be truthful, and the same facts must remain consistent across the scholarship and university systems.
Pre-admission, nomination and the final result
A pre-admission letter, a university recommendation, nomination by a dispatching authority and final scholarship admission are different statuses. Read the conditions and validity period of every interim document carefully. If the scholarship is not approved, whether the university keeps a self-funded admission offer and whether you must confirm and pay separately depend on the university's rules.
If you are asked to pay a deposit into a personal account, buy an ‘internal quota’ or accept a guaranteed-admission promise, verify the claim through official scholarship and university channels. An official application may still involve a university application fee, but the amount, payee and refund rules should appear in the formal notice.
Registration and renewal conditions still apply after an award
Apply for a study visa using the admission notice and register on time.
Bring the originals of your academic, language and health documents for verification.
Purchase insurance and arrange residence formalities as required by the university.
Confirm accommodation arrangements and any charges above the standard allowance.
Understand the annual review, grade, attendance and disciplinary requirements.
Obtain approval before changing your field of study, university or study period.
A scholarship cannot be transferred freely to another university or field of study. Suspension, withdrawal, transfer, an extension of study or failure to pass the annual review may affect funding. If your circumstances change, contact both the university and the funding administrator.
Differences by program and year
Application channels and funding standards differ for undergraduate, postgraduate, Chinese-language study, joint-training and bilateral programs. One university may offer Chinese Government, local government and university-level scholarships at the same time, with different application routes and different rules on automatic consideration.
Do not carry forward funding amounts, age limits, agency numbers or deadlines from an earlier year. Save the PDF or a webpage snapshot of that year's notice for every application, so you can identify the version you relied on if a dispute arises.
Official sources and verification date
The application structure is based on the China Scholarship Council's Study in China portal and the 2026 international student admission and scholarship guidance of Peking University and other universities, verified through 2026-8-4. For the program category, codes, funding standards and deadlines, follow the formal notices issued for that year by the scholarship application authority and target university.