The Chinese government has set up the government scholarships to finance students and scholars in the rest of the world to study and do research in Chinese universities, enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and peoples of other countries, and promote Sino-foreign exchanges and cooperation in such fields as education, science and technology, culture, economy and trade. According to the agreements or programs reached between the Chinese government and governments of other countries and international organizations, the Ministry of Education is responsible to grant the government scholarships and entrusts the Chinese Scholarships Council (CSC) with the enrollment and management of daily affairs concerning international students in China who study on the Chinese government scholarships.

I. Classifications, recipients, time limits, and application qualifications

The Chinese government scholarships are divided into the undergraduate student scholarship, the postgraduate student scholarship, the doctoral student scholarship, the learners for the Chinese language scholarship, and the Visiting Students and Senior Visiting Students scholarship, according to the classifications of students. In addition, such scholarships are also available as the Great Wall scholarship, the excellent student scholarship, the HSK winner scholarship, the short-term program for foreign teachers of Chinese and the Chinese culture research program.

The undergraduate student scholarship is granted to those who apply to study in Chinese universities for bachelor's degree, usually with a term of four school years (five years for medical students). The applicants should be equal to graduates of Chinese high schools with excellent academic records, have to pass the entrance exam for Chinese universities or are admitted through recommendations, and are below 25 years old.

The Master Degree student scholarship is granted to those who apply to study in Chinese universities for master's degree, with a term of two to three school years. The applicants should have bachelor's degree with excellent academic records. And overseas applicants should have letters of recommendation by two professors or two associate professors, while applicants in China should be those who have already been admitted by Chinese universities and are below 35 years old.

The Ph.D student scholarship is granted to those who apply to study in Chinese universities for doctor's degree, with a term of three school years. The applicants should have master's degree with excellent academic records. And overseas applicants should have letters of recommendations by two professors or two associate professors, while applicants in China should be those who have already been admitted by Chinese universities and are below 40 years old.

The learners for the Chinese language scholarship is granted to graduates of non-Chinese majors, those without basic Chinese knowledge, and applicants who want to study Chinese in China, with a term of one or two school years. The applicants should be equal to or above graduates of Chinese high schools, and are below 35 years old.

Visiting Students scholarship is granted to those who apply to study their former majors in China, with a term of one or two school years. The applicants should be sophomores and above, or equal to college graduates, and are below 45 years old.

Senior Visiting Students scholarship is granted to those who apply to do further studies in China on a certain special subject under the guidance of Chinese tutors, with a term of one or two school years. The applicants should be equal to or above Chinese postgraduates, recommended by two professors or two associate professors, and below 50 years old.

Applicants for the above Chinese government scholarships should, in principle, have corresponding proficiency in Chinese (except learners for the Chinese language and those who are taught in foreign languages); those whose Chinese proficiency doesn't meet the requirements are asked to continue their Chinese learning, but for no more than two school years; the terms of scholarships for undergraduate, Master Degree and Ph.D students who need further Chinese learning can be extended accordingly, but the time taken by trainees on further Chinese learning is included in the required time limit of scholarships.

The Great Wall scholarship is open to the UNESCO, recruiting Visiting Students and Senior Visiting Students, with the recipients, terms and application qualifications the same as those of the CSC for Visiting Students and Senior Visiting Students.

The excellent student scholarship is granted to those who have finished their planned study programs in China, passed the entrance exam the same year to study for master, or doctor's degree, and have been of good character and academic records. The term and application qualifications are the same as those for the scholarships of postgraduate and Ph.D Students.

The HSK winner scholarship is granted to winners of the HSK held overseas who come to China to learn Chinese, with a term of no more than one school year and below 40 years old.

The short-term program for foreign teachers of Chinese finances short-term workshops for foreign teachers of Chinese, including four weeks of classroom studies and two weeks of free and voluntary teaching tour in China; the applicants should be equal to or above college graduates and have engaged in Chinese teaching for more than three years running, and below 50 years old.

The Chinese culture research program finances foreign scholars engaged in Chinese culture research to take short-term visits to China and do some research either under the guidance of Chinese tutors or in collaboration with Chinese scholars, with a term of no more than five months. The applicants should have doctor's degree or be equal to or above the post of an associate professor, published monographs or theses on the Chinese language, culture, and history, and below 55 years old.

(Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange October 18, 2006)