Free education in China is possible! Today, international students may apply for scholarships and grants to study in China for free. Currently, there are 440,000 international students in China, and many study for free through grants and scholarships.
Grants and scholarships in China represent the full or partial coverage by universities of the costs of education, accommodation, as well as obtaining coverage for other costs of a stay in the country for international students. Anyone ready to seriously study and get into the cultural environment of another state can receive grants to study in China in 2021.
What are the student scholarships in China?
Grants and scholarships in China may vary in size and include:
- Full student support. The university fully covers the costs of tuition and living expenses and also pays the student from $ 300 to $ 600 monthly;
- Full support without scholarship support. An international student will be able to live and study in the chosen university for free;
- Partial student support. In this case, tuition fees are not provided, and accommodation is paid by the student. The university provides only tuition for education.
Please note that you can receive a study scholarship in a different order. Entry requirements, the size, and the type of scholarship are entirely dependent on who is issuing the grant. At the moment, scholarships are provided from:
- scholarships of the government of China (apply to all specialties of any universities in China at the choice of the applicant);
- Confucius Institute (in the framework of the Chinese major);
- individual universities in China or their departments;
- cities, provinces, or the entire state.
It also may include tuition fees, accommodation, and up to $ 600, only tuition and accommodation, or only tuition (in whole or partly).
How to get a government scholarship
About 40,000 scholarships are awarded annually for bachelors, masters, doctors – of which 85% are full, and 15% are partial. Education in China is becoming more popular, that is why competition among applicants is growing.
First of all, let’s find out how to get a scholarship from the Confucius Institute and Chinese Government. To do this, you need to pass the Chinese Language Qualification Exam (HSK) and obtain the appropriate certificate (level 4 and above). If you do not speak the national language, you must complete a 12-month preparatory course to gain basic knowledge of the Chinese language.
At the same time, in addition to several general requirements for an applicant, a master’s degree in China is available only for those who have a bachelor’s degree. The applicant’s age must not exceed 35 years. To earn a Ph.D. degree, you must have a master’s degree and be under 40 years old. A mandatory requirement is also the submission of a complete package of documents (including copies of diplomas and grade books, medical certificates, etc.). To receive a government scholarship, letters of recommendation from two teachers (professor or associate professor) are additionally required.
Remember that you can apply for admission to several universities at the same time, specifying the priority of the university.
How to Get Confucius Institute Scholarship
The Confucius Institute scholarship is different from the Chinese government scholarship. It is given only to those who are going to study in the Chinese language in the humanities at a bachelor’s or master’s degree. One more difference is that the choice of institutions is less than in the state program. Besides, the choice of the university where you will study is made by the organizers of the program. Moreover, there is fierce competition for full scholarships since there are only 4% of the number of grants issued.
How to get a scholarship in the province?
Such scholarships are regular, for example, to attract more international students to local universities. However, they can also be irregular when a one-time student is required in a specific direction or to participate in scientific work. The number of scholarships in such programs is not very high. To find such scholarships, you must be fluent in English, but it is better to know Chinese. It is because you have to look for them on the websites of local authorities.
What documents are required to apply?
The package of documents usually includes:
- a short biography of the applicant;
- a copy of the certificate or diploma with grades;
- copy of your passport;
- Some photos;
- HSK certificate of proficiency in the Chinese language (if have);
- medical certificates.
All documents should be translated into Chinese and notarized. Depending on the program, other documents will be required (for example, recommendations from the director, rector, professor, assistant professor).
If you know Chinese, you will need to pass the HSK language qualification exam at levels 4-6. If not, then applicants for a state scholarship before starting their studies at the university will give you a year for language training.
Applicants applying for the Confucius Institute must learn Chinese beforehand. Concerning scholarships from cities and provinces, language proficiency requirements are approved by local governments, depending on the situation.