Top 15 Fully Funded Scholarships in China 2026/2027

China funds more international degree students than almost any other country, and it does so through several different systems rather than one single scholarship. That is both the opportunity and the trap in this list. The opportunity is real choice: a Bangladeshi undergraduate, an Indian master’s applicant, a Pakistani doctoral researcher and a Nigerian public servant with three years of work experience can all find a genuinely fully funded route into a Chinese university for the 2026/2027 cycle. The trap is confusion. Applicants mix up the two Chinese Government Scholarship routes, miss a university’s own earlier deadline while watching the embassy deadline, or assume that a provincial scholarship that sounds generous is automatically a full ride when only its top tier is.

This guide ranks the 15 strongest fully funded options, explains exactly what each one covers in the currency it is actually paid in, and is honest where coverage varies. Where a programme offers both full and partial tiers, we say so and name the tier you need. Where the 2027/2028 cycle dates have not yet been published, we say so and give the last cycle’s dates labelled as such — never treat a previous cycle’s deadline as a promise about the next one.

Start by browsing the full list on our scholarships directory, compare institutions on the universities directory, and keep this list alongside our broader guide to fully funded scholarships in China for international students: the CSC guide. If Asia as a whole is still open for you, our round-up of the top 20 fully funded scholarships in Asia for international students 2027 puts China in regional context.

Fully Funded Scholarships in China at a Glance

The Top 15 Fully Funded Scholarships in China, Ranked

1. Chinese Government Scholarship — Type A (Bilateral Program)

Coverage: Full tuition, free university dormitory or an accommodation subsidy, comprehensive medical insurance (listed at CNY 800 per person per year in embassy guidance for the 2026/2027 cycle, CNY 400 for programmes under six months) and a monthly stipend of CNY 2,500 for undergraduates, CNY 3,000 for master’s students and general scholars, and CNY 3,500 for doctoral students and senior scholars. Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens in good health who meet the age and prior-degree rules for their level and are nominated through their home country’s dispatching authority. Deadline: You apply through the Chinese embassy or your national authority; in the last cycle many embassy windows closed around February, but your country’s date is the only one that counts. Type A lets you list university preferences while the bilateral quota is managed at country level, which suits applicants whose home authority runs a clear nomination process. Apply via the official portal at campuschina.org.

2. Chinese Government Scholarship — Type B (University Program)

Coverage: The same standard CSC package as Type A — tuition, dormitory or subsidy, insurance and the CNY 2,500 / 3,000 / 3,500 monthly stipend scale by level. Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens applying directly to a CSC-designated university, which reviews you and recommends candidates to the China Scholarship Council; you need the university’s agency number for the online form. Deadline: Each university sets its own; in the last cycle university deadlines ran roughly from December to April, with competitive universities closing earliest. Type B is usually the stronger route for master’s and PhD applicants who already know their university and, ideally, have contacted a prospective supervisor. Do not submit a Type B application to a university whose own international admissions page you have not read — the university step and the CSC portal step are both required at most institutions.

3. CSC Silk Road Program

Coverage: A full CSC package at participating universities, aimed at students from countries along the Belt and Road for designated programmes. Eligibility: Set by each participating university’s Silk Road call, typically within the Type B-style university application process. Deadline: Follows the host university’s CSC timetable. The practical lesson is to ask your target university directly whether it holds a Silk Road quota in your field this cycle: quotas are programme-specific, so a university can be generous in engineering and have no Silk Road places in your subject at all. Treat any list of “guaranteed” Silk Road fields on unofficial sites with caution and confirm on the university’s own notice.

4. Schwarzman Scholars — Tsinghua University

Coverage: A fully funded one-year Master of Global Affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing, covering tuition, room and board, travel to and from Beijing, a personal laptop, a study tour and a stipend — check the official site for the current cycle’s exact wording. Eligibility: Applicants aged 18–28 with an undergraduate degree completed before enrolment, English proficiency, and a demonstrable leadership record; there is no single required field of first degree. Deadline: For the Class of 2027–2028, the U.S. and Global application closed on 9 September 2026; the next U.S./Global window is expected April–September 2027 for the class starting August 2028, while applicants with Chinese citizenship follow a separate earlier calendar. This is one of the most selective scholarships in the world, so build the application around leadership evidence, not only grades. Official site: schwarzmanscholars.org.

5. Yenching Academy Scholarship — Peking University

Coverage: A fully funded interdisciplinary master’s in China Studies at Peking University covering tuition, campus accommodation, a monthly stipend, round-trip airfare and field-study costs, as described by the Academy. Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree (or final-year enrolment graduating by August of the enrolment year), an outstanding academic record, a clear interdisciplinary interest in China, leadership potential, and English proficiency — recent calls have required scores such as IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 100, with limited exemptions; confirm the current requirement on the Academy site. Deadline: 30 November 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Beijing time for the 2027 intake. Yenching suits humanities and social-science applicants who want China itself as the subject, taught in English in Beijing, over two years including a thesis. Official site: yenchingacademy.pku.edu.cn.

6. CAS-ANSO Scholarship

Coverage: Tuition waiver, health insurance, application-fee waiver, an international travel allowance and a one-time visa/residence-permit allowance, plus a monthly stipend of CNY 3,000 for master’s students (up to 36 months) and CNY 6,000 or 7,000 for PhD students (up to 48 months, depending on the qualification test), in the official 2026 call hosted on Chinese Academy of Sciences institute pages. Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens proficient in English or Chinese who meet UCAS or USTC admission criteria; in the 2026 call master’s applicants had to be born after 1 January 1996 and PhD applicants after 1 January 1991, and holders could not take up other assignments during the scholarship. Deadline: The 2026 call closed 31 January 2026. For research-focused science applicants, ANSO can pay a doctoral stipend roughly double the standard CSC rate, which is why it ranks this high despite covering only postgraduate study.

7. CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Programme

Coverage: For doctoral study at UCAS, USTC or CAS institutes: tuition and application-fee waivers, travel from your home country to China and a one-time visa lump sum, and a monthly stipend from CAS — the UCAS fellowship page states RMB 7,000 or 8,000 depending on passing the qualification test. Note that related CAS schemes publish different stipend tiers, so always quote the figure from the specific fellowship page you are applying under. Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens, with priority to students and scholars from developing countries under the CAS–TWAS agreement, for PhD study of up to four years. Deadline: Set in the current UCAS/USTC call. Failing the qualification test twice can end the fellowship, a condition stated plainly on the official page — read it before you rely on the higher stipend tier in your budget.

8. MOFCOM Scholarship

Coverage: One of the most complete packages in China for experienced professionals: exemption from tuition, teaching-material, research and dissertation fees, free on-campus accommodation, a stipend of CNY 36,000 per year for master’s students and CNY 42,000 per year for PhD students, a one-off resettlement fee of CNY 3,000, free medical insurance, a round-trip international airfare, and limited home-visit airfares during the programme, as set out in university MOFCOM notices for 2026. Eligibility: Citizens of developing countries under 45, in good health, holding the prior degree for their level and typically at least three years of work experience, applying to designated English-taught programmes. Deadline: Varies by programme, university and embassy channel. MOFCOM is not a fresh-graduate scholarship; if you have no work history, put your effort into CSC instead.

9. International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship

Coverage: Tuition, on-campus accommodation, a living allowance and comprehensive medical insurance. University guides for 2026 list a living allowance of CNY 2,500 per month for undergraduate, one-year and one-semester students and CNY 3,000 for master’s students in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages. Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens, generally aged 16–35 (up to 45 for serving Chinese-language teachers), aspiring to Chinese-language education careers, with HSK and HSKK scores that depend on category — for example a master’s in International Chinese Language Education required HSK Level 5 at 210+ and HSKK Intermediate at 60+ in a 2026 university guide. Deadline: For September 2026 entry, applications had to be completed by 15 May 2026; for March 2027 entry, by 31 October 2026. Note the naming history honestly: this scheme is the successor generation of the former Confucius Institute Scholarship, now run through the Center for Language Education and Cooperation — apply on the official scholarship site linked from host universities, not on old Confucius Institute pages.

10. Shanghai Government Scholarship — Type A

Coverage: At Shanghai universities such as Donghua and Tongji, Type A is a genuine full scholarship: tuition waiver, medical-insurance waiver, free on-campus dormitory, and a monthly stipend of CNY 2,500 (bachelor’s), 3,000 (master’s) or 3,500 (doctoral). Type B, by contrast, covers only tuition and insurance — do not confuse the two when a university says “Shanghai Government Scholarship available.” Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens in good health; typical age ceilings in university notices are under 25 for bachelor’s, under 35 for master’s and under 40 for doctoral applicants, with strong academic performance and no other Chinese scholarship held at the same time. Deadline: Donghua’s 2026 intake window ran 1 December 2025 to 15 April 2026; other Shanghai universities set their own dates. If you want Shanghai specifically — Fudan, Shanghai Jiao Tong, Tongji, Donghua and their peers — this is your main fully funded municipal route.

11. Jiangsu Jasmine Scholarship — Full Scholarship Tier

Coverage: The Full Scholarship tier covers tuition, registration, laboratory, internship and basic textbook fees, free on-campus dormitory accommodation or an accommodation allowance of CNY 10,000 per year, a living allowance of CNY 1,500 per month, and comprehensive medical insurance. The Partial Scholarship tier (fixed annual amounts such as CNY 30,000 for degree students) is not a full ride. Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens with a good academic record who meet the host university’s admission requirements and hold no other Chinese government or local scholarship simultaneously; typical age limits are under 30 for undergraduates, 35 for master’s and 40 for doctoral applicants in published guidance. Deadline: Set through Jiangsu universities in cities such as Nanjing, Suzhou and Wuxi — confirm on your university’s current Jasmine notice. The lower monthly allowance than CSC means budgeting still matters, especially in Suzhou.

12. USTC Fellowship — University of Science and Technology of China

Coverage: USTC publishes clear fellowship levels. For doctoral programmes, Level A (funded through CAS-ANSO) includes a tuition waiver, comprehensive medical insurance and a monthly stipend of up to CNY 7,000; Level B (CSC or USTC funded) includes a tuition waiver, insurance, a monthly stipend of CNY 3,500 and an accommodation subsidy; Level C is a tuition waiver only, with teaching or research assistantships applied for after enrolment. Master’s levels follow a similar ladder, with Level A at CNY 3,000 per month in published summaries. Eligibility: Non-Chinese citizens in good health with the prior degree for their level; USTC’s doctoral notice sets age ceilings of 35 for Level A and 40 for Levels B/C by 1 September 2026. Deadline: The USTC admission timetable. You may apply for one level or all three at once in the USTC system, and USTC decides the level — an unusually transparent arrangement worth using.

13. UCAS Scholarship for International Students — Full Tier

Coverage: The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences runs its own scholarship alongside CAS-ANSO and CAS-TWAS routes, with a full-scholarship tier combining a tuition waiver with a monthly stipend, and lesser tiers below it. Because UCAS amounts and tiers are reset in each admission call, we do not print a single stipend figure here: open the current UCAS international admission call and quote the tier you are actually offered. Eligibility: Non-Chinese master’s and PhD applicants admitted through UCAS colleges or CAS institutes, usually with a supervisor or institute placement for research degrees. Deadline: The UCAS admission calendar for the relevant intake. UCAS is less a single campus than a gateway to the CAS institute network across China, which is its real attraction for laboratory scientists.

14. Chinese Government Scholarship — Great Wall Program

Coverage: A full CSC package (tuition, accommodation, stipend and insurance on the standard scale) for general and senior scholars, run in cooperation with UNESCO for applicants from developing countries. Eligibility: Candidates nominated through UNESCO National Commissions, typically holding at least an undergraduate degree for general-scholar study and a master’s or academic post for senior-scholar study, under the age and health rules in the current call. Deadline: Set through the UNESCO and CSC channel, not the ordinary university window. This route is small and easily overlooked, which is precisely why qualified applicants with a strong National Commission relationship should ask about it explicitly rather than assuming CSC means only Type A and Type B.

15. Beijing Government Scholarship — Top Categories

Coverage: Beijing’s municipal scholarship for international students at capital universities is awarded in categories that differ by university and year, ranging from tuition support to fuller packages. We rank it last and with a warning: unlike Shanghai Type A, there is no single city-wide full package we can quote responsibly, so a “Beijing Government Scholarship” offer is only fully funded if your university’s award letter says tuition, accommodation and living support are all included. Eligibility: Non-Chinese applicants admitted to participating Beijing institutions, assessed on academic merit. Deadline: Set by each university. Used carefully — as a top-up or as a genuine full award where the letter confirms it — it still belongs on a Beijing applicant’s checklist alongside CSC.

Who Is Eligible for Fully Funded Scholarships in China?

Across almost every scheme above, five gates recur. First, citizenship: you must not hold Chinese citizenship, and several schemes also exclude applicants who emigrated from China under specific rules — read that clause carefully if it could apply to you. Second, prior qualifications: a high-school diploma for bachelor’s study, a bachelor’s degree for master’s study, and a master’s degree for doctoral study, completed (or completing by the summer before enrolment) with transcripts to prove it. Third, age: CSC and municipal schemes commonly cap bachelor’s applicants in their mid-20s, master’s applicants around 35 and doctoral applicants around 40, while ANSO and MOFCOM set their own cut-offs stated in their calls. Fourth, health and conduct: a Foreigner Physical Examination Form and, increasingly, a non-criminal record certificate are standard. Fifth, exclusivity: you generally cannot hold two Chinese government scholarships at once, and annual review — grades, attendance and conduct — decides whether funding continues.

Language deserves its own paragraph. English-taught programmes may ask for IELTS or TOEFL, or accept a medium-of-instruction letter at some universities, but policies differ and change. Chinese-taught programmes require HSK scores, and a CSC award can include a preparatory year of Chinese. Undergraduate CSC applicants should also note the newer CSCA testing requirement reported for bachelor’s applications — confirm whether it applies to your route and country in the current notice. Check programme rankings and language of instruction together on our rankings directory before you fall in love with a university whose programme you cannot actually study in your language.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Choose the route before the university. Decide whether you are a Type A (embassy/national authority), Type B (university), specialist (Schwarzman, Yenching, ANSO, MOFCOM, language teachers) or municipal applicant. The route determines the form, the agency number and the deadline.
2. Shortlist two to four universities that actually offer your programme in your language, using our study abroad directory, and read each university’s own international scholarship notice for this cycle.
3. For research degrees, contact supervisors early with a focused research proposal. A pre-admission or acceptance letter materially strengthens Type B, ANSO, USTC and UCAS applications.
4. Prepare and legalise documents (see the list below). Notarisation, translation and attestation take weeks in many countries — start before applications open.
5. Complete the correct online systems. CSC applicants use campuschina.org and select the right programme type and agency number; most universities also require their own portal application. One without the other is an incomplete application.
6. Submit before the earliest deadline that applies to you — university, embassy and scholarship deadlines are three different dates, and the earliest is binding.
7. Track the annual-review and admission stages, respond to university requests for supplementary documents quickly, and keep copies of everything.
8. On award, follow the admission notice exactly for visa (X1 for long study), registration dates and insurance. Arriving late can forfeit the scholarship.

Required Documents

• Passport photo page, valid well beyond your planned enrolment date.
• Highest diploma and full academic transcripts, notarised, with certified English or Chinese translations if issued in another language.
• A study plan for bachelor’s and master’s applications, or a research proposal for doctoral applications — specific to the programme, not a generic essay.
• Two academic recommendation letters (professors or associate professors for postgraduate study); MOFCOM applicants typically need an employer letter as well.
• Foreigner Physical Examination Form completed within its validity window, and a non-criminal record certificate where required.
• Language evidence: HSK/HSKK reports for Chinese-taught and language-teacher routes, or IELTS/TOEFL (or an accepted alternative) for English-taught programmes.
• Supervisor acceptance letter, pre-admission letter, employment proof or portfolio, where your specific scheme asks for them.
• The printed, signed CSC application form generated by the portal, for CSC routes.

Deadlines and Timeline

Use the planning tools in our tools directory to keep these parallel deadlines in one place rather than in scattered screenshots.

How to Improve Your Chances

Match the scheme to your profile instead of applying everywhere. Selection panels can tell when a research proposal was written for a different programme. ANSO and USTC Level A reward laboratory fit and a committed supervisor; Schwarzman and Yenching reward leadership and a coherent story about China; MOFCOM rewards seniority and a development mandate from your employer. Make the study plan do real work: name the courses, methods, datasets or archives you will use, explain why they are in China and at that university, and state what you will do with the degree afterwards. Protect the basics: consistent grades, translations that match the originals exactly, recommendation letters from people who actually taught or supervised you, and forms with no blank fields. Small administrative errors are the most common — and most avoidable — cause of rejection at the document-screening stage. Apply through both a national and a university channel where the rules allow different schemes, but never hold or conceal simultaneous Chinese government awards. Finally, prepare for the annual review from day one: funding that is “full” for four years is conditional every one of those years.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using the wrong agency number or programme type on campuschina.org, which can route your file to the wrong authority entirely.
• Watching only the CSC deadline while your chosen university’s own portal closed a month earlier.
• Calling a partial tier “fully funded” — Shanghai Type B, Jasmine partial awards and USTC Level C do not include a living stipend.
• Quoting stipends from unofficial blogs that mix up schemes; CAS-TWAS, CAS-ANSO and CSC publish different figures for a reason.
• Submitting untranslated or unnotarised documents, or a physical examination form that expires before review.
• Paying an agent who promises a CSC seat. Applications are free through official channels, and no agent can guarantee a government scholarship.
• Ignoring the qualification-test and annual-review conditions attached to CAS fellowships and CSC awards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for both CSC Type A and Type B?

You can usually pursue applications through different channels in the same season, but you can only accept one Chinese Government Scholarship, and portals and universities may restrict duplicate CSC applications. Follow the instructions for your cycle, and never conceal a simultaneous award — holding two government scholarships at once is prohibited and can end both.

Is the CSC stipend enough to live on in China?

With tuition and a dormitory place already covered, CNY 3,000 a month is workable for a master’s student in most Chinese cities outside the most expensive districts of Beijing and Shanghai, especially eating in university canteens. It is a modest budget, not a comfortable one: budget for your flight (not normally included in standard CSC), visa, document costs and personal spending.

Do I need IELTS to study in China on a scholarship?

Not universally. Requirements are set by programme: many English-taught programmes accept IELTS or TOEFL, some universities accept a medium-of-instruction certificate, and Chinese-taught programmes require HSK instead. The International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship is built entirely around HSK and HSKK scores. Check your specific programme’s current language rule.

What is the difference between CAS-ANSO and CAS-TWAS?

Both are Chinese Academy of Sciences postgraduate fellowships at UCAS, USTC and CAS institutes. CAS-ANSO covers master’s and PhD study with stipends of CNY 3,000 and 6,000–7,000 respectively in its 2026 call. CAS-TWAS is a doctoral fellowship linked to The World Academy of Sciences for developing-country scientists; its UCAS page states a stipend of RMB 7,000 or 8,000 after the qualification test. They are separate calls — apply under the one whose eligibility fits you.

Are Schwarzman and Yenching still open for 2027 entry?

Schwarzman’s U.S./Global window for the 2027–2028 class closed on 9 September 2026, with the next window expected April–September 2027. Yenching’s deadline for the 2027 intake is 30 November 2026. Always confirm on the official sites, as both programmes publish their own calendars.

Can I work part-time on a CSC scholarship in China?

Chinese rules for international students’ off-campus work are restrictive and permission-based, and scholarship conditions (ANSO states this explicitly) can prohibit taking up other assignments during the award. Do not build your budget around part-time earnings; treat any lawful campus work as a bonus only after written permission.

Does a fully funded scholarship guarantee my Chinese visa?

No. The scholarship and admission notice support your X-visa application, but the visa decision belongs to the Chinese embassy or consulate. StudyGraduate is an information portal, not an agency, and cannot promise admission, scholarship selection or visa approval.

Which scholarship is best for an MBBS applicant?

CSC Type A and Type B both include clinical medicine at designated universities, and Shanghai Type A covers bachelor’s study including medicine at participating institutions. Medical places are among the most competitive, Chinese-taught MBBS routes require HSK, and you should verify that the programme and university are recognised by your home medical regulator before applying.

Sources & Verification

Figures in this article were checked in October 2026 against: the Chinese Embassy in Belgium’s 2026/2027 Chinese Government Scholarship notice (stipend scale CNY 2,500/3,000/3,500 and insurance CNY 800/year, published via china-embassy.gov.cn) and the Campus China portal (campuschina.org); Chinese Academy of Sciences institute pages hosting the CAS-ANSO Scholarship 2026 call (stipends, eligibility and coverage) and the UCAS CAS-TWAS Fellowship page; USTC International College fellowship pages (Levels A–C); Donghua University and Tongji University Shanghai Government Scholarship pages (Type A and B coverage and stipends); Jiangsu Jasmine Scholarship conditions published by Jiangsu institutions; Wuhan University of Technology’s MOFCOM Scholarship notice for 2026 (annual stipends, resettlement and airfare); university guides to the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2026 (coverage, HSK thresholds and the 15 May / 31 October deadlines); Schwarzman Scholars and Yenching Academy official programme information as reported for the 2027 cycles.

Disclaimer: Scholarship details, amounts and deadlines change every cycle. Always confirm the current figures, eligibility rules and closing dates on the official scholarship or university website before you apply. StudyGraduate is an information portal, not an agency — we never charge for scholarship applications and cannot guarantee selection, admission or a visa.