Scholarship Opportunities in China: Fully Funded Options at Top Schools

China offers international students an excellent education at a relatively low cost compared to studying in Western countries. In addition, there are various scholarship programs available to cover a significant portion or even the entire cost of obtaining an undergraduate or graduate degree from a top Chinese university. Let’s explore some of the best scholarship opportunities for international students to study in China fully funded.

China’s largest and most prestigious schools provide extensive scholarships for international students seeking to earn a degree in China at little to no personal cost. Perhaps the most well-known fully funded scholarship program is the Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS) administered through the China Scholarship Council (CSC). The CGS covers tuition, accommodation, living allowance, and round-trip airfare for the entire duration of study for bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs. Students from all countries are eligible provided they have an offer letter from a recommended Chinese university. CSC scholarships are available for study at elite schools like Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and more. However, there is high competition for these awards as CSC receives thousands of applications each year.

Two other top Chinese universities that offer their full scholarships worth exploring are Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang University. Shanghai Jiao Tong University offers the SJTU Excellence Scholarship for international undergraduates and the SJTU President’s Fellowship for graduate students. Both cover full tuition, accommodation, living expenses, medical insurance, and a round-trip air ticket. Applicants must demonstrate very strong academic credentials with minimum GPA requirements and proof of English proficiency. Zhejiang University provides the ZJU Super Global Elite Scholarship for bachelor’s and master’s students from select countries. It covers full tuition, housing, stipends, and medical insurance. Recipients must have outstanding academic achievements and leadership qualities.

For those interested in studying Chinese language specifically, fully funded options are available at some of China’s renowned Chinese universities. For example, Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) offers the BLCU Scholarship, which covers full tuition and living costs for the duration of Chinese language study programs. No language requirements are needed upfront, making it suitable for complete beginners too. Minimum TOCFL scores and passing entrance exams are required to keep the scholarship. Similarly, Xi’an International Studies University provides full scholarships through its Huayu Enrichment Scholarship for Chinese language and cultural study programs at different proficiency levels.

Some other notable scholarship options providing full or partial funding worth considering include the Chinese Government’s Belt and Road Fellowships for graduate-level study at CSC-recommended universities and Taiwan’s MOFA Taiwan Scholarship for programs at Taiwan colleges or universities. Also, many Chinese provinces sponsor international students through their scholarship programs to study for bachelor’s or master’s degrees in provincial universities. For example, scholarships from Yunnan Province cover full or partial tuition and often subsidize living costs too.

In summary, China presents a wealth of scholarship opportunities for international students to obtain world-class degrees fully or partially funded. Top schools like Peking University, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Zhejiang University have extensive scholarship programs through the Chinese government or their initiatives. Strong academic credentials, proof of language proficiency, leadership abilities, and sometimes country quotas apply. But for qualified candidates, these scholarships essentially make high-quality Chinese higher education available at little personal cost. Understanding the requirements and application deadlines is key to securing full funding to study in China.

All the best!