Chinese Government Scholarship documents: the 13 items and who needs which
Unofficial summary · Sources checked
The official Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship lists 13 application documents. Not all of them apply to every applicant: the CSCA report is for bachelor's applicants, recommendation letters are for postgraduates, and three items depend on your age, field or length of stay.
The document checklist filters the list to your case. This page explains each item.
Documents every applicant prepares
| Item in the guide | What it is |
|---|---|
| 1. Application form | The Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarship, filled in online |
| 2. Passport | A clear scan of the information page of an ordinary passport. With less than 12 months' validity from the expected start of study, renew it first |
| 3. Highest diploma | Notarised photocopy. Current students send a certificate of expected graduation or student status |
| 4. Academic records | Records not in Chinese or English need notarised translations |
| 5. Language certificate | Depends on the teaching language: see below |
| 7. Pre-admission document | A pre-admission notice from the university's admission department, or an invitation letter from the school or a professor |
| 8. Study or research plan | In Chinese or English: at least 200 words for undergraduates, 500 for scholars, 1,000 for postgraduates |
| 13. Certificate of Non-Criminal Record | From the local public security authority, usually issued within six months before you submit |
Documents that depend on your case
- CSCA score report (item 6). Bachelor's applicants must take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment before the application deadline. The test subjects depend on the major, and the guide tells applicants to ask the university which ones it needs.
- Recommendation letters (item 9). Two letters in Chinese or English from professors or associate professors, for postgraduate applicants and for senior scholars in academic education.
- Your own works (item 10). Arts and design applicants only.
- Guardian's documents (item 11). Applicants under 18 submit the legal documents of their legal guardian in China.
- Foreigner Physical Examination Form (item 12). For study of more than six months. The guide says a form without the physician's signature, the hospital's stamp or a sealed photograph is invalid, and results are valid for six months.
The language certificate
For programmes taught in Chinese, master's, doctoral, general scholar and senior scholar applicants submit a valid HSK report at the level the guide sets: Level 4 for master's and doctoral programmes, Level 3 for senior scholars and for general scholars outside Chinese language majors. For programmes taught in another language, you submit the certificate the university asks for, such as an IELTS or TOEFL score report. The guide sets no score of its own.
Questions people ask
Do I need a pre-admission letter before applying?
Yes. The guide says all applicants must provide a pre-admission document issued by the university they are applying to.
Is the document list the same for every scholarship route?
The 13 items are the guide's list for the Chinese Government Scholarship. The body that receives your application, which differs by programme, can ask for more. Other scholarships on the China Scholarship Council's list publish their own lists.
Does a self-funded applicant use the same list?
No. Ministry of Education rules say each university publishes its own admission brochure and admits students under it. The brochure of the university you apply to is your list.
Sources: Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, Campus China (China Scholarship Council), checked 10 October 2026; Ministry of Education, Order No. 42 (Chinese), Article 11, checked 11 October 2026. This page is an unofficial summary and is not published by the China Scholarship Council.