CSC scholarship eligibility: a self-check before you apply
Unofficial summary · Sources checked
"CSC scholarship" is the everyday name for the Chinese Government Scholarship. The China Scholarship Council (CSC), entrusted by China's Ministry of Education, is responsible for the admission, enrollment and administration of its recipients, according to the introduction of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship. You pass the test in section IV of that guide when every condition that applies to your programme level and teaching language is met: non-PRC citizenship and good health, the right qualification and age band, CSCA for a bachelor's programme, the stated HSK level for a Chinese-taught programme, and the university's own language and academic requirements for a programme taught in any other language. One failed step ends the self-check.
The Campus China page of the guide prints no publication date and no academic year, so nothing below can be tied to a particular application cycle. The quotations below are taken from the English text of the guide.
The scholarship match helps you locate programmes before you read the rules: enter your level, citizenship group, age, teaching language and highest HSK level, and it prints a label for each of 19 national programmes it reads. This article does the harder part — checking you against the conditions themselves.
Step 1: citizenship and health (IV.1)
An applicant must be a citizen of a country other than the PRC and be in good health both mentally and physically.
Section VI answers this with two items:
- Ordinary passport information page (VI.2). A clear scanned copy is required. If the passport's validity is less than 12 months calculated from the expected start date of study, renew it and apply with the new one. An applicant who cannot obtain a passport for objective reasons may, with the approval of the application receiving agency, submit valid documentation carrying their full English name, gender, nationality and date of birth.
- Foreigner Physical Examination Form (VI.12). Required for anyone studying in China for more than six months. The form is printed by Chinese quarantine authorities and filled in in English; the examinations must cover every item on it. A record is invalid without the attending physician's signature, the hospital's official stamp or a sealed photograph of the applicant. Results are valid for six months.
Step 2: your level, your qualification, your age (IV.2–IV.6)
Section IV sets one qualification and one age limit per programme type. The age is read "when applying".
| You apply to | You must hold | Age when applying | Item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate programme | High school diploma or equivalent, academically excellent | Under 25 | IV.2 |
| Master's programme | Bachelor's degree or equivalent, academically excellent | Under 35 | IV.3 |
| Doctoral programme | Master's degree or equivalent, academically excellent | Under 40 | IV.4 |
| General scholar programme | High school diploma or higher | Under 45 | IV.5 |
| Senior scholar programme | Master's degree, or associate professor or above | Under 50 | IV.6 |
Two items in section VI carry the proof: the diploma and certificate of highest education as a notarized photocopy (VI.3), and academic records (VI.4), to which notarized Chinese or English translations must be attached if they are in another language. A current university student submits instead the certificate of expected graduation or student status issued by their university (VI.3).
No item in section VI is labelled as proof of age. The items closest to it are the passport information page (VI.2) and, where a passport could not be obtained, documentation carrying the date of birth (VI.2).
Step 3: CSCA, for bachelor's applicants (IV.7)
Applicants for bachelor's programmes must take the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) and upload a valid score report. Item VI.6 repeats it: you must register for and take the CSCA before the application deadline and obtain a valid Score Report, and you are told to contact the target institution to learn the test subjects required for the major you apply to. The CSCA site is given in the guide as www.csca.cn.
Items IV.7 and VI.6 require CSCA only of bachelor's applicants; neither section IV nor section VI repeats the requirement for master's, doctoral or scholar programmes.
Step 4: HSK, for Chinese-taught programmes (IV.8–IV.10)
| Chinese-taught programme | Requirement | Item |
|---|---|---|
| General scholar (excluding Chinese language majors) | Passed HSK (Level 3) | IV.8 |
| Senior scholar | Passed HSK (Level 3) | IV.9 |
| Master's or doctoral | Passed HSK (Level 4) | IV.10 |
The proof is a valid HSK score report meeting the corresponding requirement (VI.5), listed there for Chinese-taught master's, doctoral, general scholar and senior scholar programmes.
For a bachelor's programme taught in Chinese, section IV states no HSK level (items IV.8–IV.10 cover scholar, master's and doctoral programmes). Item VI.5 does not list bachelor's programmes among those that must submit an HSK report. If your case turns on this, ask the university and the agency receiving your application.
Step 5: programmes taught in another language (IV.11)
For a programme taught in a language other than Chinese, you must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others. Items IV.11 and VI.5 give no score threshold of their own; the level is the university's.
Section VI matches that: applicants for programmes taught in other languages provide relevant language proficiency certificates, such as IELTS or TOEFL score reports, in accordance with the requirements of each university (VI.5). Every applicant also submits a pre-admission document (VI.7) — a pre-admission notice from the university's international student admission department, or an invitation letter from a school or professor.
Other items section VI asks for
These do not answer an eligibility condition, but they are part of the same application:
- Study or research plan in Chinese or English: no less than 200 words/characters for undergraduates, 500 for scholars, 1,000 for postgraduates (VI.8).
- Two recommendation letters in Chinese or English from professors or associate professors, for postgraduate programmes and for academic education as a senior scholar (VI.9).
- Own works, such as videos or paintings, for arts or design programmes (VI.10).
- Legal documents of the legal guardian(s) in China, for applicants under 18 (VI.11).
- A Certificate of Non-Criminal Record or Police Clearance Certificate, usually issued within six months before the submission date (VI.13).
What the scholarship match can and cannot check
The tool asks for study level, scholarship type, citizenship group (EU member state, ASEAN member state, Pacific Island country, another country, or prefer not to say), optional age, teaching language, highest HSK level passed, and a tick box for IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80 or above. Each result carries one of three labels: Conditions met, where every condition the tool tests passes on what you entered; Check a condition, where nothing fails but something it cannot test is in play — whether your country has an agreement with China, developing-country status, work experience, or a university-set condition; and Not met yet, where a stated language condition fails on what you entered. It compares HSK level only and prints the minimum score inside a level for you to check. Programmes closed to your level, country group or age are left out and counted in a line below the results; scholarships run by a single province or university are not included.
A result is not an award and not an eligibility decision, and the tool's behaviour says nothing about how an official deadline or period is counted. This site is unofficial and is not affiliated with any ministry, embassy, scholarship body or university.
Questions people ask
Is the CSC scholarship the same thing as the Chinese Government Scholarship?
Yes, in everyday use. The introduction of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship states that the Chinese government sets up scholarships and that the China Scholarship Council, entrusted by China's Ministry of Education, is responsible for admission, enrollment and administration of Chinese Government Scholarship recipients.
Do I need a CSCA score report for a master's programme?
The guide requires CSCA only when applying for bachelor programmes (IV.7) and list the CSCA Score Report among documents for applicants seeking a bachelor's degree (VI.6). Ask the receiving agency if you want confirmation for a different level.
Which HSK level applies to a Chinese-taught bachelor's programme?
Section IV sets HSK (Level 3) for Chinese-taught general scholar programmes, excluding Chinese language majors (IV.8), HSK (Level 3) for Chinese-taught senior scholar programmes (IV.9) and HSK (Level 4) for Chinese-taught master's or doctoral programmes (IV.10). It states no HSK level for bachelor's programmes. Put the question to the university and to the office handling your application.
How recent does my medical examination have to be?
The Foreigner Physical Examination Form is valid for only six months (VI.12). The non-criminal record is usually issued within six months before the submission date of the application (VI.13).
Who decides the language requirement for an English-taught programme?
The university of preference, under item IV.11, which covers language proficiency and academic ability "among others". Item VI.5 asks for certificates such as IELTS or TOEFL "in accordance with the requirements of each university".
My passport runs out during my first year. Do I need to renew before applying?
Yes, if its validity is less than 12 months counted from the expected start date of study: renew it and complete the scholarship application with the new passport (VI.2).
Sources
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
Checked 10 October 2026. This page is an unofficial summary of the official text, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by the bodies named here, and if anything differs, the official text and the instructions of the body handling your application prevail.