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Recommendation letters for a scholarship in China: who needs them and who may write them

Unofficial summary · Sources checked

For the Chinese Government Scholarship, section VI item 9 of the Application Guide requires an applicant for a postgraduate program or for academic education as a senior scholar to submit two recommendation letters in Chinese or in English from professors or associate professors. Each other China scholarship notice sets its own rule on recommendation or reference letters; this page lists them notice by notice from the official texts.

The document checklist tool prints the section VI items that apply to a Chinese Government Scholarship applicant's answers, each with its item number. Item 9 appears when the applicant chooses a postgraduate program (Master's or Doctoral degree) as the study level.

Chinese Government Scholarship

Section VI item 9 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship (China Scholarship Council): an applicant for a postgraduate program or for academic education as a senior scholar shall submit two recommendation letters in Chinese or in English from professors or associate professors.

ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship

Section Ⅳ item 6 of the Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship (China Scholarship Council): applicants for the graduate programs or the short-term research scholar programs must submit two recommendation letters in Chinese or in English, one from the candidate's current employer and one from the candidate's university professor.

MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program

Section V item 5 of the MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program (Enrollment Guide) (China Scholarship Council): two recommendation letters, including one from current employer and one from academic perspective.

International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship

Appendix 2 of the Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 (Center for Language Education and Cooperation) sets several reference-letter rules:

  1. Item A.c), for all applicants: a reference letter by the head of the Recommending Institution.
  2. Item B.e), applicants for the Scholarship for a Doctor's Degree in International Chinese Language Education: two reference letters from professors or associate professors or experts with equivalent professional titles in relevant fields.
  3. Item B.f), applicants for the Scholarship for a Master's Degree in International Chinese Language Education: two reference letters from professors or associate professors.
  4. Item C), in-service Chinese language teachers: proof of employment and a reference letter from the employer.

Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship

Section Ⅱ (List of Application Documents, items 1–7) of the Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship (China Scholarship Council): names no recommendation or reference letter among items 1–7.

Questions people ask

Who must write the Chinese Government Scholarship recommendation letters?

Section VI item 9 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship: the two letters must come from professors or associate professors.

Does the Silk Road Scholarship require a recommendation letter?

Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship, section Ⅱ (items 1–7): names no recommendation or reference letter.

Sources

Checked 10 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by the bodies named, and the official text and the instructions of the body handling your application prevail if they differ.

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