Scholarships in China for master's students
Unofficial summary · Sources checked
All five national programmes compared below state master's terms directly: the Chinese Government Scholarship Application Guide, the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship master's category, the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, the MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program and the Youth of Excellence Scheme of China, whose notice lists master students as its supporting candidates. The language conditions do not match: HSK Level 4 for a Chinese-taught master's under the Chinese Government Scholarship guide, HSK (Level 5) 210 plus HSKK (Intermediate) 60 for the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, and English at IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80 for ACYLS and MOFCOM.
The scholarship match on this site compares 19 national scholarship entries against the level, citizenship group, age and language you enter and labels each result "Conditions met", "Check a condition" or "Not met yet"; a result is not an award or an eligibility decision.
| Programme and document | Master's line | Language condition | Age | Work experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Government Scholarship — Application Guide (CSC) | Bachelor's degree holder, "academically excellent" (IV.3) | HSK Level 4 if Chinese-taught (IV.10); university's own language requirements if taught in another language (IV.11) | Under 35 (IV.3) | Not set in Section IV |
| International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship — Master's category, 2025 guidelines (CLEC) | Bachelor's degree holder; maximum two academic years | HSK (Level 5) minimum 210 and HSKK (Intermediate) 60 | Aged 16 to 35 on 1 September 2025; the maximum age limit for in-service Chinese teachers may be extended to 45 (Section I, item 5) | No minimum stated for the master's category; priority for an employment contract or equivalent proof (Section II, item 2) |
| ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship (CSC) | Undergraduate degree holder; 2–3 academic years | English; IELTS at least 6.0 or TOEFL at least 80 (4.c) | Under 45 (4.d) | At least one year (4.g) |
| MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program (CSC) | Bachelor's degree holder; 2–3 years | Must register for an English-taught programme; English equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80 and above | Under 45 | At least three years |
| Youth of Excellence Scheme of China (CSC) | Bachelor's degree or higher (Section 3, item 2); supporting candidates are master students (Section 2, item 2) | Taught in English (Section 2, item 3); Section 3 names no test score | Under 45 (Section 3, item 1) | At least three years (Section 3, item 2) |
Chinese Government Scholarship — Application Guide (China Scholarship Council)
Eligibility item IV.3 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship sets the master's line: an academically excellent holder of a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent, under the age of 35 when applying for a Master's program. Item IV.10 sets the Chinese-taught condition: passed HSK (Level 4) when applying for a Chinese-taught master's or doctoral program. Item IV.11 covers the other case — for a program taught in a language other than Chinese, the applicant must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others. Section IV of the guide sets no work-experience requirement for the master's category and no English score.
The "Scholarship Programs" table in section I(III) of the Application Guide lists postgraduates among the supporting categories for the Great Wall Program (students and scholars from developing countries, received through the National Commission for UNESCO in the home country), the EU Program (EU member states, received through the Office for Education and Culture, Mission of the PRC to the EU), the AUN Program (ASEAN member states, received through the AUN Secretariat), the PIF Program (Pacific Island countries, received through the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat) and the WMO Program (aspiring international students and scholars in meteorological research, received through WMO). The guide states no academic year.
International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship — master's category (CLEC)
Category 2 of the Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025, published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, is the Scholarship for Master's Degree in International Chinese Language Education. Applicants shall hold a Bachelor's degree, and shall have a minimum score of 210 on the HSK Test (Level 5) and 60 on the HSKK test (Intermediate Level). The scholarship is provided for a maximum of two academic years, and the programme commences in September 2025.
Priority will be given to applicants who may provide an employment contract with a teaching institution upon completing their studies in China, or proof to the same effect. That is a priority, not a condition. Section I, item 5 of the guidelines sets an age range of 16 to 35 on 1 September 2025 for applicants, and says the maximum age limit for in-service Chinese teachers may be extended to 45. Section II, item 2 sets no work-experience requirement. The guidelines are dated January 2025 and written for programmes starting between July 2025 and March 2026; those are the dates of that cycle and have passed. The application website named in them is chinese.cn.
ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship (ACYLS)
The Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship supports young and promising professionals with working experience from ASEAN Member States to pursue Master or PhD degrees, undertake short-term research programs and participate in training courses in the PRC. For master's students, both the length of schooling and the length of scholarship are 2–3 academic years.
Language comes in two places. Section 1 says the instruction language is English, that candidates are strongly advised to register for English-taught programs, and that their English language proficiency must meet the language requirements of the applied programs. Eligibility criterion 4.c says applicants must be proficient in English, i.e. must possess an IELTS score of at least 6.0 or a TOEFL score of at least 80 points.
On age and work experience: criterion 4.d requires the holder of an undergraduate degree and under the age of 45 for a master's degree; criterion 4.g requires at least one-year work experience within government agencies, public or private institutions, universities, think-tanks or similar social agencies, preferably in work related to foreign and international affairs (especially ASEAN and China-ASEAN affairs), work or study in the PRC, or academic work on China or ASEAN-related affairs. Criterion 4.a limits the scholarship to citizens of the eleven ASEAN Member States named on the page: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. Criterion 4.h excludes concurrent awardees of a Chinese government scholarship. The guidebook's focal point list is headed "As of 2026". The guidebook says applications generally open from January to March every year and tells applicants to consult the ACYLS national focal points or the AUN Secretariat directly for the application deadline of the current year.
MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program
Section I of the MOFCOM SCHOLARSHIP-CSC Program (Enrollment Guide) supports a Master's program for 2-3 years. Scholarship winners must register for an English-taught program, and eligibility requires English sufficient to meet the academic requirements of the program, equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80 and above level.
Section III sets the rest of the master's lines: a citizen of a developing country other than the People's Republic of China and under the age of 45; at least three years' working experience and a bachelor's degree holder when applying for master's program; incumbents with a relevant educational background or working experience to the applied program are preferred. Applicants must be public officials of division level and above (or corresponding level) in government sectors, senior management staff of organizations and enterprises, or academic backbones of universities and research institutions. They must be neither studying in China nor admitted to other scholarship programs provided by the Chinese government. Health is handled through a physical examination report issued by a local public hospital and a list of excluded diseases and situations, including pregnancy and severe physical disability. Section II of the guide gives no deadline date and says to consult the application receiving authority for the deadline of each year.
Youth of Excellence Scheme of China (YES China)
Section 2 of the notice for the Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program Chinese Government Scholarship lists master students as the supporting candidates, gives English as the teaching language and says that in principle the curriculum leads to a master's degree and lasts 12 months. The application requirements are in Section 3. Requirement 1 requires a citizen of a country other than the People's Republic of China, under the age of 45 and in good health both mentally and physically. Requirement 2 requires a bachelor's degree or higher degree and at least three years of work experience, with preference for those with professional training or work experience related to the proposed program. Requirement 3 puts the applicant into one of four categories: a government official at the division chief level (or equivalent) or above; a senior manager of an institution or enterprise; an administrator of a university or scientific research institution; or someone with relevant employment or internship experience in international organizations.
Requirement 4 covers the pre-admission letter: it must contain all the necessary information of registration, such as personal information, the admission date and the major's information, and it cannot contain any information about having received or promised to receive Chinese government scholarships. Section 3 sets no language test condition. The notice is for the 2026 intake, with an online application deadline of 23:59 on March 31, 2026 (GMT+8); that deadline has passed, and a notice for the following intake had not been seen on the page when it was checked.
Questions people ask
Does the Chinese Government Scholarship accept English-taught master's programmes?
Yes, on the wording of item IV.11 of the Application Guide: for a program taught in a language other than Chinese, the applicant must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others. The Application Guide sets no English score; Section VI, item 5 asks for language proficiency certificates such as IELTS or TOEFL score reports in accordance with the requirements of each university, so the university's own requirement is what applies, and the office handling your application can confirm it.
Do I need work experience for a master's scholarship?
It depends on the programme. ACYLS requires at least one year (criterion 4.g), MOFCOM requires at least three years, and YES China requires at least three years. Section IV of the Chinese Government Scholarship Application Guide sets none, and the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship master's category (Section II, item 2) gives priority to applicants with an employment contract or equivalent proof rather than requiring one.
How long is each master's scholarship?
ACYLS states 2–3 academic years for both schooling and scholarship; MOFCOM states 2-3 years; the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship master's category states a maximum of two academic years; the YES China notice says that in principle the curriculum leads to a master's degree and lasts 12 months, with some programmes following a "1+1" paradigm (Section 2, item 4); Section II(II) of the Chinese Government Scholarship Application Guide says the duration of the scholarship for major study conforms to that as required, without stating a length for master's study.
Which of these can I hold at the same time as another Chinese government scholarship?
It depends on the notice. ACYLS criterion 4.h excludes concurrent awardees of a Chinese government scholarship, and MOFCOM requires applicants to be neither studying in China nor admitted to other scholarship programs provided by the Chinese government. The YES China pre-admission letter cannot mention having received or promised a Chinese government scholarship (Section 3, item 4). The Application Guide and the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guidelines state no rule on this.
Sources
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 — Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, chinese.cn)
- Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- MOFCOM SCHOLARSHIP-CSC Program (Enrollment Guide) — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
Checked 10 October 2026.
This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by the bodies named above, and the official text and the instructions of the body handling your application prevail if they differ.