How long should a study plan for a Chinese scholarship be?
Unofficial summary · Sources checked
For a Chinese Government Scholarship, the study or research plan must be at least 200 words/characters for undergraduates, 500 for scholars, and 1,000 for postgraduates (Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, section VI, item 8). It may be written in Chinese or English. Use the document checklist to print the section VI items that apply to your study level, programme language and answers.
Other Chinese scholarships set different lengths, and some name no minimum at all.
Lengths by scholarship
| Scholarship | Source | Plan or statement rule |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Government Scholarship | Application Guide, section VI, item 8 | Undergraduate: no less than 200 words/characters. Scholar: no less than 500. Postgraduate: no less than 1,000. Chinese or English. |
| ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship (ACYLS) | Guidebook, section IV, item 5 | Study Plan or Research Proposal, minimum 500 words for non-degree students, 800 words for graduate students. Chinese or English. |
| Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship | section II, item 4 | Study Plan or Research Proposal, minimum 500 words. Chinese or English. |
| MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program | Enrollment Guide, section V, item 4 | A Study Plan or Research Proposal, plus a resume covering education and work experience after high school. Section V, item 4 names no minimum word count. |
| International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship | Application Guidelines 2025, Appendix 2 | Doctor's degree in International Chinese Language Education (item e): a 3,000-word personal statement written in Chinese. Master's degree (item f) names no personal statement word count. |
What each guide actually says
Chinese Government Scholarship. Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, section VI, item 8: a study or research plan written in Chinese or in English, no less than 200 words/characters for undergraduates, no less than 500 for scholars, no less than 1,000 for postgraduates.
ACYLS. Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, section IV, item 5: a Study Plan or Research Proposal written in Chinese or English, minimum 500 words for non-degree students and 800 words for graduate students.
Silk Road. Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship, section II, item 4: a Study Plan or Research Proposal written in Chinese or English, minimum 500 words.
MOFCOM. MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program (Enrollment Guide), section V, item 4: a Study Plan or Research Proposal, plus a resume including educational background and working experience after high school. Section V, item 4 names no minimum word count.
International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship. Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025, Appendix 2, item e: applicants for the Scholarship for a Doctor's Degree in International Chinese Language Education must provide a 3,000-word personal statement written in Chinese, including knowledge of the intended area of study and research proposal. Appendix 2, item f for the Master's Degree in International Chinese Language Education requires two reference letters from professors or associate professors and names no personal statement word count.
Questions people ask
May the study plan be written in Chinese?
Yes. Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, section VI, item 8; Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, section IV, item 5; and Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship, section II, item 4 each state the plan may be written in Chinese or English. The International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025, Appendix 2, item e requires the Doctor's-degree personal statement to be written in Chinese.
Is a study plan required for the MOFCOM Scholarship?
Yes. MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program (Enrollment Guide), section V, item 4 lists a Study Plan or Research Proposal plus a resume. Section V, item 4 names no minimum word count.
Sources
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
- Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
- MOFCOM SCHOLARSHIP-CSC Program (Enrollment Guide) — China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
- Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 — Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC)
- Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
Checked 10 October 2026. This page is an unofficial summary, not legal or immigration advice, not published by the bodies named, and the official text and the instructions of the body handling your application prevail if they differ.