CSC scholarship explained: Type A vs Type B (and what 'full' really covers)
Published 2026-09-21
The Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC, 中国政府奖学金) is the largest fully-funded scholarship for international students in China. Most rejections we hear about are not academic — they are procedural: applying through the wrong route.
What “full” covers
A full CSC award typically covers:
- Tuition — paid directly to the university
- On-campus accommodation — or a housing allowance where dorms are unavailable
- Monthly stipend — around CNY 2,500 (bachelor) / 3,000 (master’s) / 3,500 (PhD) per month at recent levels; verify against the current-year notice
- Comprehensive medical insurance
Type A — the embassy route
You apply through the Chinese embassy or consulate in your home country (or your home country’s education ministry, depending on bilateral agreements).
- Deadlines are early — often January to early April, country by country
- You usually list several university preferences; placement is decided centrally
- Strong for applicants whose countries have large CSC quotas
Type B — the university route
You apply directly to a CSC-designated university through its own online portal.
- Deadlines follow the university — commonly December to mid-March for September entry
- The university nominates you; you compete among that university’s applicants
- Best when you have a clear target university, especially for research degrees where a supervisor’s interest matters
The rule everyone misses
You can normally hold only one CSC award, and applying through both routes for the same year is treated as a conflict — follow the current year’s official notice. Decide your route first, then apply once, well before the deadline.
Beyond CSC
Provincial governments (Jiangsu, Beijing, Shanghai, Yunnan, Hainan and others) and the universities themselves run additional scholarships — usually partial. Browse them all on our scholarships page, each with its official source and last-verified date.