Funding
Learn about the scholarship opportunities offered by the Confucius Institute.
Chinese Government Scholarships
The Chinese Government Scholarships (CGS) enable outstanding students, teachers and scholars from around the world to study and conduct research in China.
The scholarship is open to people who are passionate about finding solutions to create a better future for mankind. This funding aims to support cooperation and exchanges.
Programmes sponsored by the CGS
| Programmes |
Major study |
Chinese language/Preparatory study |
Duration of scholarship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 4-5 | 1 | 4-6 |
| Master's | 2-3 | 1 | 2-4 |
| Doctoral | 3-4 | 1 | 3-5 |
| General Scholars | up to 1 | up to 1 | up to 2 |
| Senior Scholars | up to 1 | up to 1 | up to 2 |
* Major study (academic year): these are the years you will spend studying your chosen major.
** Chinese language/Preparatory study (academic year): these are the years you will spend learning Chinese before you start to study your chosen major. This is to ensure your Chinese is good enough to handle the major study as they will be delivered in Chinese. If your Chinese reaches the required level, you could skip this.
*** Duration of scholarship (academic year): this refers to how many years totally the scholarships could support you for. For example, if you choose an undergraduate degree programme in Finance as your major study (4-5 years) and you might also need to first attend a one-year Chinese language study course. This means the scholarship could support you for a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 6 years.
Deadline
The application for the CGS scholarship 2025/2026 is open from: 1 December 2024 until 15 February 2025.
Further information about the Chinese Government Scholarships:
- general application guide on the CGS official website
- choose a university you would like to study at
- for a more detailed application guide about this university, please go to their official website
- Xiamen University is a partner university, we will be able to assist you in the application process - 2024/2025 CGS application guide for Xiamen University
- please get in contact if you have any queries
China Link Scholarship Programme
In order to deepen the academic friendship and mutual understanding between Chinese and foreign young generation, and to build a platform for the international exchanges and cooperation of young talents, China Scholarship Council (CSC) has established the China Link Scholarship Program for international students and faculties hoping to engage in academic and research activities in China.
This scholarship funds general scholars (applicable to current undergraduates or master students) and senior scholars (applicable to current PhD students or faculties) for a duration between 1 and 12 months. The applicant needs to start study in China no later than August 31, 2025. The working Language would be English or Chinese, depending on the programme provided by the Chinese host universities. And the study/research fields are all disciplines other than Chinese language study.
Deadlines for Chinese host universities to nominate scholarship candidates to CSC are 15 April 2024, 15 July 2024, 15 October 2024, and 15 January 2025, occurring four times for this call.
Proposed dates for CSC to send scholarship admission results to Chinese host universities are 15 May 2024, 15 August 2024, 15 November 2024, and 15 February 2025, occurring four times for this call. Application deadlines vary so please visit your target university’s official website for its own deadline.
Find out more about the China Link Scholarship programme.
International Chinese Teachers Scholarship
The International Chinese Teachers Scholarship (ICLTS) is supported by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation in China. The centre trains local Chinese language teachers, reserve teachers and top Chinese language professionals.
The programme funds two kinds of activities: degree programmes and short-term study in China. It aims to build an international talent pool for Chinese language teachers. It also helps outstanding young people to study in China.
Programmes sponsored by ICLTS
Chinese language teacher scholarships
| Programme | Start date | Duration of scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor’s Degree in International Chinese Language Education | September each year | maximum 4 academic years |
| Master’s Degree in International Chinese Language Education | September each year | maximum 2 academic years |
| Bachelor’s Degree in International Chinese Language Education |
September each year | maximum 4 academic years |
| One-year study programme | September each year | maximum 11 months |
| One-semester study programme | September each year or March the next year | maximum 5 months |
| Four-week study programme | July or September each year | maximum 4 weeks |
Joint programme scholarships
Joint Programme Scholarships are jointly funded by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) and educational departments, universities, or Host Institutions.
Information on the admission methods, guidelines and the number of scholarships will be available on the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship website.
Scholarships for online programmes
| Programme | Start date | Duration of scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| One-year Chinese language study | September or March each year | maximum 11 months |
| One-semester Chinese language | September or March each year | maximum 5 months |
| Special online study programmes | Please consult the Host Institution. | |
How to register for the ICLTS?
Online registration will be available from 1 March 2024 on the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship website.
Application deadlines for 2024 ICLTS (Beijing time)
| Programme |
Application deadline | Review deadline (for recommending institutions and host institutions) |
|---|---|---|
| July start date | 15 April | 25 April |
| September start date | 15 May | 25 May |
| December start date | 15 November | 25 November |
| March (the next year) start date | 31 October | 10 November |
Please note: Beijing time is 7 hours ahead of London Summer Time and 8 hours ahead of London Winter Time. For example, 23:59 Beijing Time would be 16:59 London Summer Time and 15:59 London Winter Time. Please note the deadlines above are all in Beijing time.
Please see the Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2024 for more details.
Are you choosing Xiamen University as the Host Institution? Find more detailed application guidelines on the website of the Xiamen University Admissions Office for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2024.
Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program Chinese Government Scholarship
This scholarship is to train global governance talents with a broad international perspective, superior comprehensive quality, outstanding leadership and multicultural background.
China Scholarship Council implements the Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program is aimed at:
- government officials
- senior managers
- administrators and professionals with work experience in international organisations.
How can you apply for this scholarship?
Applicants should log on to the Chinese Government Scholarship System for online application and submit application materials before April 15, 2024.
Applicants should have received a pre-admission letter from one of the subprograms at least when they apply. When applying online, choose "Type A" for "Scholarship Type". The agency code is 1563, and applicants need to find "Youth of Excellence Scheme of China".
See more details including the list of eligible subprogrammes and their host universities.
“Chinese Bridge” Exchange Programmes
The "Chinese Bridge" exchange programmes include:
- Study Tour Camp for students
- Exploring China Programme for headteachers and Mandarin programme leaders in local schools
These programmes are sponsored by the Centre of Language Education and Cooperation and Xiamen University. Their aim is to promote educational and cultural exchanges between students and teachers from schools in the UK and China. They hope to inspire potential ambassadors of mutual friendships in their communities and beyond.
All expenses associated with the stay in China are covered as part of these programmes. These include accommodation, meals, transportation, and cultural activities. Other expenses excluding the above, like the transport to and back from China and visa application, need to be covered by applicants.
Find more details below:
- 2023 Chinese Bridge Exploring Programme for Headteachers (PDF: 125KB)
- 2023 Chinese Bridge Study Tour Camp for Students (PDF: 180 KB)
Download a registration form:
- "Chinese Bridge" Registration Form for Headteachers (Word: 112KB)
- "Chinese Bridge" Registration Form for Students (Word: 112KB)
Study in Xiamen University through various kinds of scholarships
Xiamen University (XMU) itself lies in Xiamen, a prosperous city in Southeastern China – see the beautiful Xiamen City.
The University is highly ranked and has a great reputation among all Chinese universities. You will have the opportunity to experience both contemporary and traditional China and enrich your studies in an excellent academic environment. Have a look at XMU here and what it is like to study in Xiamen University:
- Kanjian Fujian – Xiamen University
- Windows – Come and Study in Xiamen University
- The Next Hundred Years Starts with You
Xiamen University offers programmes in Undergraduate, Master’s and PhD levels. Please see the admission guides below:
- Admission Guide for Undergraduate Programs 2025
- Admission Guide for Master's Programs 2025
- Admission Guide for Doctoral Programs 2025
The Chinese International Education College/Overseas Education College of Xiamen University specialises in courses related to Chinese language and Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages studies. Please see its admission guide for bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes.
Xiamen University also supports multiple scholarships in different levels:
The benefits of our partnership with Xiamen University
As a partner with Xiamen University, we highly recommend that our applicants choose this university as their Host Institution when applying for scholarships. We can offer more support and detailed information about the application process.
If you are interested in any of the scholarships above, please feel free to contact Ms. Liujing Zhu at liu-jing.zhu@newcastle.ac.uk.
For further details about funding opportunities and scholarships to study in China, please visit the website of Campus China website.
