Confucius Institute Scholarship

To support Confucius Institutes, promote Chinese language and culture internationally and train qualified Chinese teachers and Chinese-language professionals, Confucius Institute Headquarters/Hanban, referred to below as Hanban, established scholarships for foreign students, scholars and Chinese teachers to study at relevant Chinese universities, referred to as host institutions. The scholarship was established in 2009. By the end of 2015, it had funded nearly 30,000 people from 168 countries to study in China.

I. Categories and eligibility

This year’s categories are the Master’s in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (MTCSOL), one academic year of study plus MTCSOL, the undergraduate degree in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, one-academic-year study, one-semester study and four-week study. Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens in good health, generally aged 16-35. Practicing Chinese teachers may be up to 45; undergraduate applicants must be no older than 20.

1. MTCSOL: Funding lasts 2 academic years. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent and score at least 180 on HSK Level 5 and 50 on intermediate HSKK. Priority is given to applicants providing an employment agreement or other evidence from an institution where they intend to teach after graduation.
2. One academic year of study plus MTCSOL: Funding lasts 3 academic years. Applicants must provide an agreement with a Confucius Institute or intended employer, hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent and score at least 180 on HSK Level 3 and 60 on elementary HSKK.
3. Undergraduate Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages: Funding lasts 4 academic years. Applicants must have at least high school education and score at least 180 on HSK Level 3 and 40 on intermediate HSKK.
4. One-academic-year study: Funding lasts 11 months. It is open to Confucius Institute or Classroom students, local overseas Chinese teachers, Chinese-major students and strong HSK candidates. International students already studying in China are not accepted. Minimum scores are HSK Level 3: 180 and elementary HSKK: 60; or BCT (A): 180 and spoken BCT: 180.
5. One-semester study: Funding lasts 5 months. Applicants must have no prior study-in-China experience and score at least 120 on HSK Level 2 and 40 on elementary HSKK; or 100 on BCT (A) and 120 on spoken BCT.
6. Four-week study: Funding lasts four weeks and focuses primarily on Chinese language. It is open to Confucius Institute or Classroom students, outstanding HSK/BCT candidates and outstanding members of the Confucius Institute journal Readers’ Club. Applicants must submit HSK or BCT results and have no prior study-in-China experience.

Chinese Bridge prizewinners holding a 2016 Confucius Institute Scholarship Certificate may register for admission according to the award recorded on the certificate.

II. Subjects, host institutions and enrollment

This year, 150 Chinese universities are entrusted with training scholarship students. Subjects include Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, Chinese language and literature, Chinese history, Chinese philosophy, Chinese medicine, Chinese music and Chinese dance. Applicants can consult institution information in the application form on the scholarship website: http://cis.chinese.cn.

MTCSOL, one academic year plus MTCSOL, undergraduate Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages, one-academic-year and one-semester students may choose enrollment on September 1, 2016, or March 1, 2017.

Four-week courses run July 15-August 14, 2016, or December 15, 2016-January 14, 2017. Separate classes, generally of at least 10 students, may be arranged at other times. Confucius Institutes or Classrooms must apply 3 months in advance.

III. Coverage, standards and academic assessment

Full scholarships cover tuition, accommodation, living allowances and comprehensive medical insurance.

Institutions use tuition funding for scholarship student education and management, organizing HSK/HSKK tests and cultural activities.

Host institutions use accommodation funding to provide free dormitories, generally double rooms. With approval, students choosing off-campus accommodation may receive housing payments monthly or quarterly at RMB 700 per person per month.

Living allowances are paid monthly by host institutions: RMB 2500 per month for undergraduates, one-academic-year and one-semester students, and RMB 3000 for MTCSOL students. Students register each semester. Those registering by the 15th of a month, including that day, receive the full month’s allowance; those arriving later receive half. Graduating students receive allowances through half a month after the university-designated graduation date. During study, students leaving China for personal reasons for more than 15 days outside normal holidays do not receive living allowances for the period abroad. Payments stop for students suspending or withdrawing for personal reasons.

Institutions purchase comprehensive medical insurance according to Ministry of Education regulations for international students, at RMB 800 per person per year.

All degree students must undergo annual review. Those with excellent academic and Chinese proficiency results may retain a full scholarship in the second year; those rated good receive a partial scholarship; others lose funding. Partial scholarships cover tuition, accommodation and comprehensive medical insurance. One-academic-year and one-semester students must take a Chinese proficiency test before completing their studies. Institutions reimburse all Chinese test registration fees.

IV. Admissions procedure

Year-round admissions are being piloted. Applicants, recommending bodies and host institutions may sign in to the scholarship website to check procedures and review results.

1. Applicants register on the scholarship website, complete the Confucius Institute Scholarship Application Form and upload scanned supporting documents.
2. Hanban entrusts Confucius Institutes, independent Confucius Classrooms, relevant overseas Chinese examination centers, education or cultural departments of Chinese embassies and consulates, and host institutions to act as recommending bodies. They select strong local applicants, review documents, contact host institutions and receive and forward admissions materials.
3. After Hanban’s Scholarship Division confirms that applications are valid, host institutions review admission eligibility and submit provisional admission candidates to Hanban.
4. Hanban comprehensively assesses eligible applicants and selects recipients on merit. Results are generally published within 45 working days after application validity is confirmed.
5. Once host institutions confirm students’ intentions, they must send the Admission Notice, Visa Application for Study in China (JW202), a copy of the scholarship certificate and other materials to the recommending body within 15 working days.

V. Disclaimer

1. Incomplete applications or those not meeting admission requirements will not be accepted.
2. Applications containing false information or completed and submitted by someone other than the applicant will be disqualified once verified.
3. Recipients unable to enroll must inform the host institution in writing, stating reasons, 15 days before registration. Failure to register without explanation cancels the scholarship.
4. Scholarship eligibility is cancelled for students failing the entrance health examination or withdrawing or suspending their studies.

VI. Contact

Scholarship Division, Confucius Institute Headquarters/Hanban

Address: 129 Deshengmen Outer Street, Xicheng District, Beijing
Postal code: 100088

Fax: +86-10-58595727
Email: scholarships@hanban.org