The Fully Funded Confucius Institute Scholarship in China is open to all international students. It is offered to study Chinese language and culture in more than 150 Chinese Universities.

Confucius Institute Scholarships are offered for specific doctoral studies, research stays participation in international conferences, and Chinese language and culture courses.

These scholarships are very popular among students from all over the world. Confucius Institute is a government entity whose purpose is to promote knowledge of the Chinese language and culture throughout the globe.

The Fully Funded Confucius Institute Scholarship in China will provide tuition and lodging fees (in a university residence, in a room shared with another person), basic medical insurance, and a monthly allowance for personal expenses, divided as follows:

1. 2,500 Yuan per month for BTCSOL students or Chinese language and culture courses (about 350 USD / month).

2. 3,000 Yuan per month for MTCSOL students (equivalent to about 420 USD / month).

Recently, the possibility of scholarship holders living outside campus (rejecting accommodation in the university residence) has been considered. In these cases, the Confucius Institute offers 700 Yuan per month (in addition to the monthly allowance) to support rental expenses.

In the case of scholarships of more than one year, the Confucius Institute annually reviews the qualifications obtained by the beneficiaries, demanding outstanding results to renew the total funding for the following year. If the results of the student are not above the average, the Confucius Institute does not renew the scholarship or, in some cases, offer partial funding (which covers all expenses except the monthly allowance for personal expenses). Depending on your country of origin, the Confucius Institute will also cover the expenses of the international flight of arrival and departure to/from China.

The eligibility criteria for the Fully Funded Confucius Institute Scholarship in China are Stated below:

1. Not have a Chinese nationality and enjoy good health. If you are going to study for a period longer than six months, you need to prove that you are in good physical and mental condition to process your residence permit in China. For this, you will have to deliver, once at your destination university (it is not a required document during the application period), a duly completed copy of the official Chinese medical form or Foreigner Physical Examination Form.

2. Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 35 (it is extended up to 45 years for people who demonstrate that they are working as Chinese teachers at the time of applying for the scholarship). Applicants for undergraduate scholarships cannot exceed 20 years of age.

3. It is essential to have a degree in Chinese language level (written and oral HSK and, in some cases, BCT and oral BCT are also accepted). This requirement is according to the type of scholarship. For example, for the scholarship to study an academic course in Chinese language and culture, you need to have a minimum of 180 points in the written HSK3 and a minimum of 60 points in the oral HSK. To check the complete language requirements, click here.

4. Minimum qualification: Regarding the MTCSOL scholarship, it is necessary to deliver the diploma and the academic record of undergraduate studies. In the case of the BTCSOL scholarship or the Chinese language courses, you must prove that you have completed your high school studies. If you do not have this documentation in English or Chinese, you will have to submit a sworn translation to either of the two languages.

5. A letter of recommendation in the case of scholarship applicants who want to study a Chinese course or to study BTCSOL, and two in the case of MTCSOL scholarship applicants. The letters must be signed by the in charge person of the Confucius Institute through which you apply for the scholarship.

6. In the case of the MTCSOL scholarship, those applicants who demonstrate that they have a job as Chinese Language professors after completing their master’s degree studies in China will be preferred.

7. In the case of one-semester or four-week scholarships, you do not have studied in China before.

How to Apply for Confucius Institute Scholarship 2024?

To apply for Confucius Institute Scholarship, please follow the following procedure:

1. Application deadline: Until the beginning of May (usually day 1) if you want to apply for a scholarship to start in September, and until the beginning of November if you want to start in March.
2. Delivery of applications: If you are a student of the Confucius Institute (ideal to apply for this scholarship), contact the in charge person of the scholarships. The application must be made online on the official page of the Confucius Institute scholarships (you need to have all the documents scanned, including your passport and a passport size photo).
   • Then you must submit all the required paper documents (preferably certified copies, since they will not be returned). The in charge person of the scholarships of your Confucius Institute will be responsible for sending them by post to the headquarters of Hanban (central offices of the Confucius Institute in China). If you are not a student of the Confucius Institute, you can apply online and submit the documents to the nearest Confucius Institute, to a Chinese embassy or consulate in your country, or to some exam centers or educational institutions in your country that are linked with Hanban.
3. Result date: The final result of the scholarship students can be found on the official page of the Confucius Institute scholarships at the beginning of July (if you are going to start in September) or at the beginning of January (if you start in March).
4. Sending documents to process the visa: The necessary documents to process the visa are sent by postal mail within 15 days after the publication of the result. At this point of the procedure, I recommend patience, since you may have to wait more than a month to receive the letter.