Advanced students and research scholars: the non-degree routes for graduates in China

Yes, you can spend a period of study or research at a Chinese university without enrolling in a degree. Order No. 42, Article 9 sets the non-degree categories for international students as preparatory students, advanced students (进修生) and research scholars (研究学者). The Chinese Government Scholarship's own guide describes scholar-level applicants with two different words — "general scholar" and "senior scholar" — and attaches its own conditions to them.

Two documents, two sets of words

Order No. 42, Article 9 divides international students into degree categories and non-degree categories. The degree categories are junior college students, undergraduates, master's degree students and doctoral degree students; the non-degree categories are preparatory students, advanced students and research scholars. The English on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese text of Order No. 42.

The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship uses its own vocabulary. Its section II(I) says the scholarship programs sponsor undergraduates, postgraduates, general and senior scholars. The two documents use different words, and this page keeps them apart: it does not treat the guide's "general scholar" and "senior scholar" as the same thing as the Order's "advanced students" and "research scholars". If you want to know which category a university would enrol you under, that decision is published in the university's own admissions brochure.

What the scholarship asks of a general scholar

Three items of section IV of the scholarship guide apply:

• Item 1: you must be a citizen of a country other than the PRC and in good health, both mentally and physically.
• Item 5: you must hold a high school diploma or higher and be under the age of 45.
• Item 8: for a Chinese-taught general scholar program you must have passed the HSK (Level 3), excluding Chinese language majors.

Item 7's CSCA (short for "China Scholastic Competency Assessment") requirement is written for applicants to bachelor programs.

What the scholarship asks of a senior scholar

• Item 1: the same citizenship and health condition.
• Item 6: you must be a master's degree holder or an associate professor (or above), and under the age of 50.
• Item 9: for a Chinese-taught senior scholar program you must have passed the HSK (Level 3).

If the program is taught in a language other than Chinese, section IV, item 11 applies instead: you must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others.

These are conditions of the Chinese Government Scholarship. They are not general admission rules for self-funded students, and they say nothing about what any university requires of someone who is not applying for the scholarship.

Money: what the scholarship covers

Section III of the guide lists four elements:

Item	What the guide states
Tuition fees	Covered
Accommodation	Free university dormitory or accommodation subsidy
Stipend	Master's students / general scholars: CNY 3,000 per month. Doctoral students / senior scholars: CNY 3,500 per month
Comprehensive medical insurance	CNY 800 per person per year; CNY 400 per person for programs lasting less than six months

The guide's page carries no publication date, no academic year and no application deadline.

How long a scholar period can last

Section I(IV) of the guide describes the Student Exchange Program. It is launched under exchange and cooperation agreements between Chinese universities and foreign partners, and it supports general and senior scholars for a training session of no more than 12 months. An applicant files the application with Chinese universities and their foreign partners.

Section II(II) says the scholarship covers both major study and Chinese language (preparatory) study. The language courses last one year; the duration of the scholarship for major study conforms to that as required.

For the other three programs in section I, the provisions quoted on this page do not cover a fixed maximum length for scholars.

The four programs and where you file

• Bilateral Program (I): runs on cooperation and exchange agreements or consensus between the Chinese government and the governments and institutions of other nations; open to undergraduates, postgraduates, general and senior scholars. You apply to the dispatching department of your home country.
• University Program (II): finances international students whom designated Chinese universities recommend directly; the categories it supports vary and are subject to the requirements of each university. You apply to the Chinese universities undertaking the program.
• Designated Scholarship Programs (III): set up under cooperation agreements between China and international organizations and institutions. You apply to the international organizations and institutions concerned.
• Student Exchange Program (IV): described above; you apply to Chinese universities and their foreign partners.

Section II(III) adds that designated Chinese universities offer scholarship recipients academic programs in science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, economics, law, management, education, history, literature, philosophy and fine arts, among others, and directs applicants to the Campus China website for the list of universities and majors.

The written plan

Among the application documents, item 8 asks for a study or research plan written in Chinese or in English. The length threshold is no less than 200 words or characters for undergraduates, no less than 500 words or characters for scholars, and no less than 1,000 words or characters for postgraduates.

A suggestion, not a requirement: because the plan is the one document where you set out what you intend to do and why it needs time in China, it is worth drafting it before you approach any host, and keeping one version you can send to whichever program route turns out to fit. Nothing in the quoted provisions sets a deadline for this.

Questions people ask

Do I need a master's degree to be a general scholar?

No. Section IV, item 5 of the scholarship guide asks for a high school diploma or higher and an age under 45. A master's degree (or the rank of associate professor or above) appears in item 6, which governs the senior scholar program.

Is a "general scholar" the same as a "research scholar" under Order No. 42?

The two documents use different words. Order No. 42, Article 9 lists advanced students and research scholars among the non-degree categories; the scholarship guide sponsors general and senior scholars. This page does not treat them as the same categories.

What language proof does a scholar need?

For a Chinese-taught general scholar program, HSK (Level 3), excluding Chinese language majors (item 8). For a Chinese-taught senior scholar program, HSK (Level 3) (item 9). For a program taught in a language other than Chinese, item 11 requires you to meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others.

Can a scholar period run longer than 12 months?

Under the Student Exchange Program, section I(IV) supports general and senior scholars for a training session of no more than 12 months. For the other programs, the provisions quoted on this page do not cover a fixed maximum.

Where does the money come from if I am not on the scholarship?

The provisions quoted on this page do not cover that. The scholarship guide states the conditions of the Chinese Government Scholarship only; what a university charges or offers, and how it admits non-degree students, is published in that university's own admissions brochure.

Sources

• Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42) — Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn)
• Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the Ministry of Education, the China Scholarship Council, CHSI or any university, and it is not legal advice; where the official text, or the current notice of the university or authority handling your case, differs from what is written here, that official text or notice prevails.