Notarized degree certificates and transcripts for a China scholarship application

The Chinese Government Scholarship application guide requires your highest-education diploma as a "notarized photocopy", and academic records in other languages to carry a "notarized translation" in Chinese or English (Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, section VI, items 3 and 4). This article explains what the guide requires for each document and where it leaves the details open. The English wording below is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

What the diploma requirement means

Section VI, item 3 calls for the "diploma and certificate of highest education (notarized photocopy)". If you are still a university student when you apply, you submit instead "the certificate of expected graduation or student status issued by his/her university" (section VI, item 3). The document is submitted as a notarized photocopy; the original diploma is not what item 3 asks for.

What the academic-records requirement means

Section VI, item 4 covers academic records. Records "in languages other than Chinese or English shall be attached with notarized translations in Chinese or English" (section VI, item 4). The requirement applies only to records not already in Chinese or English. A record already in one of those two languages is not required to carry a translation under this item.

Who may notarize, and legalisation

None of sections I to VI of the guide defines who may perform the notarization for item 3 or item 4; those items only require the notarized result. None of sections I to VI mentions apostille or consular legalisation. Because both points are left open, confirm the accepted notarization method and any legalisation step with the application receiving agency handling your case and with the designated university.

Suggestion: ask the application receiving agency and the designated university about accepted notarization and any legalisation early, because the steps and their timelines differ by country and can run longer than expected.

Original documents are not returned

The Ministry's page dated 17 September 2009 states: "Application documents will not be returned whether the applicants are admitted by Chinese institutions or not. Documents such as original diplomas and original Foreigner Physical Examination Form must NOT be sent as application documents." The dates that apply to a current application are set by the application receiving authority, not by that 2009 page.

Questions people ask

Should I send my original diploma?

No. The Ministry's 2009 page says original diplomas must not be sent as application documents, and that application documents are not returned in any case (page dated 17 September 2009). Section VI, item 3 asks for a notarized photocopy instead.

Sources

• Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
• Application for the Scholarship of Chinese Government (page dated 2009-09-17) — Ministry of Education of the PRC, English website

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, is not legal advice, and the official text and the current notice of the university or authority handling your case prevail if they differ.