PhD in China for international students: eligibility and documents under the scholarship guide

Who can apply for a doctorate under the Chinese Government Scholarship, and with which papers? Under the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, a doctoral applicant must be a citizen of a country other than the PRC and in good health both mentally and physically (section IV, item 1); be an academically excellent holder of a master's degree or its equivalent and under the age of 40 (section IV, item 4); and have passed HSK (Level 4) for a Chinese-taught doctoral programme (section IV, item 10). For a programme taught in a language other than Chinese, the applicant must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others (section IV, item 11). The papers are the items of section VI that apply to a doctoral applicant, given as a checklist below; the CSCA Score Report (section VI, item 6) is left out because it is only for bachelor's applicants. These are conditions of the Chinese Government Scholarship, not general admission rules for self-funded students — a self-funded applicant follows the admissions brochure published by the university.

Who can apply for a doctoral programme under the scholarship

The eligibility items that apply to a doctoral applicant are:

• a citizen of a country other than the PRC and in good health both mentally and physically (section IV, item 1 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship);
• an academically excellent holder of a master's degree or its equivalent, under the age of 40 (section IV, item 4);
• for a Chinese-taught doctoral programme, a pass in HSK (Level 4) (section IV, item 10);
• for a programme taught in a language other than Chinese, the applicant must meet the admission requirements of the university of preference in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others (section IV, item 11).

Section IV also sets age limits and HSK levels for undergraduate, master's, general scholar and senior scholar programmes; those items are not the doctoral rule. For a doctoral applicant the age limit is under 40, and for a Chinese-taught programme the HSK level is Level 4, as cited above.

The documents a doctoral applicant must submit

Section VI of the guide lists application documents. The checklist below goes through the items that apply to a doctoral applicant, following the guide's wording. It leaves out section VI item 6 (CSCA Score Report), which is only for bachelor's applicants, and section VI item 11 (legal documents of a legal guardian for an applicant under the age of 18), which does not arise for a doctoral applicant who already holds a master's degree or its equivalent under section IV, item 4.

1. Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarship, filled in online (section VI, item 1).
2. Passport: a clear scanned copy of the information page of the ordinary passport. If the validity period of the currently held passport is less than 12 months (calculated from the expected start date of study), renew the passport and use it to complete the scholarship application. An applicant who fails to apply for a passport due to objective reasons may, upon the approval of the application receiving agency, submit valid documentation or documentary evidence carrying the full English name, gender, nationality and date of birth (section VI, item 2).
3. Diploma and certificate of highest education: a notarized photocopy. A current university student shall submit the certificate of expected graduation or student status issued by the university. For a doctoral applicant the highest education is the master's degree required by section IV, item 4 (section VI, item 3).
4. Academic records: transcripts. Academic records in languages other than Chinese or English shall be attached with notarized translations in Chinese or English (section VI, item 4).
5. Language qualification certificates: for a Chinese-taught doctoral programme, a valid HSK score report that meets the corresponding Chinese language proficiency requirement — HSK (Level 4) under section IV, item 10. For a programme taught in another language, provide relevant language proficiency certificates, such as IELTS or TOEFL score reports, in accordance with the requirements of the university (section VI, item 5).
6. Pre-Admission Documents: all applicants must provide a pre-admission document issued by the universities applied to. It may be a pre-admission notice issued by the international students' admission department, or an invitation letter from the schools or professors, etc. (section VI, item 7).
7. Study or research plan written in Chinese or in English: no less than 1,000 words/characters for postgraduates. A doctoral programme is a postgraduate programme, so the 1,000 minimum applies (section VI, item 8).
8. Recommendation letters: an applicant for a postgraduate programme shall submit two recommendation letters in Chinese or English from professors or associate professors. A doctoral programme is a postgraduate programme, so this applies (section VI, item 9).
9. Arts or design programmes: if the doctoral programme is in arts or design, provide your own works, such as videos and paintings (section VI, item 10).
10. Foreigner Physical Examination Form: if the study in China is to last more than six months, submit a photocopy of the Foreigner Physical Examination Form. The original, printed by Chinese quarantine authorities, shall be filled in in English and kept by the applicant. The medical examinations must cover all the items listed in the form; incomplete records, or those without the signature of the attending physician, the official stamp of the hospital, or a sealed photograph of the applicant, are invalid. Medical examination results are valid for only six months (section VI, item 12). The provisions quoted on this page do not cover the length of a doctoral programme, so whether this item applies depends on the length of study published in the university's admissions brochure.
11. Certificate of Non-Criminal Record (or Police Clearance Certificate): a valid certificate issued by the local public security (such as the police station), usually issued within six months prior to the submission date of the application (section VI, item 13).

The guide gives no application deadline, and the page carries no publication date or academic year.

What the scholarship pays a doctoral student

The scholarship covers tuition fees; free university dormitory or an accommodation subsidy; a stipend of CNY 3,500 per month for doctoral students; and comprehensive medical insurance at CNY 800 per person per year (CNY 400 per person for programmes lasting less than six months) (section III, items 1–4 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship).

Questions people ask

What age limit applies to a doctoral applicant under the scholarship?

The applicant must be under the age of 40 (section IV, item 4 of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship). The guide's wording is "under the age of 40".

Does a doctoral applicant need a CSCA score report?

No. The CSCA Score Report is required only of applicants seeking to pursue a bachelor's degree, so it is not part of a doctoral application (section VI, item 6).

How long must the study or research plan be?

For postgraduates, the plan must be written in Chinese or in English and be no less than 1,000 words/characters. A doctoral programme is a postgraduate programme, so the 1,000 minimum applies (section VI, item 8).

Is the HSK requirement the same for all doctoral programmes?

HSK (Level 4) applies to a Chinese-taught master's or doctoral programme (section IV, item 10). For a programme taught in a language other than Chinese, the applicant must meet the university of preference's own admission requirements in terms of language proficiency and academic ability, among others; the guide sets no HSK level for those programmes (section IV, item 11).

Sources

• Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary, 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.