The Great Wall Program is a prestigious full scholarship established by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to sponsor outstanding students and scholars from developing countries to pursue their academic dreams in China.
I. Categories, Duration, and Language of Instruction
Categories: The program supports two categories of scholars: general scholars and senior scholars.
Duration: The scholarship generally covers one academic year of study.
Language of Instruction: Scholarship recipients of Chinese-taught programs without adequate Chinese proficiency are required to obtain approval from both the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and UNESCO for one academic year of Chinese language study.
II. Scholarship Coverage
The Great Wall Program provides a comprehensive scholarship package that covers tuition fees, accommodation, a stipend, and comprehensive medical insurance. Please refer to the Introduction to the Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS) for details of each item.
III. How and When to Apply
Application Process: Interested applicants should apply to the National Commission for UNESCO in their home country.
Application Period: The application period is from early January to early April. Please consult the National Commission for UNESCO in your home country for the specific deadline for each year.
IV. Eligibility
Nationality: Applicants must be citizens of countries other than the People's Republic of China and be in good health.
Age and Degree: Applicants must hold a bachelor's or master's degree and be under the age of 35 or 40, respectively, when applying for master's or doctoral programs.
V. Application Procedure
Step 1: Apply to the National Commission for UNESCO in your home country for the CGS opportunity.
Step 2: Apply to your target university for a Pre-admission Letter once recommended by UNESCO as an eligible candidate (you will receive an Award Letter for the CGS Candidate).
Step 3: Complete the online application procedure at the CGS Information Management System for International Students (Visit http://www.csc.edu.cn/studyinchina or http://www.campuschina.org and click “Application Online” to log in), submit the completed Application Form for the Chinese Government Scholarship online, and print a hard copy. Please consult the National Commission for UNESCO in your home country for the instructions of the CGS Information Management System for International Students and Agency Number.
Step 4: Submit all your application documents to the National Commission for UNESCO in your home country before the deadline.
Note: Only applications of recommended candidates from UNESCO will be considered. Candidates holding the Pre-admission Letter will be placed in the host university, while those without the Pre-admission Letter should accept the CSC's placement of university.
VI. Application Documents :
Application Form: The Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarship can be written in either Chinese or English, and must be completed accurately and truthfully.
Notarized Diploma: Prospective diploma recipients must submit a notarized copy of their highest diploma. If the diploma is in a language other than Chinese or English, it must be translated and notarized.
Academic Transcripts: Applicants must submit academic transcripts, written in either Chinese or English. If the transcripts are in a language other than Chinese or English, they must be translated and notarized.
Recommendation Letters: Two recommendation letters must be submitted, written in either Chinese or English. For senior scholar programs, the letters must be signed by professors or associate professors.
Portfolio of Works (for Arts Students): Applicants for music or fine arts programs must submit a portfolio of their own works. Music applicants must submit a CD of their own musical works, while fine arts applicants must submit a CD of their own works that includes two sketches, two color paintings, and two other works.
Study Plan or Research Proposal: Applicants must submit a study plan or research proposal, written in either Chinese or English, that is a minimum of 500 words in length. This should outline their academic goals, research interests, and any relevant experience.
7. Foreigner Physical Examination Form (photocopy). Applicants studying in China for over half a year should submit the photocopy of this form. (The original copy will be kept by yourself and the form is uniformly printed by Chinese healthy quarantine departments. It must be written in English, can be downloaded from http://www.csc.edu.cn/studyinchina or http://www.campuschina.org). The physical examinations must cover all of the items listed in the Foreigner Physical Examination Form. Incomplete forms or forms without the signature of the attending physician, or the official stamp of the hospital, or a sealed photograph of the applicant are considered as invalid. Please carefully plan your physical examination schedule as the result is valid for only 6 months.
8. The copy of Pre-admission Letter from designated Chinese university (if available);
9. The copy of valid HSK Certificate (if available).
All documents should be bound together on top left corner in the order of 6.1 to 6.9.
You should submit TWO sets of bound documents.
No application documents will be returned.
VII Placement & Scholarship Confirmation
CSC will carefully consider the application documents of recommended candidates from UNESCO to determine their eligibility and qualification. Incomplete or ineligible applications will not be considered.
Eligible applications will be forwarded to Chinese universities for placement. CSC reserves the right to make necessary adjustments to the candidate's host university, field of study, supporting categories, and scholarship duration based on various factors such as the host university's teaching capacity, scholarship funding requirements of each country, study length, and applicants' criteria. Applications accompanied by a pre-admission letter will be sent to the universities that issued the letter for placement confirmation.
After Chinese universities confirm the placement, scholarship recipients will receive Chinese government scholarships approved by CSC to study in China. Each scholarship recipient will be granted no more than one scholarship.
CSC will review the placement results, approve the List of Scholarship Recipients, and send admission documents to the permanent delegation of the People's Republic of China to UNESCO before July 31st. The permanent delegation of the People's Republic of China to UNESCO will send the List of Scholarship Recipients and Visa Application Form for Study in China (JW201) to the scholarship recipients.
Scholarship recipients are not permitted to change their host university, field of study, or scholarship duration as stated on the admission letter after arriving in China.
Scholarships will not be reserved for recipients who fail to register before the registration deadline.
