Chinese Government Scholarship 2026 - 2027

The Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) of the People’s Republic of China is offering a scholarship opportunity for one Irish student to study in China for the academic year 2026/27. The student can be pursuing an undergraduate, postgraduate, or advanced course.

Applicants must apply online at Study in China in the first instance (select the ‘Application Online for International Students’ option). Before beginning the online application, please read the online instructions for CSC information system’. Information on the Chinese higher education institutions admitting international students can be found on the websites Study in China or Campus China. Once you have completed your online application, please return a copy of the submitted online application, the requested application form in English and all other supporting documentation by email to: scholarships@dfheris.gov.ie no later than 5pm, 25 February 2026.

Please note: all applicants for bachelor’s degree programs in China must take the “China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA)” and provide a valid score report before submitting their applications. For the specific test subjects required by your intended major, please inquire directly with your prospective university. For an introduction to CSCA and the registration portal, please visit www.csca.cn. Prospective bachelor’s degree applicants for academic year 2026/27 must register for and take the CSCA assessment on December 21, 2025 or January 25, 2026.

Any documentation submitted in Chinese will also require to be accompanied by an official English translation. A confirmation email will issue from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science when your application has been received. If you do not receive this email within 48 hours of submitting your application, please email scholarships@dfheris.gov.ie for confirmation.

Any applicants or application documents that do not conform to the regulations of the CSC will not be considered valid and will not be accepted. Late or incomplete application papers will also not be accepted for consideration.

You should be aware that all eligible application papers relating to you will be assessed by the ‘Selection Committee on Government Exchange Scholarships’ in order to select a candidate to nominate to the CSC for the award of the scholarship. The papers of the successful candidate will then be sent to the CSC for their consideration.

When your application is received, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science create a record in your name, which contains much of the personal information you have supplied. This personal record is used solely in processing your candidature. Such information held is subject to the rights and obligations set out in the Data Protections Acts 1988 and 2003. You are entitled under this Act to obtain, at any time, a copy of information held about you.

By lodging your application, you consent to any processing of your personal data, including sensitive personal data, by the Department. The personal data provided may be exchanged with the relevant country’s embassy for the purpose of assessing your suitability.

Full details of the Department's data protection policy setting out how we will use your personal data as well as information regarding your rights as a data subject are available at www.education.ie/Data-Protection. Details of this policy are available in hard copy from the address above upon request.

Further information about the Chinese Government’s scholarship programme can be found on the websites: Study in China and Campus China.

If you have any further questions about the CSC Scholarship, please feel free to contact scholarships@dfheris.gov.ie.