2025 SISU Chinese Government Scholarship (Category B) Application Guide
The Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) Chinese Government Scholarship (Category B) Independent Enrollment Program currently offers two sub-programs: the “High-Level Graduate” Scholarship and the “Silk Road” Scholarship. The former follows the principle of “individual application, university recommendation, expert review, and selective admission,” aiming to select international students with outstanding academic backgrounds, professional capabilities, and potential for future development to pursue master’s or doctoral degrees at our university. The latter focuses on supporting the cultivation of specialized talents in fields urgently needed by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries, enrolling international students from these countries to pursue master’s or doctoral degrees in the designated fields of study at SISU.
The “High-Level Graduate” and “Silk Road” Scholarship programs do not distinguish between applicants during the “individual application” phase and are unified as the Chinese Government Scholarship (Category B) Independent Enrollment Program. Applications for both scholarships are open simultaneously and close on the same date. The program will also organize entrance exams and interviews concurrently. Candidates for the “High-Level Graduate” Scholarship will be recommended prior to those for the “Silk Road” Scholarship, with no overlap or conflict between the two. The “Silk Road” Scholarship will be subject to the actual approval from the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for our university’s submission of the program (with the possibility that approval may not be granted). Based on this approval, SISU will match and review applicants who have applied for the China Government Scholarship (Category B) Independent Enrollment Program and have been pre-admitted, according to the specific program fields of the “Silk Road” Scholarship.
*The following content is formulated in accordance with the “Administrative Measures for Chinese Government Scholarships” and is subject to the interpretation of the International Students Office of Shanghai International Studies University (SISU).
Basic Information
1. Categories of Enrollment: Master’s and Doctoral students.
2. Application Requirements: Non-Chinese citizens in good health; master’s applicants must be under 35 years old; doctoral applicants must be under 40 years old.
3. Available Programs: Please refer to the SISU 2025 Master’s and Doctoral Program List.
4. Start Date: September 2025.
5. Scholarship Duration: 2-3 years for a master’s degree, 4 years for a doctoral degree. The actual duration will be based on the dates specified in the official Admission Notice.
6. Scholarship Coverage: Full scholarship, covering tuition, on-campus accommodation, comprehensive medical insurance, and a monthly stipend, according to the current Chinese Government Scholarship standards.
7. Application Acceptance Office: SISU International Students Office (hereafter referred to as “SISU OISA”).
8. Application Deadline: January 17, 2025, 12:00 (Beijing time), based on the time of successful submission in the SISU International Student Online Application System.
Application & Admission Process
Now – January 17, 2025 — Individual Application
Register and log into the “SISU International Student Online Application System” (http://apply.shisu.edu.cn), complete the application information, upload the required documents, pay the application fee, and submit the application.
1. Applicants cannot simultaneously receive other scholarships established by various levels of Chinese government or the admitting institution (excluding one-time incentive awards). If found doing so, the China Government Scholarship qualification will be canceled, and any received China Government Scholarship funds must be returned. In cases of intentional concealment of funding, the applicant will be disqualified and barred from applying for the China Government Scholarship for three years.
2. Application materials please refer to Chinese Government Scholarship Application Materials Checklist .
3. Except for the photo, all documents should be submitted in PDF format. The uploaded documents must be clear, genuine, and valid. It is recommended that applicants use professional equipment to scan the submitted documents, as applicants are responsible for any consequences caused by unclear or unrecognizable materials.
4. To ensure effective communication, applicants must provide a valid email address and phone number on the application form.
5. After submission, applicants should monitor the status of their application in the system. If the status shows “Accepted” and remains unchanged, it indicates the application is being processed and awaiting examination. If the status shows “Materials Incomplete – Returned,” it means the submitted materials do not meet the requirements. Applicants must revise and resubmit promptly to avoid missing the exam schedule.
March 3 – March 21, 2025 — University Review
SISU will review the online application materials, organize an online entrance examination for applicants, and evaluate candidates for the “High-Level Graduate” Scholarship. Qualified candidates will then complete the application in the “Chinese Government Scholarship Study in China Information System”.
1. Applicants must participate in the entrance exam (online written and oral exams) organized by the SISU Graduate School. Exam details will be sent via email. Applicants should pay attention to the exam notification. Failure to attend the exam will be considered a withdrawal of the application.
2. Only those who pass the entrance exam are eligible to be evaluated for the scholarship. The final list of scholarship candidates will be determined by the Scholarship Evaluation Committee of the Colleges/Schools and will be published on the SISU OISA website.
3. SISU OISA will provide official Admission Notice to the scholarship candidates.
March 24 – March 28, 2025 — University Recommendation
SISU will submit the final recommendation materials of the “High-Level Graduate” Scholarship candidates to the China Scholarship Council (CSC).
April – June 2025 — Expert Review
The CSC will organize experts to review the academic performance, comprehensive quality, and future potential of the “High-Level Graduate” Scholarship candidates.
At the same time, based on the approval status of the ‘Silk Road’ Scholarship program, candidates for this scholarship will be recommended.
The review and recommendation process will follow the same procedures as those of the ‘High-Level Graduate’ Scholarship program.
According to the Chinese Government Scholarship application guidelines, each applicant for a Category B program is allowed only one opportunity for consideration. If a candidate recommended by SISU fails to pass the “expert review” and is subsequently eliminated from the system, their Category B scholarship application for that year will be deemed final and closed.
July – August 2025 — Admission by Merit
SISU will announce the final admission results of the “High-Level Graduate” and “Silk Road” Scholarship programs after receiving the scholarship award notice from the CSC.
After confirming their acceptance, SISU will issue formal admission documents to the candidates through the ” Chinese Government Scholarship Information System”.
Late August – Early September 2025 — Registration
Scholarship recipients will apply for a visa to study in China and must register at SISU within the specified time frame.
1. The scholarship cannot be deferred. Recipients who fail to register on time will have their admission and scholarship qualifications canceled.
2. When registering, scholarship recipients must bring original application materials for verification by the Graduate School. If any materials are missing or falsified, the scholarship and admission qualifications will be revoked.
3. After arriving in China, scholarship recipients are not allowed to change their university, program, or study duration.
4. Scholarship recipients must participate in the annual scholarship evaluation. Those who fail the evaluation will have their scholarships suspended or canceled.
,http://www.oisa.shisu.edu.cn/index.php/en/index/newscontent/cid/130/id/630.html