Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship: who it is for and what it covers
Sources checked · Unofficial summary
The Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship (CTUSRS) is a one-year award for trade union officials from countries along the Belt and Road to study Chinese Language at Beijing Language and Culture University. It is funded by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU). The notice on Campus China describes it as a full scholarship covering tuition, accommodation, comprehensive medical insurance, a monthly stipend and one economy-class international return flight.
Eligibility rests on five conditions: non-Chinese nationality (preferably a Belt and Road country), sound physical and mental health, at least a high school certificate and an age under 45, at least one year of work experience, and not holding a Chinese Government Scholarship at the same time.
What the scholarship is for
The Campus China notice states the purpose directly: to develop friendly relations between trade unions of China and other countries, to enhance friendship between the Chinese working class and working classes elsewhere, and to contribute to peace, development, cooperation, workers' rights and interests and social progress.
The supported category is narrow. CTUSRS supports promising trade union officials with related working experience from countries along the Belt and Road to study Chinese Language in the PRC. There is one designated university and one major.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Designated university | Beijing Language and Culture University |
| Major | Chinese Language |
| Length of scholarship | One academic year (12 months) |
| Instruction language | Chinese |
| Funder | All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) |
What it covers
The notice gives a table headed "Coverage and Standard (per person per academic year)". These are the figures as printed.
| Item | Amount per person per academic year |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | 8,400 CNY |
| Stipend | 36,000 CNY |
| Tuition | 25,000 CNY |
| Medical insurance | 800 CNY |
| One-time international round-trip air fare | Economy class only |
The tuition and accommodation figures are not paid to the student. The notice says tuition is entirely covered by the CTUSRS programme and funds are directly allocated to the host universities, and that recipients are provided with free university dormitory, with funds again allocated directly to the host universities.
How the stipend works
Registered scholarship students receive the stipend from their host university on a monthly basis, within the scholarship duration. The notice sets out four rules:
- Students who register on or before the 15th of the month receive a full stipend for that month.
- Students who register after the 15th of the month receive a half stipend for that month.
- Graduating students receive stipend for another half a month following the graduation date.
- If a registered student stays out of China for more than 15 days for personal reasons, the stipend is stopped during the absence. School holidays are excluded from this rule.
Medical insurance and travel
Medical insurance is covered by the CTUSRS programme. For the insurance policy and claims, the notice points to the Comprehensive Insurance & Protection Scheme for Foreigners Staying in China, published on the CSC study-in-China pages and on Campus China.
The air fare is a one-time international round-trip ticket in economy class, funded by the ACFTU, between the recipient's home country and the city of the host university. The return ticket is provided only upon completion of study.
Eligibility
The notice lists five criteria. An applicant of CTUSRS should:
- Be a citizen of a country other than the PRC, and preferably from one of the countries along the Belt and Road;
- Be in sound physical and mental health;
- Hold a high school certificate at least, and be under the age of 45;
- Have at least one year of work experience, and preferably have experience in China-related affairs;
- Not be a concurrent awardee of a Chinese government scholarship.
Two of these are stated as preferences rather than requirements: Belt and Road nationality and experience in China-related affairs. The others are stated as conditions.
What the official notice does not say
The Campus China page gives no academic year and no deadline date. It also does not describe an application route, a quota, or a selection procedure, so this page cannot supply them. Applicants should treat the notice as the only authoritative statement of the terms and check with the relevant bodies for the current cycle.
Questions people ask
Is the Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship a full scholarship?
The notice describes it as a full scholarship award covering all programme-related expenses, and lists tuition waiver, accommodation, comprehensive medical insurance, stipends and a one-time international round-trip air fare.
Can I apply if I am 45 or older?
The notice requires applicants to be under the age of 45, alongside holding at least a high school certificate. It sets out no exception to this.
Do I need work experience?
Yes. The notice requires at least one year of work experience, and states a preference for experience in China-related affairs.
Can I hold this and a Chinese Government Scholarship at the same time?
No. One of the five criteria is that the applicant is not a concurrent awardee of a Chinese government scholarship.
When is the application deadline?
The Campus China notice does not give a deadline date, and it does not name an academic year. This page cannot supply one.
Sources
- Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
Checked 10 October 2026.
This page is an unofficial summary, is not published by the China Scholarship Council, Campus China, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions or Beijing Language and Culture University, and where anything here differs from the official notice, the official notice prevails.