Chinese Government Scholarship for Irish students: one place, agency number 3722 and the 2026/2027 process
Sources checked · Unofficial summary
For the 2026/2027 academic year there was one Chinese Government Scholarship place for an Irish student, and applying meant meeting two separate requirements set by two notices. The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ireland was the designated acceptance agency for applicants based in Ireland, under agency number 3722, and accepted the online application through Study in China until 15 February 2026. The Irish Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science separately required emailed copies of the application and supporting documents by 5pm on 25 February 2026. All of these dates belonged to the 2026/2027 intake and have passed.
Who receives the application
The embassy notice for 2026/2027 states that, for applicants based in Ireland, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ireland was the designated acceptance agency, and gives the agency number as 3722. The embassy also warns that the China Scholarship Council (CSC) has not authorised any individual or intermediary agency to undertake scholarship applications, and that applicants must submit exclusively through the official acceptance agency and the designated online information system to avoid potential fraud.
The Irish Department's page describes a different role. It says all eligible application papers relating to an applicant are assessed by the "Selection Committee on Government Exchange Scholarships" in order to select a candidate to nominate to the CSC, and that the papers of the successful candidate are then sent to the CSC for its consideration.
How the application was submitted
Both notices required an online application at Study in China first. The order below follows the two notices for that intake.
- Open the Study in China website.
- Select the scholarship application icon for students.
- Read the online instructions for the CSC information system before starting.
- Complete the online application form.
- Upload clear, authentic and valid documents.
- Submit the application online.
- Email a copy of the submitted application and your documents to the Department.
The Irish Department's page instructs applicants to select the "Application Online for International Students" option; the embassy notice refers to clicking the "Scholarship Application for Students" icon. Both point readers to instructions for the CSC information system: the Department's page says to read the online instructions before beginning, and the embassy notice refers readers to Attachment 1 for detailed instructions on the online process and the information system.
On paper copies, the two notices are not making the same statement. The embassy notice says applications had to be completed and submitted online only, and that no hard copies were required. The Department's page required applicants to 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 on 25 February 2026.
The Department's page adds two conditions. Documents submitted in Chinese had to be accompanied by an official English translation, and a confirmation email would issue once the application was received; applicants who did not get that email within 48 hours were told to email scholarships@dfheris.gov.ie for confirmation.
Who is eligible
Neither notice lists eligibility criteria in full. The embassy notice says applicants had to meet the eligibility criteria of the relevant scholarship programme and refers readers to the Chinese Government Scholarship Admission Brochure on the Study in China website; it does not quote those criteria. The Irish Department's page states no eligibility criteria of its own beyond the level of study. Because neither document states requirements such as nationality, age or prior qualifications, this page cannot supply them.
Levels and number of places
The Irish Department's page is the only one of the two that states the number. It says the CSC was offering a scholarship opportunity for one Irish student to study in China for the academic year 2026/27, pursuing an undergraduate, postgraduate or advanced course. The embassy notice does not state a number of places or list study levels.
What the scholarship covers
Neither notice describes the financial terms. The Irish Department's page says nothing about tuition, accommodation, a living allowance, insurance or travel, and neither does the embassy notice. Both direct readers to Study in China and Campus China for more information about the Chinese Government scholarship programme and about Chinese higher education institutions admitting international students. Any description of what the award pays for would have to come from those sources, not from these two notices.
Documents
The embassy notice requires all documents to be uploaded through the online system, and that they be clear, authentic and valid. It advises applicants to use professional scanning equipment and states that applicants bear full responsibility for any consequences arising from unclear or unreadable materials. For the checklist of required materials it points to its attachments; the notice's own text refers to Attachments 2 and 3, while the attachment list attached to the same notice numbers them differently, as the Chinese Government Scholarship Application (checklist of required application materials), the Instructions for the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System (CGSIS) and the Foreigner Physical Examination Form. The Irish Department's page links to three documents of the same kind: Instructions for the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System, Chinese Government Scholarship Application Materials Checklist, and Foreigner Physical Examination Form.
Both notices require the China Scholastic Competency Assessment (CSCA) for undergraduate applicants, and both give the same two test dates. Beginning with the 2026/2027 academic year, all applicants for undergraduate degree programmes had to take the CSCA before submitting the scholarship application and include a valid score report with the submission; the report is described in the embassy notice as a mandatory document for university admission review. The two sessions were 21 December 2025 and 25 January 2026, for applicants intending to commence studies in September 2026. Registration is at www.csca.cn, and both notices say the choice of test subjects is a matter to raise with the intended university directly.
The Irish Department's page adds that applications or documents that did not conform to CSC regulations would not be considered valid and would not be accepted, and that late or incomplete application papers would not be accepted either. It also notes that lodging an application means consenting to the Department's processing of personal data, including sensitive personal data, and that personal data provided may be exchanged with the relevant country's embassy for the purpose of assessing suitability.
The dates for the 2026/2027 intake
| Step | Date | Stated by |
|---|---|---|
| Irish Department's page published and last updated | 5 November 2025 | Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
| Embassy notice dated | 21 November 2025 | Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ireland |
| CSCA test sessions | 21 December 2025 and 25 January 2026 | Both notices |
| Online application deadline under agency number 3722 | 15 February 2026 | Embassy notice |
| Email copy of application and documents due to the Department | 5pm, 25 February 2026 | Department's page |
The next intake
Neither page had published a notice for the following academic year when it was checked on 10 October 2026, and neither stated any dates, agency number or conditions for a later intake. Irish applicants should therefore check the same two bodies directly — the Department's scholarship page on gov.ie and the Chinese Embassy in Ireland's notices — rather than assuming the place count, deadlines or document rules below repeat.
Questions people ask
Does an Irish applicant apply through the Irish department or through the Chinese embassy in Ireland?
Both, in that cycle. The embassy in Ireland was the designated acceptance agency for the online application under agency number 3722, while the Department collected the emailed copy of the application and ran the selection that produced a nomination to the CSC.
Were paper copies required?
The embassy notice says applications were online only and no hard copies were required. The Department's page separately required a copy of the submitted online application, the English application form and all supporting documents to be emailed to scholarships@dfheris.gov.ie.
Do undergraduate applicants need the CSCA?
Yes, according to both notices. From the 2026/2027 academic year all applicants for undergraduate degree programmes had to take the CSCA before applying and include a valid score report.
How many places were available?
The Irish Department's page states one, describing the award as a scholarship opportunity for one Irish student for the 2026/27 academic year. The embassy notice does not state a number.
Does either notice say what the scholarship pays for?
No. Neither the Irish Department's page nor the embassy notice describes tuition, accommodation, living costs, insurance or travel, and both refer readers to Study in China and Campus China for more detail.
Can I apply through an agent?
The embassy notice states that the CSC has not authorised any individual or intermediary agency to undertake scholarship applications, and that applications must go through the official acceptance agency and the designated online information system.
Sources
- Chinese Government Scholarship 2026 - 2027 — Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Ireland (gov.ie)
- Application for the Chinese Government Scholarship for the 2026/2027 Academic Year Now Open — Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ireland (ie.china-embassy.gov.cn)
Checked 10 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary, is not published by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ireland, the China Scholarship Council or any university, and the official notice prevails if they differ.