Doctoral scholarship in International Chinese Language Education: HSK 6 with 200, HSKK Advanced with 60
Sources checked · Unofficial summary
The doctoral category of the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship — formally the Scholarship for a Doctor's Degree in International Chinese Language Education — requires a master's degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, linguistics, international Chinese language education or an education-related discipline, a minimum HSK (Level 6) score of 200, and a minimum HSKK (Advanced Level) score of 60. In the 2025 guidelines, the programme commenced in September 2025 and the scholarship ran for a maximum of four academic years. Successful applicants received tuition, accommodation, a monthly living allowance and comprehensive medical insurance, with the doctoral living allowance set at RMB 3,500 per person per month.
Everything below comes from the Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) on chinese.cn. That edition was written for programmes starting between July 2025 and March 2026, so its dates belong to that cycle and have passed. For the current edition, check chinese.cn.
Who the doctoral category is for
The guidelines describe the doctoral category as study in international Chinese language education at a Chinese university (the Host Institution), reached through a recommendation from a Recommending Institution — a Confucius Institute, an independent Confucius Classroom, a selected HSK test centre, a foreign educational institution, a Chinese language teacher training programme or Chinese department at a foreign university, a professional association for Chinese language teaching, or a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad.
On top of the general eligibility rules — non-Chinese citizen, friendly to China, no criminal record, good physical and mental health, good academic and behavioural standing, and an interest in Chinese language education and related work — the doctoral category adds its own academic requirement. Applicants shall hold a master's degree in one of the fields named above. The text does not set out a conversion route for applicants whose master's degree sits outside those fields, and it does not name a minimum grade or credit threshold for the master's degree.
Age limit
The eligibility section sets the age band at 16 to 35 on September 1, 2025. The maximum age limit for in-service Chinese teachers may be extended to 45. The separate note that Bachelor's degree applicants shall be younger than 25 under most circumstances does not apply to the doctoral category.
Language scores
Both tests are required, and both thresholds are stated as minimums:
| Test | Required level | Minimum score |
|---|---|---|
| HSK | Level 6 | 200 |
| HSKK | Advanced Level | 60 |
Score reports submitted with the application must be within the two-year validity period.
Length and start date
For that cycle, the programme commenced in September 2025 and the scholarship was provided for a maximum of four academic years. The guidelines do not describe an extension procedure beyond that maximum, and they do not state a separate thesis-writing period.
What the scholarship pays
Appendix 1 of the guidelines sets the coverage and standard: tuition, accommodation, living allowance and comprehensive medical insurance.
- Tuition is used by the Host Institution for the education and management of scholarship recipients, cultural programming and HSK tests.
- Accommodation normally means free on-campus accommodation, typically a double room. Recipients may live off-campus upon application and approval from the Host Institution; when they do, doctoral students are entitled to an accommodation allowance of RMB 1,000 per person per month (other students: RMB 700), paid monthly or quarterly by the Host Institution.
- Living allowance for doctoral students in International Chinese Language Education is RMB 3,500 per person per month, paid monthly by the Host Institution.
- Comprehensive medical insurance is purchased by the Host Institution under the Ministry of Education of China's regulations on overseas students. For students studying more than one year — which includes a four-year doctoral programme — the premium is RMB 800 per person per year.
Rules attached to the living allowance
The monthly allowance is not unconditional, and the conditions matter as much as the amount.
Recipients must register with the university within the period stipulated in the Letter of Admission; otherwise the scholarship is revoked. Students registered before the 15th of the month, inclusive, receive the full allowance for that month, while those registered after the 15th receive half.
If a recipient leaves China for more than 15 days for personal reasons during the study period, excluding summer and winter vacations, the living allowance is suspended for the period of absence. The allowance is also suspended from the date of suspension, withdrawal, or notification of disciplinary action. For graduating students, it is paid until half a month after the graduation date set by the Host Institution.
Application materials
Two sets of materials apply to a doctoral applicant: the list for all applicants, and the additional list for degree programme applicants.
For all applicants:
- a scanned copy of the passport photo page;
- scanned copies of HSK and HSKK score reports, within the two-year validity;
- a reference letter by the head of the Recommending Institution.
For degree programme applicants, in addition:
- a certificate of the highest diploma, or proof of expected graduation, and an official transcript;
- for the doctoral category specifically, two reference letters from professors, associate professors, or experts with equivalent professional titles in relevant fields, and a 3,000-word personal statement written in Chinese, covering knowledge of the intended area of study and a research proposal.
In-service Chinese language teachers must also provide proof of employment and a reference letter from the employer. Applicants under 18 must provide certified documents of designation signed by their entrusted legal guardians in China. Host Institutions may require additional documents.
What counts as priority
The guidelines give priority to applicants who can provide an employment contract with a teaching institution upon completing their studies in China, or proof to the same effect. This is stated both in the doctoral category description and in the materials list. The text does not describe how much weight the priority carries, and it does not state what happens to applicants who cannot provide it — it does not say they are excluded.
Where to apply
The application website named in the 2025 guidelines is chinese.cn. Because the edition described here covers programmes starting between July 2025 and March 2026, applicants should read the current edition on chinese.cn before preparing documents, since thresholds, dates and allowances are set cycle by cycle.
Questions people ask
Do I need a master's degree before applying?
Yes for this category. The guidelines state that applicants shall hold a master's degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, linguistics, international Chinese language education, or education-related disciplines.
Can I live off campus as a doctoral scholar?
Yes, but only after applying and receiving approval from the Host Institution. In that case the accommodation allowance for doctoral students is RMB 1,000 per person per month, paid monthly or quarterly. Without approval, the scholarship covers free on-campus accommodation, typically a double room.
How much money does a doctoral scholar receive each month?
The living allowance for doctoral students in International Chinese Language Education is RMB 3,500 per person per month. Housing is provided separately as on-campus accommodation or, with approval, as an off-campus allowance of RMB 1,000 per person per month.
How long is the doctoral scholarship funded?
For the cycle described in the 2025 guidelines, the scholarship was provided for a maximum of four academic years, with the programme commencing in September 2025.
Is the personal statement really 3,000 words and in Chinese?
Yes. The materials list requires a 3,000-word personal statement written in Chinese, including knowledge of the intended area of study and a research proposal, plus two reference letters from professors, associate professors or experts with equivalent professional titles in relevant fields.
Who recommends applicants?
Confucius Institutes, independent Confucius Classrooms, selected HSK test centres, foreign educational institutions, Chinese language teacher training programmes or Chinese departments at foreign universities, professional associations for Chinese language teaching, and Chinese embassies or consulates abroad. The head of the Recommending Institution writes one of the required reference letters.
Sources
- Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 — Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, chinese.cn)
- chinese.cn — Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC)
Checked 10 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary and is not published by CLEC or any university; where this page and the official notice differ, the official notice prevails.