Master's scholarship in International Chinese Language Education: HSK 5 with 210 and the two reference letters
Sources checked · Unofficial summary
The 2025 International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guidelines set out one master's category: the Scholarship for Master’s Degree in International Chinese Language Education (master's category page). For that cycle, the master's category asked applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree, score at least 210 on the HSK Test (Level 5) and 60 on the HSKK test (Intermediate Level), and provide two reference letters from professors or associate professors. It paid tuition, accommodation, a monthly living allowance of RMB 3,000, and comprehensive medical insurance, for a maximum of two academic years; in that cycle the programme began in September 2025.
The 2025 guidelines are dated January 2025 and were written for programmes starting between July 2025 and March 2026. Every date in them belongs to that cycle, which has passed; they are not upcoming deadlines. The guidelines name http://www.chinese.cn as the application website, and CLEC’s site should be checked for the current edition.
Who the master's category was for
The master's category followed the general eligibility rules in the 2025 guidelines. Applicants had to be non-Chinese citizens, be friendly to China, have no criminal record, and abide by the laws and regulations of China and the rules of the host institution. They had to be in good physical and mental health, in good academic and behavioral standing, and interested in Chinese language education and related work.
On age, the guidelines required applicants to be aged between 16 and 35 on September 1, 2025. The maximum age limit for in-service Chinese teachers may be extended to 45. The separate rule that Bachelor’s degree applicants must generally be younger than 25 is stated for the Bachelor’s category, not the master's.
What the master's category paid
The scholarship supported tuition, accommodation, a living allowance and comprehensive medical insurance, as set out in Appendix 1 of the guidelines. The table below gives the master's terms; where the appendix gives a different figure for another category, that figure is named so the master's amount is not confused with it.
| Item | Master's terms in the 2025 guidelines |
|---|---|
| Length and start | The programme began in September 2025; the scholarship was provided for a maximum of two academic years. |
| Tuition | Covered. Host institutions use tuition fees for education and management, cultural programming and HSK tests. Appendix 1 adds that scholarships for online programmes provide support for tuition fees only. |
| Accommodation | Host institutions provide free on-campus accommodation, typically double rooms. With approval to live off-campus, master's students (as “other students” in the appendix) receive RMB 700 per person per month, paid monthly or quarterly. |
| Living allowance | RMB 3,000 per person per month, paid monthly by the host institution. (The same appendix sets RMB 2,500 for undergraduates and one-year/one-semester students, and RMB 3,500 for doctoral students.) |
| Medical insurance | Comprehensive medical insurance is purchased by host institutions under Ministry of Education regulations. For students studying more than one year, the premium is RMB 800 per person per year. |
Living allowance conditions
Scholarship recipients had to register with the university within the period stated in the Letter of Admission; otherwise, the scholarship would be revoked. The month of registration affected the first payment: students who registered before the 15th of the month (inclusive) received the full allowance for that month, while those who registered after the 15th received half.
The allowance was suspended during certain absences or interruptions. If a recipient left China for more than 15 days for personal reasons during the study period (excluding summer and winter vacations), the living allowance for the period of absence was suspended. If a recipient was suspended or withdrew from school for personal reasons, or was subject to disciplinary action by the host institution, the allowance was suspended from the date of suspension, withdrawal, or notification of disciplinary action. For graduating students, the allowance was paid until half a month after the graduation date set by the host institution.
Application materials for the master's category
Appendix 2 lists what had to be submitted. All applicants, including master's applicants, had to provide a scanned copy of the passport photo page, scanned copies of HSK/HSKK score reports within the two-year validity, and a reference letter by the head of the Recommending Institution.
As degree-programme applicants, master's applicants also had to provide a certificate of the highest diploma (or proof of expected graduation) and an official transcript. Specifically for the master's category, Appendix 2 requires two reference letters from professors or associate professors. The guidelines do not ask master's applicants for the 3,000-word personal statement that the doctoral category requires; that item appears only under the doctoral rules.
In-service Chinese language teachers had to provide proof of employment and a reference letter from the employer. Applicants under 18 had to provide certified documents of designation signed by their entrusted legal guardians in China. Host institutions could require additional documents. For the application route used by this site, see How to apply.
On priority: the master's category section states that priority would be given to applicants who might provide an employment contract with a teaching institution upon completing their studies in China, or proof to the same effect.
Who could recommend an applicant
The 2025 guidelines name the Recommending Institutions that may recommend outstanding students and in-service Chinese language teachers: Confucius Institutes, independent Confucius Classrooms, selected HSK test centers, foreign educational institutions, Chinese language teacher training programs or Chinese departments at foreign universities, professional associations for Chinese language teaching, and Chinese embassies (consulates) abroad.
Questions people ask
What HSK and HSKK scores did the master's category require?
The master's category required a minimum score of 210 on the HSK Test (Level 5) and 60 on the HSKK test (Intermediate Level).
Did the master's category require a personal statement?
No. The 2025 guidelines require a 3,000-word personal statement written in Chinese only for the Scholarship for a Doctor’s Degree in International Chinese Language Education. For the master's category, Appendix 2 asks for two reference letters from professors or associate professors and does not list a personal statement.
How much was the monthly living allowance for master's students?
The monthly living allowance for master’s students in International Chinese Language Education was RMB 3,000 per person, paid monthly by the host institution, under the 2025 guidelines.
Was the master's scholarship awarded for two years?
The scholarship was provided for a maximum of two academic years. In that cycle, the programme began in September 2025.
Did the master's scholarship pay for off-campus housing?
Host institutions provide free on-campus accommodation. If a recipient applied and was approved to live off-campus, master's students received an accommodation allowance of RMB 700 per person per month, because the appendix sets RMB 1,000 for doctoral students and RMB 700 for other students.
Who had to write the two reference letters?
For the master's category, the two reference letters had to come from professors or associate professors. In addition, all applicants needed a separate reference letter by the head of the Recommending Institution.
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 October 10, 2026
This page is an unofficial summary, is not published by the bodies named, and the official notice prevails if they differ.