Short-term scholarships in China: from four weeks to twelve months
Sources checked · Unofficial summary
Yes. Several Chinese government-funded programmes pay for a stay in China that is shorter than a degree, and the shortest one that names a length runs four weeks. The notices that state a length give four weeks, four to five months, up to five months, up to eleven months, one to twelve months, no more than twelve months, and twelve months.
| Length stated | Programme | Who it is for | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum four weeks | International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, four-week study | Groups of 10–15, applied for by a Recommending Institution | CLEC, 2025 guidelines |
| 4–5 months | ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, research scholars | Professionals with working experience from ASEAN member states | CSC, ACYLS guidebook |
| Maximum five months | International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, one-semester study | Applicants who meet the HSK and HSKK levels set for their subject | CLEC, 2025 guidelines |
| Maximum eleven months | International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship, one-year study | Applicants who meet the higher HSK and HSKK levels set for their subject | CLEC, 2025 guidelines |
| 1–12 months | China Link Short-term Scientific Exchange Scholarship | Students and academic staff at a CSC foreign partner university | CSC, China Link 2026 notice |
| No more than 12 months | Chinese Government Scholarship, Student Exchange Program | General and senior scholars sent through a university exchange agreement | CSC, CGS application guide |
| One academic year (12 months) | Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship | Trade union officials from countries along the "Belt and Road" | CSC, CTUSRS page |
Four weeks: the four-week study scholarship
The Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 from the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) describes a four-week programme that commences either in July or December 2025, with the scholarship provided for a maximum of four weeks.
Applicants of Chinese language study, traditional Chinese medicine, Taiji culture, or Chinese language plus homestay with a Chinese family are required to provide an HSK test score. The programme may be organised and applied for by a Recommending Institution, with 10–15 participants per group. Before the trip, a detailed study plan is made in consultation with the host institution and submitted to CLEC for review and approval.
Those dates belong to that cycle. The guidelines are dated January 2025 and were written for programmes starting between July 2025 and March 2026; it was the most recent edition on chinese.cn when checked. The three category sections do not state an age limit or a nationality requirement.
More detail on this route: four-week study.
Four to five months: ACYLS research scholars
The Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, published by the China Scholarship Council, supports young and promising professionals with working experience from ASEAN member states. Alongside master's and doctoral study, it lists research scholars with a length of schooling of 4–5 months and a length of scholarship of 4–5 months. Recipients must complete their studies within the scholarship duration.
Instruction language is English. Candidates are advised to register for English-taught programmes, and their English proficiency must meet the requirements of the programme applied for. The page gives no application deadline date; its focal point list is headed "As of 2026".
Up to five months: the one-semester study scholarship
The same CLEC guidelines give a one-semester programme commencing either in September 2025 or March 2026, with the scholarship provided for a maximum of five months.
Requirements differ by subject:
- International Chinese language education, Chinese language and literature, Chinese history, or Chinese philosophy: a minimum score of 180 on the HSK (Level 3), and an HSKK score is required.
- Traditional Chinese medicine or Taiji culture: HSK scores are required, and priority is given to those who also provide an HSKK score.
Up to eleven months: the one-year study scholarship
The one-year programme in the CLEC guidelines commences in September 2025 and the scholarship is provided for a maximum of eleven months.
- International Chinese language education: a minimum of 270 on the HSK (Level 3), and an HSKK score is required.
- Chinese language and literature, Chinese history, or Chinese philosophy: a minimum of 180 on the HSK (Level 4) and 60 on the HSKK (Intermediate Level).
- Chinese language study: a minimum of 210 on the HSK (Level 3), with priority given to applicants who provide an HSKK score.
Details: one-semester study and one-year study.
One to twelve months: China Link
The China Link Short-term Scientific Exchange Scholarship Program (2026) notice from the China Scholarship Council gives a duration of 1–12 months, with study in China starting no later than 31 August 2027.
Two categories are defined. General scholar applies to current undergraduates or graduates; senior scholar applies to current PhD candidates or faculty. Applicants must be citizens of a country other than the People's Republic of China and in good health both mentally and physically; under 45 for general scholars and under 50 for senior scholars. They must be registered as a full-time student or employed as full-time academic staff at a CSC foreign partner university at the time of application and throughout the proposed stay, and must have obtained admission qualification from the host Chinese university for the next intake.
Funding is a full scholarship: tuition waiver, free on-campus accommodation, comprehensive medical insurance and a monthly stipend of CNY 3,000 for general scholars and CNY 3,500 for senior scholars. Study and research fields cover all disciplines other than Chinese language study. The working language is English or Chinese, depending on the programme provided by the host university.
The CSC application portal is open to applicants all year round, host universities must submit the nomination list to CSC at least two months before arrival, and CSC notifies host universities of award results monthly.
More on the programme: China Link.
No more than twelve months: the CGS Student Exchange Program
The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship describes the Student Exchange Program as supporting general and senior scholars for a training session of no more than 12 months, under exchange and cooperation agreements between Chinese universities and foreign partners. An applicant files the application with Chinese universities and their foreign partners. The guide carries no publication date and no academic year.
Twelve months: Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship
The Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship (CTUSRS) supports promising trade union officials with related working experience from countries along the "Belt and Road" to study Chinese language in the PRC for one academic year, given as 12 months. The designated university is Beijing Language and Culture University, the major is Chinese Language, and the instruction language is Chinese. Funding comes from the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.
The per-person, per-academic-year figures on the page are: accommodation CNY 8,400; stipend CNY 36,000; tuition CNY 25,000; medical insurance CNY 800; and a one-time international round-trip air fare, economy class only. The stipend is paid monthly by the host university; students registering on or before the 15th of the month receive a full month, those registering after the 15th receive half a month, and graduating students receive a further half month after the graduation date. A stipend stops during absence from China of more than 15 days for personal reasons, school holidays excluded. Return tickets are provided only on completion of study. The page gives no academic year and no deadline date.
Programme page: Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship, and ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship.
Where the notices give no length
The CGS application guide lists general and senior scholars as supporting categories under the Bilateral Program, the Great Wall Program, the EU Program and the PIF Program, but it does not state a duration for those categories. A length cannot be quoted for them. The guide also does not define "general scholar" or "senior scholar" by age or status; only the China Link notice does that.
Questions people ask
Can I use a short-term scholarship to study Chinese?
It depends on the programme. The China Link notice covers all disciplines other than Chinese language study, so Chinese language study is outside it. The CLEC four-week, one-semester and one-year programmes are built around Chinese language study, Chinese language education, traditional Chinese medicine, Taiji culture and related subjects, and they require HSK or HSKK scores. The Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship is a Chinese language programme at Beijing Language and Culture University.
Do I have to be enrolled at a university to apply?
For China Link, yes: the notice requires registration as a full-time student or employment as full-time academic staff at a CSC foreign partner university at the time of application and throughout the stay, plus admission qualification from the host Chinese university. The ACYLS research scholar category is described as being for professionals with working experience. The Student Exchange Program is applied for through Chinese universities and their foreign partners. The CLEC category sections quoted here do not state an enrolment condition.
Is there an application deadline?
The China Link notice says the CSC application portal is open to applicants all year round, and that host universities must submit the nomination list at least two months before students arrive. The ACYLS guidebook and the Silk Road page give no deadline date. The CLEC guidelines give commencement dates for the 2025 cycle rather than a closing date.
Do short-term scholarships pay a living allowance?
Two of them publish figures. China Link pays a monthly stipend of CNY 3,000 for general scholars and CNY 3,500 for senior scholars, with tuition, on-campus accommodation and medical insurance covered. The Silk Road scholarship lists a stipend of CNY 36,000 per academic year, paid monthly by the host university. The CLEC sections and the ACYLS guidebook quoted here do not give amounts.
Sources
- Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025, Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, chinese.cn)
- China Link Short-term Scientific Exchange Scholarship Program (2026), China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- Chinese Trade Unions Silk Road Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
Checked 10 October 2026.
This page is an unofficial summary prepared by China Scholarships Index; it is not published by the China Scholarship Council, CLEC or any university named above, and where this page and the official notice differ, the official notice prevails.