YES China scholarship: who can apply, the age limit and the work experience required
Sources checked · Unofficial summary
You are eligible for the Youth of Excellence Scheme of China (YES China) if you are a citizen of a country other than the People's Republic of China, are under the age of 45, are in good mental and physical health, hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and have at least three years of work experience — and you fall into one of four listed categories: a government official at division chief level or above, a senior manager of an institution or enterprise, an administrator of a university or scientific research institution, or someone with relevant employment or internship experience in international organizations. Those conditions come from the application requirements section of the notice published by the China Scholarship Council. Everything else applicants usually ask about next — places, level, language, length, funding and dates — is set out below, also from that notice.
What the programme is
The notice states its purpose this way: to train global governance talents with a broad international perspective, comprehensive quality, leadership and a multicultural background. The China Scholarship Council implements the Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program. The programme sits within the Chinese Government Scholarship framework.
Places, level, language and coverage
| Item | What the notice states |
|---|---|
| Number of students to be enrolled | 200 |
| Supporting candidates | Master students |
| Teaching language | English |
| Coverage | Full scholarship |
The notice describes the award as a full scholarship. It does not set out the items that make up the award.
How long it takes and the "1+1" pattern
In principle, the curriculum leads to a master's degree and lasts 12 months. The notice then adds that some programmes follow the "1+1" paradigm. Under that pattern:
- First academic year: full-time basic course work and research at Chinese universities, while finishing dissertation preparations.
- Second academic year: working in the home country and finishing the dissertation based on studies and actual work.
- After that: travelling to China to defend the dissertation as required by the universities.
- A degree is awarded to those who successfully complete the defence.
The notice does not say which specific programmes use the "1+1" pattern.
The application requirements
The notice lists these requirements:
- Citizenship of a country other than the People's Republic of China; under the age of 45; in good health, mentally and physically.
- A bachelor's degree or higher, and at least three years of work experience. Applicants with professional training or work experience related to the proposed programme are given preference.
- Belonging to one of four categories:
- A government official at division chief level or equivalent level, or above;
- A senior manager of an institution or enterprise;
- An administrator of a university or scientific research institution;
- A person with relevant employment or internship experience in international organizations.
- A pre-admission letter from the university, described below.
The notice does not define "senior manager", "administrator" or "relevant employment", and does not say how any of them are verified.
The pre-admission letter condition
The pre-admission letter given by the university must contain the necessary registration information, which the notice spells out as personal information, the admission date and information about the major. The letter cannot contain any information about having received, or having been promised, a Chinese Government Scholarship.
Dates in the published notice
The notice is for the 2026 intake. Its online application deadline was 23:59 on 31 March 2026 (GMT+8), which has passed. When the page was checked, no notice for the following intake had been published on it. The 2026 notice does not state what the dates, terms or intake size of a later cycle will be, and this page does not assume they will be unchanged.
Questions people ask
How many places does YES China offer?
The notice puts the number of students to be enrolled at 200. It does not say how those places are divided between countries, universities or majors.
Can I apply while working abroad, or do I have to stop working?
The requirements do not address whether an applicant may keep working while applying. In the "1+1" pattern set out in the notice, the second academic year is spent working in the home country, and the first academic year is described as full-time course work and research in China.
Does the scholarship cover dependants or travel?
The notice states coverage as "Full scholarship". It does not list what that includes, and does not mention dependants, family members or travel.
Do I need a pre-admission letter before I apply?
The pre-admission letter is listed as one of the application requirements. Under that requirement, the letter from the university must contain the necessary registration information — personal information, the admission date and information about the major — and must not contain any information about having received or having been promised a Chinese Government Scholarship.
Sources
- Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program Chinese Government 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 or any university, and where it differs from the official notice, the official notice prevails.