01 Selected Participants, Categories and Host Institutions
1. Fields: Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering; Transportation Engineering.
2. Categories and annual quotas: three degree-seeking doctoral students; two jointly supervised doctoral students; one degree-seeking master’s student; three jointly supervised master’s students; and one visiting scholar.
3. Host institutions: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Chalmers University of Technology; University of Strathclyde; Liverpool John Moores University; Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech; and University College London.
02 Funding Coverage and Duration
In accordance with the relevant regulations for government-sponsored overseas study, funding generally covers one round-trip international journey and a scholarship for the approved funding period. The scholarship supports the basic study and living expenses of government-sponsored students and scholars while abroad and may be used for living expenses, registration fees, medical insurance, books and materials, bench fees, visa-extension fees, and related costs. Under the specific provisions of the program, tuition support may be provided to some recipients. The funding method and standards are subject to the admission documents. Funding periods for each category are as follows:
Degree-seeking doctoral students are generally funded for 36–48 months; jointly supervised doctoral students for 6–24 months; degree-seeking master’s students for 12–24 months; jointly supervised master’s students for 3–12 months; and visiting scholars for 3–12 months.
The period of study abroad and the funding period are generally determined by considering the academic system of the proposed host institution, the applicant’s request, the foreign admission notice or invitation letter submitted with the application, the program’s maximum funding period, and expert-review comments. The specific study and funding periods are confirmed upon admission and are subject to the admission documents. The funding method and standards are also subject to those documents.
03 Eligibility Requirements
1. Applicants must meet the basic eligibility requirements in the Guidelines for the Selection of Overseas Students and Scholars Sponsored by the China Scholarship Council for the relevant year.
(1) Applicants must support the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics; love the motherland; possess good moral character; abide by laws and regulations; demonstrate a sense of responsibility to serve the country, society and the people; and hold sound views of the world, life and values.
(2) Applicants must have a sound academic foundation and development potential, uphold academic ethics and norms, perform outstandingly in work or study, and demonstrate dedication and a sense of mission to return and contribute to national development after completing their studies.
(3) Applicants must be citizens of the People’s Republic of China, must not hold permanent residence abroad, and must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
(4) Applicants must be physically and mentally healthy and have no record of disciplinary or legal violations.
2. Applicants must obtain a formal invitation letter or admission notice issued by the host institution.
3. Requirements by applicant category:
(1) Degree-seeking doctoral students: The period of study is generally 36–48 months, subject to the academic system of the destination country and institution or the period stated in the foreign admission notice or invitation letter. Applicants must be outstanding current master’s students at the project institution (including those graduating in the current year), current-year bachelor’s graduates, or employed staff. For approved joint Chinese–foreign dual-doctoral programs, current doctoral students at the project institution may apply. Current master’s students must demonstrate research ability and achievements; current-year bachelor’s graduates must meet the institution’s standard for recommendation to postgraduate study without an entrance examination; and employed applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree, have achieved strong results in their positions, and possess substantial research ability. Applicants must be no older than 35 (born on or after January 1, 1991).
(2) Jointly supervised doctoral students: The period of study is 6–24 months. Applicants must be outstanding full-time doctoral students currently enrolled at the project institution and must be no older than 35 (born on or after January 1, 1991). Applicants in an integrated master’s–doctoral program may apply only after entering the doctoral stage.
(3) Degree-seeking master’s students: The period of study is generally 12–24 months, subject to the academic system of the destination country and institution or the period stated in the foreign admission notice or invitation letter. Applicants must be outstanding current-year bachelor’s graduates of the project institution. For approved joint Chinese–foreign dual-master’s programs, current master’s students at the project institution may apply. Applicants must be no older than 35 (born on or after January 1, 1991).
(4) Jointly supervised master’s students: The period of study is 3–12 months. Applicants must be outstanding full-time master’s students currently enrolled at the project institution and must be no older than 35 (born on or after January 1, 1991).
(5) Visiting scholars: The period of study is 3–12 months. Applicants must be formally employed by the project institution and must be no older than 50 (born on or after January 1, 1976). Applicants must have at least five years of work experience after completing a bachelor’s degree or at least two years after completing a master’s degree. No minimum work-experience period applies to applicants with a doctoral degree.
04 Foreign-Language Proficiency Requirements for the Program
1. Applicants in the degree-seeking doctoral, jointly supervised doctoral, degree-seeking master’s and jointly supervised master’s categories must meet at least one of the following requirements:
(1) Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in a foreign-language major, with the language matching that used in the destination country.
(2) Have studied for one academic year (8–12 months) or worked continuously for at least one year in a country using the same language within the past ten years.
(3) Have taken the National Foreign Language Proficiency Test (WSK) and achieved the qualifying standard.
(4) Have achieved the following test results: IELTS Academic 6.5; TOEFL iBT 95; CEFR B2 in German, French, Italian or Spanish; Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N2; or Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) Level 4.
(5) Have completed training in the relevant language at a Ministry of Education-designated training department for personnel going abroad and obtained a completion certificate (advanced level for English and intermediate level for other languages).
(6) Have passed an interview, examination or other assessment organized by the proposed foreign host institution and met its admission-language requirement, as stated in the foreign admission notice or formal invitation letter or certified separately. Applicants meeting the host institution’s language requirement through another test, including TOEFL iBT Home Edition or IELTS Indicator, must submit the score report and written confirmation from the host institution that it recognizes the test. Applicants using IELTS Indicator must submit both the score report and the host institution’s written recognition.
2. Applicants in the visiting-scholar category must meet at least one of the following requirements:
(1) Have taken the National Foreign Language Proficiency Test (WSK) and met the relevant qualifying standard:
• English (PETS-5): written-test total of at least 55, including at least 18 in listening, and an oral-test total of at least 3.
• German (NTD): written-test total of at least 65.
• French (TNF): written-test total of at least 60.
• Japanese (NNS) or Russian (ТЛРЯ): written-test total of at least 60 and oral-test total of at least 3.
(2) Hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in a foreign-language major, with the language matching that used in the destination country.
(3) Within the past ten years, have studied continuously for at least eight months or worked continuously for at least twelve months in a country or region using the same language, or have studied abroad for at least three months as a government-sponsored senior research scholar.
(4) Have completed relevant language training at a Ministry of Education-designated training department for personnel going abroad and obtained:
• For English: an advanced-class completion certificate.
• For German, French, Japanese, Russian, Spanish or Italian: an intermediate-class completion certificate.
(5) Have achieved the following test results:
• IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 95.
• CEFR B2 in German, French, Spanish or Italian.
• Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N3.
• Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) Level 3.
(6) For study in a country using a language other than English, German, French, Japanese, Russian, Spanish or Italian, pass a language interview, examination or other assessment organized by the proposed foreign host institution and meet its requirement, as stated in the foreign invitation letter or certified separately.
3. Notes on the program’s foreign-language proficiency requirements:
(1) The above requirements are the uniform standards for both application and dispatch. If an applicant meets the requirement at the time of application and the language certificate remains valid, the applicant will be regarded as language-qualified at dispatch. Results or certificates for WSK, Ministry of Education-designated language training, IELTS, TOEFL, CEFR examinations, TOPIK and JLPT are valid for two years.
(2) Proof of WSK results is the National Foreign Language Proficiency Test (WSK) score report.
(3) Proof of graduation from a foreign-language major at bachelor’s level or above is the relevant academic qualification or degree certificate.
(4) Applicants who have studied or worked in a country or region using the same language may submit either of the following:
• A Certificate for Returned Overseas Students issued in a previous year.
• Supporting materials establishing the study period, host institution and academic qualification, including:
○ For applicants who obtained an academic qualification or degree abroad: their entry-and-exit record printed from the official website of the National Immigration Administration, together with the degree or graduation certificate issued by the foreign institution or the foreign academic degree authentication issued by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange.
○ For applicants who worked or undertook research abroad: their entry-and-exit record printed from the official website of the National Immigration Administration, together with separate letters from the former host institution and the personnel department of the domestic dispatching institution confirming the overseas study or work.
If the language used in the country of previous study differs from that used in the proposed destination country, the applicant must additionally provide confirmation from the former host institution that the working language was the relevant language.
(5) CEFR B2 in German, French, Spanish or Italian includes equivalent certificates or results, such as TestDaF 12 or above; TEF 541 or above, TCF 400 or above, or DELF B2 for French; DELE B2 for Spanish; and CELI 3, CILS Due B2 or PLIDA B2 for Italian.
(6) Language requirements for study in non-English-speaking countries:
The foreign invitation letter must clearly state the working language. If it explicitly states that English may be used, applicants who meet the national standard for government-sponsored study in English may apply and be dispatched. Before departure, they may voluntarily undertake elementary training in the destination-country language at a relevant Ministry of Education-designated training department and need only submit proof of English proficiency when applying. If the invitation letter specifies a working language other than English, or does not specify a working language, applicants must meet the corresponding language requirement above and submit the relevant proof.
(7) Applicants undertaking foreign-language training at a Ministry of Education-designated training department must contact the relevant department themselves. Languages offered and contact details are provided in the List of Training Languages and Contact Numbers of Ministry of Education-designated Training Departments for Personnel Going Abroad. Before training, applicants must take the department’s placement test and will be assigned to the appropriate level based on the result. Participants in an advanced English class must take the nationally standardized completion examination.
05 Applications Will Not Be Accepted from the Following Persons
1. Those who have already received a fully funded scholarship from abroad.
2. Those who have already obtained a valid qualification for government-sponsored overseas study.
3. Those who have applied for another government-sponsored overseas study program for which admission results have not yet been announced.
4. Those who previously obtained government-sponsored overseas study funding, relinquished it without approval from the China Scholarship Council, and are still within two years of the expiry of that qualification.
5. Those who previously studied abroad with China Scholarship Council funding and have not yet completed two years of required service after returning to China.
06 Selection Process and Schedule
1. Selection follows the principles of openness, fairness and impartiality and uses the process of individual application, institutional recommendation, expert review and merit-based admission.
2. Before applying, applicants must contact a foreign institution independently or through their home institution, obtain a formal foreign admission notice or invitation letter, and prepare the required application materials in accordance with the relevant instructions. The overseas-study qualification of those admitted to the program in a given year remains valid until December 31 of the following year. Admitted applicants must depart within the validity period; otherwise, their funding qualification will be cancelled automatically.
3. Application periods: March, June and September each year.
07 Contact Information
University contact: Mr. Fang
Telephone: 0574-87600505
Email: fanghaolin@nbu.edu.cn