Beijing Government Scholarship: Categories A, B & C

A municipal scholarship for outstanding international students studying or conducting research at higher-education institutions and research institutes in Beijing. The current Beijing municipal procedure, published January 23, 2026, divides BGS into three categories:

• Category A covers tuition, accommodation, living expenses and comprehensive medical insurance.
• Category B covers tuition, accommodation and comprehensive medical insurance.
• Category C covers tuition and comprehensive medical insurance.

The host institution decides the recipient's category and handles disbursement. Coverage should therefore be checked against the institution's current BGS notice rather than an older fixed-value tuition table.

The 2026 municipal procedure covers newly admitted and currently enrolled students. Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens, be in good physical and mental health, meet the host institution's admission requirements and not concurrently receive another scholarship from a Chinese government body, social organisation or admitting institution, apart from a one-time award.

The stated maximum ages at enrolment are 25 for bachelor's, 35 for master's and 40 for doctoral study. Preparatory applicants must be no older than 24, visiting students no older than 45, and research scholars no older than 50. The procedure also sets degree, language and academic-performance requirements. Category A carries higher academic thresholds than Categories B and C, so read the official eligibility section before applying.

Apply directly to a participating Beijing institution. The municipal procedure directs applicants to use the Studying in Beijing directory to find institutions and programs, then consult the intended institution for its courses, documents and submission method.

There is no single citywide deadline. Each institution sets and publishes its own closing date. Do not rely on an assumed February deadline or an old university notice; confirm the date and available BGS category on the institution's current admissions page.

A full CSC award and BGS Category A can both cover tuition, accommodation, living costs and medical insurance, but they are different programs with different selection routes. BGS Categories B and C provide narrower coverage.

The 2026 BGS procedure says recipients may not concurrently hold another scholarship provided by Chinese government bodies, social organisations or the admitting institution, except a one-time award. Do not assume awards can be stacked. Compare the exact offer, then ask the international office which award must be declined if more than one application succeeds. See our CSC overview for the separate national program.

If Beijing is your target city, shortlist institutions first and check each institution's current admissions notice for the BGS categories it offers, its deadline and its submission process. Then compare that route with any current CSC or university-funded option for which you qualify.

Use the official academic thresholds as a screening check, especially the higher Category A requirements. Browse Peking University, Tsinghua University and other Beijing institutions in our university directory, but verify the current scholarship notice on the institution's own site before submitting.

The $50 shortlisting session can help organise options, but the host institution alone decides eligibility, category and selection. *CSC Path is an independent educational resource, not affiliated with the China Scholarship Council. Always verify through official sources.*