CSC Annual Review and PhD Extension: 2026 Guide

The annual review is the process used to assess whether an eligible Chinese Government Scholarship student may continue, or in some cases resume, scholarship support for the following academic year. It is not a single generic checklist: CSC issues the overall arrangement, while the host university publishes its participants, timetable, documents, local evaluation and communication process.

Current 2026 notices from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, University of Science and Technology of China, and Zhejiang University describe review of conduct, academic performance, study or research attitude, and participation or campus performance. Those notices support the common framework, not a universal scoring formula or pass rate.

Published 2026 university notices commonly include three groups:

• students whose CSC scholarship is due to continue after September 2026;
• eligible doctoral students seeking an extension because they cannot graduate within the original funded period; and
• students whose scholarship was suspended after the prior annual review and who seek reinstatement.

FAFU states this scope directly, while China University of Geosciences and USST publish the same broad categories. A student currently on a formal study suspension may be treated differently. For example, Nanjing Agricultural University says such students do not participate in its 2026 review. Read the notice sent by your own international office before assuming you are included.

In 2026, universities have instructed eligible students to use their CSC number to enter the Scholarship Annual Self-Assessment area in the Study in China system, complete the questionnaire, upload the requested supporting material, and submit by the local deadline.

The surrounding process varies. FAFU's notice adds supervisor and training-college evaluation after the online self-assessment. Beihang asked students to verify access to both its own system and the CSC system, then complete the local requirements by the prescribed dates (Beihang notice). Keep screenshots or submission receipts, but ask your university which documents it wants, where they must be uploaded, and whether any local form or evaluation is also required.

Do not copy a checklist from another university. USTC's 2026 notice, for example, evaluates conduct, academic performance, learning or research attitude, and activity participation. Beihang tells students to prepare a compliance summary and supporting material such as research-output, award, or activity evidence where applicable. Your program may use other local records, supervisor comments, or a different timetable.

The practical approach is to compare your university's current notice against your own records: course and progress evidence, research milestones, required supervisor input, awards or disciplinary records, and any documents named in the notice. The broader academics and scholarship guide explains why attendance, curriculum, and graduation conditions must also be checked at program level.

A pass normally supports continued scholarship eligibility, but the university's recommendation is still subject to CSC approval. Beihang states that its 2026 results take effect in September after CSC's final approval. Do not treat a local result, portal submission, or supervisor comment as a final funding decision.

Consequences also need careful reading. USST says an unqualified student may have the scholarship suspended for one year and may apply to take a later review before the suspension ends; resumption requires CSC approval. Its notice also says two cumulative failed reviews or an unjustified failure to participate can lead to cancellation. Other universities publish their own rules and deadlines. Contact the international office promptly if you miss a step, and ask in writing about funding, enrollment, accommodation, insurance, and appeal or reinstatement options that apply to your case.

A scholarship extension is separate from simply taking longer to finish a degree. Current 2026 notices describe an application route for eligible doctoral students, not an automatic extension for every student or every degree level.

USTC says its eligible applicants are CSC-funded PhD students unable to complete within the basic period because of special circumstances, who have not used an extension before, have completed the thesis proposal and mid-term evaluation or equivalent stage requirements, and pass the 2026 annual review (official extension notice). It lists one semester or one academic year as the available extension durations in that institution's process. Treat those as current USTC examples, not a promise for another host university.

First, download the current annual-review and, if relevant, doctoral-extension notice from your own university. Confirm whether you are in the participant list, the system deadline, required evidence, supervisor or department sign-off, and who will notify you of the outcome. Nanjing Agricultural University's 2026 notice shows why this matters: it requires annual-review participation for extension applicants and says the final result follows CSC feedback.

For a possible PhD extension, ask early whether your progress, proposal, mid-term evaluation, funded-period end date, and local documents meet the current rules. Do not make travel, housing, or financial commitments on the assumption that an extension or reinstatement will be approved. The PhD in China guide can help you frame the degree-duration questions, but your host's written notice controls.

Need a careful check of your annual-review or extension documents? The $50 Document Review compares the materials you provide with your university's current notice. It does not contact your university, submit an application, decide eligibility, or guarantee continued funding.

*CSC Path is an independent educational resource, not affiliated with the China Scholarship Council. Always verify through official sources.*