CSC Scholarship Type C: What It Means
Written by CSC Path Editorial. Reviewed by Aqib Javed, a CSC scholarship recipient in China. Facts are checked against official CSC, government, embassy, and university sources.
Type C is a special CSC application category, not a standard funding package. Use it only when the responsible authority gives you that category and agency number.
1.What is CSC Scholarship Type C?
Type C is a program category in the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System. A CSC system instruction reproduced by Harbin Engineering University describes it as a category for certain appraisal scholarship programs and says applicants receive the agency number through a special CSC notice.
The category identifies how a particular application is routed. It does not, by itself, state the scholarship benefits, deadline or eligibility rules. Those details come from the notice for the named program. The 2026/2027 Chinese Embassy in Nauru instructions still show Type A, Type B and Type C options in the portal, but direct applicants for that embassy route to Type A. A visible Type C button is not an invitation to choose it without instructions.
2.Is Type C a full or partial scholarship?
The category alone does not answer that question. It routes the form for a named program, while the program notice defines coverage. Do not assume Type C always means a partial award, an award for current students or a private scholarship.
Also check the scholarship's full name. Peking University's current Beijing Government Scholarship guide has a municipal award called Type C that covers tuition and medical insurance. That is a Beijing Government Scholarship class, not proof of what the CSC portal category covers. Similar labels used by municipal or university scholarships should not be substituted for a Chinese Government Scholarship program category.
3.Who should select Type C in the CSC portal?
Select it only when the responsible program notice, CSC or the receiving authority tells you to do so. China University of Geosciences, Wuhan states in its 2026 Bilateral Program pre-admission guide that applicants choose Type A or Type C depending on their program and obtain the agency number from the Chinese embassy or relevant dispatching authority.
Do not decide from the identity of the sponsor alone. UNESCO's 2026/2027 Great Wall Fellowship instructions tell applicants to use Type A with agency number 00001. This shows why a program involving an international organization is not automatically Type C.
4.Where do you get the Type C agency number?
Get it from the special notice or the authority responsible for that application. Do not copy a university code from an online list or reuse an agency number from another route. The Harbin Engineering University system instruction says Type C applicants are informed of the agency number through special notices.
The category and agency number must match. The Nauru embassy's current instructions warn that the processing authority will not receive an application if either field is wrong. The CSC agency-number guide explains how to confirm the matched agency name before submitting.
5.How is Type C different from Type A and Type B?
Type A commonly routes an application through an authority other than a Chinese university. Hefei University of Technology's 2026 Bilateral Program guide tells applicants to apply through their home-country dispatching department and choose Type A in the CSC system.
Type B commonly routes a university-managed Chinese Government Scholarship application to a Chinese university. Xiamen University's 2026 University Program guide requires Type B with Xiamen University's agency number and a second application in the university portal. Type C is reserved for the special program identified by the responsible notice. These are application routes, not universal rankings of scholarship value or selection difficulty. The portal-order guide covers the separate handoff steps for Type A and Type B.
6.Can you apply for Type C without a special notice?
You should not submit a Type C form without a notice or direct instruction that identifies both the category and agency number. The general portal may display the option even when your intended route uses Type A or Type B. Guessing can send the form to the wrong processing authority or leave it outside the program you meant to enter.
Start with the current notice from the embassy, dispatching authority, university or program operator. Confirm the program name, applicant group, deadline, category, agency number, receiving portal and required handoff. The complete CSC FAQ gives broader route context, but the specific notice remains controlling.
7.What should you check before submitting a Type C form?
Check that the current notice explicitly says Type C and that you are in its eligible applicant group. Copy the agency number from that notice or a written reply from the responsible authority. Enter both fields, confirm that the correct agency name appears, and compare the program, study level and university choices with the notice. Complete any separate submission required by the receiving authority, then keep the submitted form and confirmation.
If you want an independent check, the CSC Path Document Review can compare your notice, category, agency number and form for inconsistencies. It does not issue agency numbers, create eligibility, submit applications, influence decisions or guarantee nomination, admission or funding.
*CSC Path is an independent educational resource, not affiliated with the China Scholarship Council, any university, embassy, dispatching authority or scholarship provider. We do not submit applications, control admission or scholarship decisions, or guarantee nomination, admission or funding.*
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