Shanghai Government Scholarship (SGS): Type A vs Type B
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.
Shanghai runs municipal Type A and Type B scholarship routes with different coverage. Compare the current official rules, host notices, and deadlines.
1.What is the Shanghai Government Scholarship (SGS)?
A scholarship funded by the Shanghai municipal government for international students at Shanghai universities, in two classes (official Shanghai Education Commission guide): Type A (full) covers tuition + accommodation (or subsidy) + comprehensive insurance + living stipend of ¥2,500/month (bachelor's), ¥3,000 (master's), ¥3,500 (PhD), the same stipend levels as CSC; Type B (partial) covers tuition + insurance.
2.Who's eligible?
Non-Chinese citizens in good health, meeting the age norms (bachelor's ≤25, master's ≤35, doctoral ≤40), with strong academic records, applying to (or enrolled at) Shanghai universities, and not simultaneously holding another Chinese government scholarship. Language requirements follow the program: Chinese-taught programs need HSK per the university's bar; English-taught need IELTS/TOEFL per the university.
3.How and when to apply
Two channels, often both: register via the Study in Shanghai portal (study-shanghai.cn) and apply through your target university's international admissions, which nominates candidates. The window generally runs February–April for the September intake. Verified university examples: Shanghai Maritime University ran December 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026 (official); East China Normal University's deadline was April 30, 2026 (official). Exact dates vary by university and refresh each December–January.
4.Which Shanghai universities participate?
Broadly, the city's major institutions: Fudan, Shanghai Jiao Tong, Tongji, ECNU, Shanghai University, SUFE, Shanghai Maritime, Shanghai University of TCM and more run SGS rounds through their admissions offices. Browse their profiles in our university directory. Note Shanghai's higher living costs versus second-tier cities when comparing offers; the stipend is the same number, but it stretches differently (city costs guide).
5.SGS vs CSC vs Jasmine Jiangsu
These are separate funding routes with different authorities, host lists, eligibility rules, coverage and deadlines. SGS Type A's published coverage resembles the standard full CGS package, but that does not establish comparable competition or selection probability. Jiangsu awards vary by current host and program; use the current Jiangsu guide rather than an old province-wide amount. If a Shanghai university offers consideration for more than one funding route, follow its current application instructions and confirm whether separate submissions are required. Do not assume that two funding labels create two independent chances.
6.Timeline for 2027 applicants
October–December 2026: shortlist Shanghai universities + contact professors/pre-admission (letters guide). December–January: university SGS notices publish. February–April 2027: submit SGS + university applications. July–August: results. Missing the SGS window doesn't kill your year; university freshman scholarships and BGS-style awards in other cities remain. City scholarship or CSC, or both at once? The $50 shortlisting session builds your multi-scholarship plan for one intake. *CSC Path is an independent educational resource, not affiliated with the China Scholarship Council. Always verify through official sources.*
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