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Welcome

Start Here: your CSC Path roadmap

Pick the track that matches you. Each pathway is an ordered checklist of the exact pages on this site to read, in order — from first search to submission.

Verified July 2026Updated for the 2026-2027 CSC cycle.Report an error

Undergraduate (Bachelor's)

Under 25, finishing high school. New CSCA test required from 2026-2027. Stipend CNY 2,500/month.

  1. 1. Read the CSC Overview (coverage, stipend, timeline)
  2. 2. Read the 2026-2027 changes & CSCA rules
  3. 3. Check your eligibility (5-minute quiz)
  4. 4. Shortlist universities (filter by 'accepts undergrad')
  5. 5. Follow the 7-step application guide
  6. 6. Download the study plan & recommendation templates

Master's

Under 35, holding a Bachelor's. The most competitive CSC tier. Stipend CNY 3,000/month.

  1. 1. Read the CSC Overview
  2. 2. Check your eligibility & competitiveness
  3. 3. Read: professor outreach & acceptance letters
  4. 4. Shortlist universities and departments
  5. 5. Work through the 7-step guide
  6. 6. Grab the study-plan and outreach-email templates
  7. 7. If short on time: our application services

PhD

Under 40, holding a Master's. Highest stipend (CNY 3,500) and highest supervisor weight.

  1. 1. Read the CSC Overview
  2. 2. Read: professor outreach & acceptance letters
  3. 3. Read: academic culture & the daoshi relationship
  4. 4. Shortlist universities and target labs
  5. 5. Draft your research proposal (template)
  6. 6. Follow the 7-step guide (adapt for research proposal)
  7. 7. Read: academics & keeping your scholarship

MBBS (English-taught medicine)

Home-country regulator recognition is the make-or-break question. Read this before you commit.

  1. 1. Read the honest MBBS in China guide
  2. 2. Check the WHO Directory of Medical Schools for your target university
  3. 3. Read the CSC Overview (MBBS eligibility varies)
  4. 4. Self-funded route: fees, admission windows
  5. 5. Documents & medical exam
  6. 6. Student visa & arrival

Self-funded

Skip the CSC queue. Direct admission, realistic costs, and how to keep your options open.

  1. 1. Read: self-funded overview (fees, timelines)
  2. 2. Costs, stipends & money
  3. 3. City cost guide (3 tiers, month-by-month)
  4. 4. Discover Hidden Gems (lower-cost, world-class niche)
  5. 5. Shortlist universities
  6. 6. Other scholarships you can also target

After you land: Living in China

Six new chapters covering your first year on the ground: arrival, money, phone, budgets, academic culture, and health.