Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) Chinese Government Scholarship

Beijing Foreign Studies University offers the Chinese Government Scholarship under the University Postgraduate Programme, a Category B award that funds master’s and doctoral study for international students. BFSU sits under the direct administration of China’s Ministry of Education and is listed under Project 211, the Project 985 Innovation Platform and the Double First-Class Initiative. It is best known for languages, international relations and area studies, teaching across more than 100 languages, and it has been enrolling international students since 1950.

The package is comprehensive. Tuition is fully waived, accommodation is provided free on campus or subsidised at 700 renminbi a month for master’s students and 1,000 for PhD students living off campus, and there is a monthly living stipend plus comprehensive medical insurance. Master’s programmes typically run two to three years and doctoral programmes up to four, all starting in September. Instruction may be in Chinese, English or a combination depending on the programme, so check the language requirement for your intended major early rather than assuming English.

One procedural detail causes more failed applications here than anything else. You must apply through two entirely separate systems: the BFSU International Student Service System and the China Scholarship Council system. Submitting to only one invalidates your application completely, and the two have different deadlines, with the university stage closing first in late January and the CSC stage around the end of February. Treating the later CSC date as extra time for the university application is a common and costly mistake.

For anyone whose field touches diplomacy, international relations, journalism or business with China, BFSU’s location in Beijing and its specific institutional focus make it a stronger fit than a general-purpose university. Many students also receive Mandarin instruction alongside their degree, so the language comes with the qualification. Practically, start the document work months ahead: notarisation and translation of degree certificates and transcripts routinely take longer than expected, and BFSU rejects incomplete applications rather than asking for the missing pieces. After the university’s own qualification review and examination, the final admission list requires approval from the China Scholarship Council before official documents are posted out.

• Open to non-Chinese citizens in good physical and mental health, applying under the Chinese Government Scholarship University Postgraduate Programme, which is a Category B award administered by the university.
• Master's applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent and meet the programme's age limit.
• Doctoral applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent and meet the corresponding age limit.
• You must apply through two separate systems: the BFSU International Student Service System and the China Scholarship Council system. Submitting to only one invalidates the application.
• Language of instruction varies by programme and may be Chinese, English, or a combination, so check the requirement for your intended major before applying.
• BFSU is a Ministry of Education university listed under Project 211, the Project 985 Innovation Platform and the Double First-Class Initiative, with particular strength in languages, international relations and area studies.
• Self-funded students already enrolled at BFSU may instead apply for the separate Beijing Government Scholarship, which is a different scheme with its own rules.
• Programmes begin in September, so plan the full application and visa timeline around an autumn start.

• Complete waiver of tuition fees for the full duration of the degree.
• Free on-campus accommodation, or a monthly housing subsidy of RMB 700 for master's students and RMB 1,000 for PhD students who live off campus.
• A monthly living stipend at the standard Chinese Government Scholarship rate.
• Comprehensive medical insurance for international students in China.
• Study at one of China's leading universities for languages and international studies, teaching across more than 100 languages.
• A Beijing location, which matters for anyone whose field involves diplomacy, international relations, journalism or business in China.
• Mandarin instruction alongside your degree programme for many students, so you leave with the language as well as the qualification.
• Strong placement into diplomacy, education, business and journalism, which is what BFSU is known for.

• Application through the BFSU International Student Service System, plus a parallel application in the China Scholarship Council system.
• Highest degree certificate and full academic transcripts, notarised and translated into Chinese or English where required.
• Study or research plan appropriate to the degree level, written in Chinese or English.
• Two recommendation letters from professors or associate professors.
• Copy of your passport, valid well beyond the intended study period.
• Foreigner Physical Examination Form, completed and stamped by a medical institution.
• Language proficiency evidence, either HSK results for Chinese-taught programmes or English test results where required.
• Non-criminal record certificate and any other documents specified in the current admission guide.

• Read the current BFSU admission guide for the Chinese Government Scholarship University Postgraduate Programme before starting, since requirements are updated each cycle.
• Begin early. Document notarisation and translation for Chinese applications routinely take longer than applicants expect, and incomplete submissions are rejected rather than queried.
• Complete the application in the BFSU International Student Service System, which in the previous cycle closed on 31 January.
• Complete the separate China Scholarship Council application as well. This is the step people most often miss, and applying through only one system invalidates the whole application.
• The CSC system deadline falls later than the BFSU one, around the end of February in the previous cycle, but do not treat that as extra time for the university stage.
• Structure the research proposal carefully and align it with your chosen field, since it carries real weight in the qualification review.
• BFSU conducts an initial qualification review and examination, and shortlisted candidates are notified by email and published on the BFSU website.
• The final admission list requires approval by the China Scholarship Council, after which official admission documents are sent by post.