2026 Application Guide of the Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program Chinese Government Scholarship at Sun Yat-sen University
Postdate：2025-12-30
In accordance with the relevant regulations of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the “Ministry of Education”) and the China Scholarship Council (hereinafter referred to as the “CSC”), and in light of the actual circumstances of Sun Yat-sen University (hereinafter referred to as “SYSU”), these application guidelines are hereby formulated. https://www.campuschina.org/zh/content/details1003_790443.html
I. Overview of the Scholarship
The Chinese Government Scholarship—Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program aims to cultivate global governance professionals with a broad international perspective, strong overall competence, outstanding leadership potential, and cross-cultural backgrounds.
Program Website:
https://www.campuschina.org/zh/content/details1003_790443.html
As an authorized recruiting institution for the Chinese Government Scholarship—Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program, SYSU admits international master’s degree students from around the world under this program. The CSC will conduct a preliminary review of application materials and organize expert evaluations. The final admission decisions will be subject to the CSC’s expert review outcomes.
II. Eligibility
1. Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens who hold a valid foreign passport.
2. Applicants must be under 45 years of age, in good physical and mental health, and meet the physical examination requirements for obtaining a student visa or residence permit for study in China.
3. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and have at least three years of work experience. Preference will be given to those with academic or professional backgrounds related to the program applied for. Applicants must also meet the following two requirements:
(1) Applicants must also belong to one of the following four categories to be eligible for this program:
a. Being a civil servant at the department level (or equivalent) or above in their home country’s government;
b. Senior management personnel in institutions or enterprises;
c. Administrative staff at universities or research institutions;
d. Individuals with work or internship experience in international organizations.
(2) Applicants must obtain a conditional admission letter from the international student admissions office of a Chinese university, which must include personal information, enrollment date, and program details required for university registration. The conditional admission letter must not indicate that the applicant has received or is promised the Chinese Government Scholarship.
4. Applicants must demonstrate friendliness toward China, diligence in their studies, excellent academic performance, good moral character, and compliance with laws and regulations. They must have no record of school disciplinary violations, security penalties, or criminal offenses.
III. Scholarship Coverage
This program offers full scholarship for a duration of one year. The specific funding details and standards are subject to the official announcement of the CSC for the corresponding year.
IV. Programs and Modes of Study
1. Master of Public Administration (China Governance) Program for Belt and Road Countries: A one-year master’s program taught in English.
2. Master of International Business Administration: A two-year master’s program taught in English. In the first academic year, students will complete their coursework and prepare their graduation thesis at SYSU. In the second academic year, students will return to their home country to complete their thesis and defend it.
V. Application Deadline
February 15, 2026
VI. Application and Admission Procedures
Step 1: Online registration with the CSC
(1) Log in to the Chinese Government Scholarship Online Application System at: http://studyinchina.csc.edu.cn or http://www.campuschina.org; (2) select “Type A” and input institution code “1563”, (3) choose the program “The Chinese Government Scholarship—Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program”, and (4) submit the required materials as instructed.
After submitting online, print the China Government Scholarship Application Form and sign it by hand.
Step 2: Complete and Submit the Online Application to SYSU
Applicants should access the Sun Yat-sen University International Student Application System (hereinafter referred to as the “Application System”) at: http://apply.sysu.edu.cn
Applicants should complete the following procedures:
(1) Register an account in the Application System;
(2) Log in and click “Online Application”. Select “The Chinese Government Scholarship—Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program”;
(3) Submit the required application materials (see Section VII of these guidelines for details).
Step 3: Upload Signed Documents
Applicants should download the automatically generated Application Information Form from the Application System (including the “Letter of Commitment”, and the “Proof of Financial Support by Applicant” or “Proof of Financial Guarantee”), print the document, sign it by hand, and upload the signed version to the system.
Step 4: Pay the Application Fee Online
The application fee is RMB 400. Once paid, the fee is non-refundable. Applications submitted without payment of the application fee will be considered invalid.
Step 5: Qualification Review and Interview
SYSU will review the submitted application documents, and qualified applicants will be invited to attend an interview.
The interview will assess the applicant’s overall competence and language proficiency. The interview schedule and format will be notified through the Application System or via email.
Step 6: Check the Preliminary Admission Results
SYSU will determine the preliminary admission list based on a comprehensive evaluation. Applicants can log in to the Application System to check their preliminary admission results 15 days after the interview and download the Admission Letter.
Step 7: Confirmation of Scholarship Award Eligibility
For applicants who have obtained pre-admission from SYSU, the final admission decision is subject to the results of the expert review conducted by the CSC.
Admission notices for scholarship recipients will be issued on a rolling basis, and applicants may log in to the Application System to download them.
VII. Application Materials
1. A valid ordinary passport and a personal profile photo
Applicants’ passports must remain valid until at least December 1, 2026. Please renew your passport if necessary. Applicants currently residing in the Chinese mainland should also provide a scanned copy of their valid Chinese visa or residence permit page, as well as the entry stamp page/s.
For applicants who were originally citizens of the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region, or the Taiwan, and later acquired foreign nationality, the following documents must be additionally provided:
(1) Proof of the cancellation of household registration, or proof of renunciation of Chinese nationality; or
(2) An official certificate issued by a Chinese diplomatic or consular mission certifying that the applicant does not hold Chinese nationality.
2. Degree certificates, diplomas, and verification reports
(1) Applicants for master’s programs who graduated from institutions within China must submit the following documents from the Chinese Higher Education Student Information Network via its official website link: https://www.chsi.com.cn:
a. Electronic Registration and Verification Form of Higher Education Qualification Certificate issued by the Ministry of Education for the bachelor’s degree.
b. Online Verification Report of Higher Education Degree Certificate for the bachelor’s degree.
(2) Applicants for master’s programs who graduated from institutions outside the Chinese mainland must submit the Foreign Academic Degree and Qualification Verification Report for the bachelor’s degree issued by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) via its official website: https://www.cscse.edu.cn.
(3) For current-year graduates, a pre-graduation certificate issued by the applicant’s school may be submitted during the application process. However, if they fail to provide the degree certificate of bachelor’s degree before enrollment, their admission offer will be considered invalid.
3. Complete academic transcripts
Applicants for master’s degree programs must submit the complete transcripts of their bachelor’s degree program issued and stamped by the academic affair department or the relevant student administration department of the applicants’ institution.
For applicants graduating in the current year, the most recent transcript issued by their school may be submitted during the application process. However, if they fail to provide the complete bachelor’s transcript before enrollment, their admission offer will be considered invalid.
4. Proof of language proficiency
Applicants should provide a proof for their English proficiency that demonstrate sufficient language skills to undertake their studies.
Applicants whose native language is not English, must submit proof of English proficiency through either the TOEFL iBT, with a minimum total score of 79 and no less than 15 in each section, or the IELTS Academic, with a minimum overall band score of 6.5 and no less than 5.5 in each component.
Applicants who have taken courses taught in English may submit a “Certificate of English-Medium Instruction” issued by their school. Upon verification by SYSU, submission of English proficiency test scores may be waived.
5. Two academic recommendation letters (see Appendix 1)
Referees of the recommendation letters must be professors, associate professors, or experts with equivalent professional or technical titles in the applicant’s field of study.
6. Plan of study and research in China (see Appendix 3)
Applicants for master’s degree programs are required to submit a Plan of Study and Research in China, with a main text of approximately 3,000 words, and including, but not limited to, the applicant’s academic and professional background, research achievements, research plan of the master’s stage of study, and post-graduation career plans.
Applicants for doctoral degree programs are required to submit a Plan of Study and Research in China, with a main text of approximately 6,000 words, and including, but not limited to, the applicant’s academic and professional background, research achievements, doctoral research plan, and post-graduation career plans. The study plan submitted by applicants for doctoral degree must be signed and approved by their prospective Chinese advisor, and must be written either in Chinese or in English only.
7. Physical examination report and test results (see Appendix 4)
Applicants must submit the Foreigner Physical Examination Form along with scanned copies of the original reports for a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), and laboratory tests for specified items. All documents must bear the official seal of the hospital and must be issued within the past six months.
Applicants currently residing in the Chinese mainland who hold a valid Foreigner Residence Permit or Permanent Residence ID Card for Foreigners may submit either of these documents in place of the Foreigner Physical Examination Form.
8. Certificate of Non-Criminal Record
Applicants must submit a valid Certificate of No Criminal Record issued by the local public security authority, generally dated within six months prior to the application submission date.
9. Scholarship application form
Log in to the Chinese Government Scholarship Online Application System (http://studyinchina.csc.edu.cn/#/login) and submit your application materials to the CSC. Before online application, the applicants must have already received a conditional admission letter for one of the programs listed under the Study-in-China program.
When applying online, (1) select Type A and enter the institution code 1563, (2) choose the program “The Chinese Government Scholarship—Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program”, and (3) after submitting online, print the China Government Scholarship Application Form, sign it by hand in the designated space, and upload the signed version.
10. Supplementary supporting documents
Applicants may submit certificates of awards or documents verifying relevant experience to support their application.
Note: All application materials must be original documents in Chinese or English. For documents in other languages, a notarized Chinese or English translation must be provided.
VIII. Supervision
1. Responsibility for Submitted Materials: Applicants are responsible for the authenticity of all materials they submit. In accordance with Chinese national regulations and SYSU’s rules, any applicant found to have submitted falsified materials will have their admission, enrollment, and student status revoked, and the matter will be reported to the relevant authorities.
2. Registration: Admitted students must complete registration on the date and at the location specified in the Admission Letter. Early registration is not permitted. Failure to register on time without prior approval will be considered a withdrawal of admission, and scholarship recipients will also lose their scholarship eligibility.
3. Post-Admission Physical Examination and Eligibility Review: SYSU will conduct a physical examination and review of admission eligibility for all enrolled students in accordance with regulations and requirements of the Ministry of Education of China. Students who fail to meet the admission requirements or are found to have submitted falsified materials will have their admission and enrollment revoked, and scholarship recipients will also lose their scholarship eligibility.
IX. Contact Information
1. Office of Study in China Affairs, Chinese Scholarship Council
Tele：0086（10）66093927, 66093924
Website: http://studyinchina.csc.edu.cn
or https://www.campuschina.org
2. Office of International Students’ Affairs, Sun Yat-sen University
Office Website: http://iso.sysu.edu.cn
Online Application Website:http://iso.sysu.edu.cn
https://apply.sysu.edu.cn/login
Email: admissions@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Inquiry Tel: 0086(20)84110819
Supervision Department Tel: 0086(20)84115582
Address: Office of International Students’ Affairs, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou, P.R.China
Zip code: 510275
3. School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University (Master of Public Administration)
Website: https://sog.sysu.edu.cn
Email: mpacgdc@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Phone: +86 (20) 3934 3436
Address: Room C212B, School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 132 East Outer Ring Road, University Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
Zip Code: 510006
4.School of Business, Sun Yat-sen University (Master of International Business Administration)
Website: https://bus.sysu.edu.cn/mba
Email: sysumba@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Phone: +86 (20) 8411 5584
Address: Building No. 6, Lanyuan, East Campus, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 132 East Outer Ring Road, University Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
Zip Code: 510006