China Scholarship Council (CSC) PhD Scholarships

Description:

This scheme provides academically excellent Chinese students with the opportunity to study for a PhD at the University of Glasgow. The scholarships are supported jointly by the China Scholarship Council and the University of Glasgow.

For successful applicants, the College will provide fee waivers, and the CSC will consider their application for a living allowance as set by the Chinese government, return airfare from China to the UK by the most economical route, and visa application fees.

The scholarships will be awarded to citizens and permanent residents of the People's Republic of China at the time of application that are accepted for admission on a full-time basis for a postgraduate PhD degree programme at the University of Glasgow.

Candidates should not be currently working outside China at the time of application, and successful candidates must agree to return to China upon completion of their research degree at the University of Glasgow. Candidates currently studying outside China are eligible to apply.

Eligibility:

  • High achieving Chinese students only.
  • Applicants must have an Unconditional offer into a CoSS PhD Program by the closing date. Applicants who hold a Conditional offer admission must have satisfied all English language requirements by the closing date. Please ensure that you fulfil the College of Social Sciences English language requirements before applying for CSC funding.
  • 2025/26: From the 2025/26 round, the College of Social Sciences will no longer consider current 1st year PhD candidates for the CSC PhD Scholarship. The competition will be open to prospective PhD applicants only.

Fee type:

International

Level of study:

Postgraduate Research

Value:

This scholarship will cover full tuition fees for the minimum PhD study period duration (refer to Section 10.11 of the PGR Code of Practice), and the CSC will consider applications for a living allowance

How to apply:

In order to be considered for this scholarship you must:

1. Apply for a PhD within the College of Social Sciences as soon as possible, and no later than 31 January 2025 to allow time for your offer to be processed. Details on how to apply for a PhD can be found on the Graduate Schools' How to Apply webpage

2. For those applicants who wish to begin their PhD research at Glasgow, please indicate in the funding section of your admission application that you wish to apply for CSC funding.

3. All applicants must complete the CoSS China Scholarship Council (CSC) application via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information)

4. As part of the Scholarships Application Portal process, you will need to upload the CoSS CSC PhD Scholarship application form as well as a Supervisor Statement of Support CoSS CSC provided by your prospective supervisors. The Supervisor Statement of Support is a key component of the application and of the assessment process. The Supervisor Statement of Support is to be returned to you by your potential supervisors and you will need to upload it to the Portal by the closing date.

5.  To be considered for a scholarship, it is preferred that applicants have an unconditional offer in place before the CSC deadline. Those applicants who hold a conditional offer of admission must have satisfied all English language requirements. Please ensure that you fulfil the College of Social Sciences English language requirements before applying for CSC funding. If you do not have a PhD offer by the CSC closing date, you will not be eligible for consideration.

6.  Once the College has decided on the nominations for 2025/26, the nominated applicants will receive an updated PhD offer letter stating this for submission with their application to the CSC.

7. Shortlisted applicants must then apply directly to the CSC during the application window, please check the CSC’s website for details http://apply.csc.edu.cn/csc/main/person/login/index.jsf  Applicants should satisfy the selection criteria set out by CSC and complete the CSC Application form by the required date. Shortlisted applicants should apply through the CSC-Glasgow Channel.

8. Applicants must be both shortlisted by the University of Glasgow and successful with the CSC in order to be accepted onto this scholarship programme.  

Assessment:

  • Applications will be judged in terms of qualifications, preparedness to undertake a PhD, and the quality of the proposed project.
  • The College of Social Sciences expects all funded PhD candidates to be able to complete their PhD within the funded period
  • All applications are reviewed and decided by the College funding panel. Only applicants nominated by the College Graduate School will be eligible for the tuition fee waiver.
  • The College of Social Sciences will shortlist 10 applications for a total of 5 funded places.
  • Applications shortlisted by the College are subject to further approval by the China Scholarship Council.

Timeline:

Date Process
31 January 2025

Applicants should have made their application for a PhD within the College of Social Sciences no later than this date
27 February 2025

Applicants must have a PhD offer by this date (if a PhD offer is conditional, applicants must have fulfilled the English language requirements by this date)

Applicants must also have completed the CoSS CSC PhD Scholarship application via the Scholarships Application Portal and uploaded the Application Form and Supervisor Statement of Support.

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered
07 March 2025 Date by which Colleges must nominate to the University's External Relations team. Nominated students notified
10 - 31 March 2025 Application window for nominated students to apply directly to the CSC on the CSC website http://apply.csc.edu.cn/csc/main/person/login/index.jsf
End May/Early June 2025 CSC confirm successful nominees