Student funding opportunities

China Scholarship Council (CSC) PhD Scholarships

Description:

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 tuition fee waivers, and the CSC will consider their application for a living allowance as set by the Chinese government (which includes Student Health cover), a 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 a firm Unconditional or Conditional offer to commence a CoSS PhD Program in 2027/28 by the closing date. Applicants who hold a Conditional offer of 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.
    • The PhD offer must be issued by the Admissions Team - informal acceptance from either a supervisor or School is not sufficient.
  • Students whose PhD programmes commence before 01 October 2027 are not eligible - the competition is open to prospective PhD applicants only.

Fee type:

International

Level of study:

Postgraduate Research

Value:

For successful applicants, the College will provide a tuition fee waiver, and the CSC will consider their application for a living allowance as set by the Chinese Government (which includes Student Health cover), a return airfare from China to the UK buy the most economical route, and visa application fees.

All Scholarships are funded for 3 years only.

How to apply:

In order to be considered for this scholarship you must:

1. Applicants must have lodged an application to a CoSS PhD programme (see 'How to Apply' webpage and a separate application for the CSC PhD Scholarship through the Scholarships Application Portal by 31 January 2027

  • The Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information) will open by end of November 2026.
  • Applicants are encouraged to lodge complete PhD applications as early as possible, to give themselves the best chance of being eligible
  • Applicants who do not lodge both applications by 31 January 2027 will not be considered.
  • Apply for a PhD within the College of Social Sciences as soon as possible, and no later than 31 January 2026 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. 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, applicants must be in receipt of a firm PhD offer issued by Admissions no later than the last business day of February (26 February)

  • Preference is for offers to Unconditional, although Conditional offers are acceptable
    • All English Language requirements must be met. Offers conditional on meeting English Language requirements at 26 February will not be considered. Please ensure that you meet the English Language requirements of the PhD programme you wish to undertake before applying for CSC funding 
    • English Language requirements will not be waived or lowered for any applicant under any circumstances.
  • Offer must be firm and issued by Admissions. Informal acceptance onto the PhD from supervisors or Schools, or your School recording an offer recommendation prior to Admissions issuing the offer are insufficient.
  • Any applicant who is not in receipt of a firm and formal PhD offer by 26 February will be deemed ineligible.

6.  Once the College has decided on the nominations for 2027/28, 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 considered by a panel made up of three senior Academics.
  • The applications will only consist of:
    • CoSS CSC PhD Scholarship application form
    • Supervisor Statement of Support
    • All documents lodged through the Online Application System for the PhD programme
  • 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 panel. Only applicants nominated by the College Graduate School will be eligible for a 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 2027

Applicants should have made their application for a PhD within the College of Social Sciences and an application for the Scholarship through the Scholarships Application Portal no later than this date.

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered
26 February 2027

Applicants must have a firm PhD offer by this date (if a PhD offer is conditional, applicants must have fulfilled the English language requirements by this date). The offer must be issued through the Online Application System - Informal confirmation from a supervisor or School is not sufficient.

Applicants who do not have a firm offer issued by Admissions by this date will be ineligible
06 March 2027 Date by which Colleges must nominate to the University's External Relations team. Nominated students notified
TBC Application window for nominated students to apply directly to the CSC on the CSC website.
TBC CSC confirm successful nominees