Location: China
Program: Postgraduate (Master’s and PhD Degrees)
Eligibility: International students
Duration: 2 to 4 years
Deadline: April 15, 2026
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Soochow University offers two primary fully funded scholarship pathways for outstanding international graduate students for the 2026/2027 academic year. The first is the Chinese Government High-Level Graduate Students Scholarship (CSC Type B), which supports Chinese universities to recruit outstanding international students for graduate studies in China, covering full tuition fees, on-campus accommodation, a monthly living stipend, and comprehensive medical insurance, with Soochow University’s agency number being 10285. The second is the Soochow University International Student Scholarship, which provides the same comprehensive coverage as the Chinese Government Scholarship and automatically applies to students who are eligible for the CSC Type B nomination but are not ultimately approved for that scholarship, ensuring that the strongest applicants are still supported through institutional funding.
Soochow University, also known as SUDA, is one of China’s most prestigious and historically significant universities, founded in 1900 as China’s first Western-style educational institution and ranked among the top 30 universities in China. A member of the national Double First-Class initiative and the 2011 Plan, Soochow University is consistently ranked among the top 20 institutions in China for natural sciences research funding and among the top 30 for social sciences, and maintains active academic cooperation and exchange with over 200 universities across more than 30 countries. Located in Suzhou, one of China’s most beautiful and economically dynamic cities in the heart of the Yangtze River Delta, the university offers international students access to world-class academic facilities, a vibrant international campus community, and the exceptional cultural and professional opportunities of one of China’s most internationally connected and historically rich regions.
Benefits of the Scholarship
This scholarship will provide the following to its recipients:
- Full tuition fee waiver for the entire duration of the Master’s or Doctoral programme
- Free on-campus accommodation throughout the scholarship period
- Monthly living stipend at the same standard as the Chinese Government Scholarship (Master’s: CNY 3,000 per month; Doctoral: CNY 3,500 per month)
- Comprehensive medical insurance throughout the scholarship period
- Annual scholarship renewal subject to passing the annual review in May of the following academic year
- Other benefits
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Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must meet the following:
- Must be a non-Chinese citizen in good health holding a valid ordinary foreign passport (passport must remain valid after March 1, 2027)
- For Master’s programmes: must hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; preferably under 35 years of age
- For Doctoral programmes: must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent; preferably under 40 years of age
- Must have an excellent academic record and not currently be receiving any other scholarship established by any level of the Chinese Government or the enrolled university (one-time awards are excluded)
- For Chinese-taught programmes: must hold a valid HSK Level 5 certificate with a score of 180 or above (valid on or after June 15, 2026); exemption applies for native Chinese speakers or those who completed senior high school with Chinese as the medium of instruction
- For English-taught programmes: must meet at least one English proficiency requirement including TOEFL 80 or above, IELTS 6.0 or above, native English speaker, English as the medium of instruction for the Master’s programme, or other valid equivalent proficiency evidence recognised by Soochow University (valid on or after June 15, 2026)
- For the CSC Type B scholarship: must additionally log into the CSC system at csc.edu.cn and submit the scholarship application selecting Programme Category Type B and entering Soochow University’s agency number 10285
- Doctoral applicants must provide an acceptance letter signed by their Chinese supervisor and sealed by the relevant school authority
- All non-English and non-Chinese documents must be accompanied by a notarised English or Chinese translation
Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements
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Selection Criteria
The Soochow University scholarship selection process is highly competitive and conducted through a rigorous expert review mechanism in which academic excellence, the quality of the submitted application materials, and the overall suitability of the candidate for their chosen graduate programme are the primary determining factors. Academic performance is fundamental, with the expert review committee assessing transcripts, academic records, the study plan proposal of at least 1,000 words, and two letters of recommendation from professors or associate professors, with strong applicants demonstrating consistently excellent academic results combined with a clearly articulated research agenda that is well-suited to the academic strengths and supervisory capacity of their chosen department at Soochow University.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE to visit the official webpage and submit your application.
