How Indonesian Students Apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship

What the Chinese Government Scholarship covers

The Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) is China's national scholarship for international students, administered by the China Scholarship Council. It funds bachelor's, master's and doctoral study, plus general scholar and senior scholar programs, at universities across China.

Indonesian applicants access CSC mainly through the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta , which nominates candidates under Type A. Coverage depends on the specific award, but a full scholarship typically pays tuition, accommodation, a living stipend and comprehensive medical insurance.

Three scholarship categories

Age and academic requirements

• Undergraduate applicants: high school graduate, under 25 years old

• Master's applicants: bachelor's degree holder, under 35 years old

• Doctoral applicants: master's degree holder, under 40 years old

• All applicants: non-Chinese citizen in good physical and mental health, holding a passport valid for at least 12 months from the start of study

Language requirements

The test you need depends on your program's teaching language.

• Bachelor's applicants take the CSCA (China Standardized Competency Assessment) as part of the application

• Master's and doctoral applicants in Chinese-taught programs need HSK Level 4

• General scholar applicants in Chinese-taught programs need HSK Level 3

• English-taught programs ask for IELTS or TOEFL scores set by the individual university

The embassy nomination step

Before you touch the online application, contact your target Chinese universities directly and request a Pre-Admission Document. Universities issue these after reviewing your academic background and, where relevant, your language score. You cannot complete a CSC application without one.

Once you hold a Pre-Admission Document, submit your application online at campuschina.org using Indonesia's assigned agency number, 3602. For the 2026-27 cycle, the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta set the deadline at February 8, 2026 , and the batch nominated through the embassy that cycle covered 20 places across bachelor's, master's and doctoral study, with priority majors in marine science, medicine, health, tourism and education. Check the embassy's latest CSC notice at id.china-embassy.gov.cn for the current cycle's exact date, typically announced each autumn for the following year's intake. You do not send paper documents to the embassy separately, everything goes through the online system.

Documents to prepare

• Completed application form in Chinese or English

• Passport copy

• Notarized copy of your highest diploma

• Academic transcripts

• Language proficiency certificates

• Pre-Admission Document from your target university

• Study plan or research proposal, 200 to 800 words depending on your degree level

• Recommendation letters, required for graduate and senior scholar applicants

• Physical examination form, required for stays over six months

• Non-criminal record certificate

Practical tips for Indonesian applicants

Start contacting universities at least six months before the embassy deadline. Chinese universities vary widely in how fast they issue Pre-Admission Documents, and some programs fill their CSC-nominated seats before the general deadline closes.

Confirm your major is open to CSC-funded students at your chosen university. Not every program listed on a university's website accepts scholarship students, so check with the international admissions office before you build your application around one program.

If your Mandarin is not yet at HSK 4, look at Chinese-taught programs paired with a one year language foundation year, or shift to an English-taught program in your field if one exists at your target university.

Full versus partial scholarships

Not every CSC award is a full scholarship. A full award covers tuition, accommodation, a monthly living stipend and comprehensive medical insurance for your entire program length. A partial award may cover only tuition, or only living costs, so read the specific award letter carefully once you receive it rather than assuming you hold a full ride.

Confirm exactly what your Pre-Admission Document and CSC award letter promise before you commit, since accommodation arrangements and stipend amounts vary between universities even within the same scholarship type.

What happens after you submit

The China Scholarship Council reviews nominated applications after the embassy deadline closes. Results typically arrive by early summer, ahead of the autumn semester start that most Chinese universities use for new international students.

Once you accept your offer, your university sends an admission notice and a JW202 or JW201 form, which you need for your student visa application at the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta. Apply for your visa as soon as these documents arrive, since visa processing plus travel arrangements can take several weeks.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying to a program before checking whether it accepts CSC-funded students that cycle

• Missing the embassy deadline because a university took longer than expected to issue the Pre-Admission Document

• Submitting a study plan that does not match your target program's actual coursework

• Assuming a Type A nomination guarantees funding, when the China Scholarship Council makes the final award decision