Great Wall Program: the UNESCO route to a Chinese Government Scholarship
Unofficial entry · Sources checked
Great Wall Program is the name the China Scholarship Council uses for a fellowship that UNESCO and the Government of the People's Republic of China co-sponsor for candidates from developing Member States. The definition below follows two documents: the China Scholarship Council's Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship and UNESCO's page UNESCO/The People's Republic of China - The Great Wall Co-Sponsored Fellowships Programme 2026-2027.
See also Scholarships on this site.
Definition
The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, published by China Scholarship Council (Campus China), lists the Great Wall Program in the table of designated scholarship programmes in section I(III). The UNESCO page calls the same programme the Great Wall Co-Sponsored Fellowships Programme.
Section I(III) of the guide states that designated scholarship programmes are set up in accordance with cooperation agreements between China and international organizations and institutions. It also states that an applicant shall file an application with the international organizations and institutions concerned.
What the official text says
The Great Wall Program row in the CSC guide
The table in section I(III) of the guide gives the following entries for the Great Wall Program.
| Item | Entry in the guide |
|---|---|
| Target group | Students and scholars from developing countries |
| Supporting categories | Postgraduates, general scholars, senior scholars |
| Application receiving agency | National Commission for UNESCO in the home country |
Scope of the fellowships, UNESCO page
The About the Programme section of the UNESCO page states that UNESCO and the Government of the People's Republic of China will co-sponsor 75 fellowships for advanced studies at undergraduate and postgraduate levels during the academic year 2025-2026. Of these, 27 vacancies are open for new recruitment to candidates from 135 developing Member States in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Europe and the Arab region. The same section gives the academic year as 2025-2026, while the page's heading and notice refer to the 2026-2027 edition.
The same section states that the fellowships are tenable at a selected number of Chinese universities. They are intended for students and researchers who plan degree study at postgraduate level, or individual research with periodic guidance from assigned supervisors in China. A candidate may apply for a one-year Visiting Scholar programme (as General or Senior scholar), or for a Master's or Doctoral Degree programme of two to five years.
Under the same section, the study programmes are taught in English or Chinese, subject to the availability of programmes at the selected universities. Candidates for Chinese-taught programmes should have acquired a certain level of Chinese proficiency before they undertake study or research.
The About the Programme section also states that women candidates and candidates from Africa and SIDS are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Frequently Asked Questions state that undergraduate (bachelor's) degree studies are not available under this programme. They add that the one-year General Scholar Programme is open to candidates holding a high school diploma (or above) who wish to pursue a one-year visiting scholar programme at undergraduate level.
Eligibility, UNESCO page
The Eligibility Requirements section sets the following conditions for the fellowship. Candidates must be nationals of an invited Member State. They must meet the age, language and academic requirements of the chosen programme, as set out below.
| Programme | Academic requirement | Age at enrollment (September 2026) | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-year General Scholar | High school diploma | Not older than 45 | English required; Chinese-taught programme: HSK Level 3 |
| One-year Senior Scholar | Master's degree, or associate professor position (or above) | Not older than 50 | English required; Chinese-taught programme: HSK Level 3 |
| Master's Degree | Bachelor's degree | Not older than 35 | English required; Chinese-taught programme: HSK Level 4 |
| Doctoral Degree | Master's degree | Not older than 40 | English required; Chinese-taught programme: HSK Level 4 |
The same section also requires candidates to meet the admission requirements of the applied universities in academic ability, language proficiency and other relevant criteria. It requires candidates to be in good health, both mentally and physically.
How to apply, UNESCO page
The page lists the following steps.
- Read the Application Guidelines for the 2026-2027 edition.
- Contact the National Commission for UNESCO of your home country.
- Submit your online application in the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System at campuschina.org.
- Submit your online application form and all supporting documents to the National Commission for UNESCO of your home country by 23 January 2026.
- After the National Commission informs you that you are nominated, send the online application form and supporting documents to UNESCO at the address the page gives.
- The National Commissions submit the letters of nomination and all application documents to UNESCO by 10 February 2026.
The page states that a pre-admission letter is mandatory for application in the current edition. It states that pre-admission documents may include a pre-admission notice from the international students' admission department, or an invitation letter from the university or a professor, among others.
The FAQ states that nomination must be made by the National Commission for UNESCO, and that educational institutions or other entities cannot nominate candidates. It states that candidates enter Agency Number 00001 and Programme Category "Type A Application" in the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System.
Selection and results, UNESCO page
The Submission and Selection section states that UNESCO does not accept individual applications. It considers only applications endorsed by the National Commissions for UNESCO.
The same section states that the selection of recipients is made by the concerned Chinese universities, and approved by the Chinese authorities and UNESCO, taking into consideration gender equality and diversity.
The page states that successful candidates are informed by UNESCO through an official award letter. It states that candidates who do not receive notification from UNESCO by 15 August 2026 should consider that their application has not been successful.
The FAQ states that academic qualifications and other eligibility criteria are the primary parameters for UNESCO's screening. It states that extracurricular activities may be considered by host institutions in further academic evaluation, subject to the criteria of individual universities and programmes.
Documents and language, UNESCO page
For English-taught programmes, the page asks for a certificate of an international English test, such as IELTS or TOEFL. If a candidate cannot provide one, the candidate must submit the UNESCO Certificate of Language Knowledge (Annex IV), signed and stamped by a certified language institution or language tutor. For Chinese-taught programmes, the page requires valid HSK score reports as required by the applied programme.
The page states that applicants must submit notarized photocopies of their highest diploma. Prospective diploma recipients must provide official proof of student status issued by their current institution. The FAQ states that documents in languages other than English or Chinese must be accompanied by a notarized translation in English or Chinese.
The page states that applicants must submit an ordinary passport. It states that service or diplomatic passports are not accepted for this programme.
The page requires the Foreigner Physical Examination Form, completed in English. It states that the result is valid for six months.
Renewal and dependants, UNESCO page
The FAQ states that a fellowship cannot be renewed or extended under the same UNESCO programme. It states that UNESCO has no objection if a fellow continues studies in China with other types of funding. It advises a fellow who needs extra years of study to consult the host university and the China Scholarship Council as early as possible.
The FAQ also states that neither UNESCO nor the Government of China provides financial support or accommodation for the spouse or dependents of a fellow.
Related terms
- Chinese Government Scholarship
- Designated Scholarship Programs
- National Commission for UNESCO
- Pre-admission letter
- HSK
- Foreigner Physical Examination Form
- Notarized translation
Sources
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- UNESCO/The People's Republic of China - The Great Wall Co-Sponsored Fellowships Programme 2026-2027, UNESCO (unesco.org)
Checked 11 October 2026 for the CSC guide and 10 October 2026 for the UNESCO page.
This entry is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, it is not published by the bodies named, and the official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail if they differ.