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MOFCOM Scholarship: the Ministry of Commerce's degree scholarship

Unofficial entry · Sources checked

The MOFCOM Scholarship is the degree scholarship of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM), defined in the enrollment guide for the MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program published by the China Scholarship Council. It sponsors master's and doctoral study in China for talent from recipient countries, and the China Scholarship Council administers it. For other scholarships, see Scholarships.

Definition

The guide describes the MOFCOM degree education programs as a means of training high-end business officials and managerial personnel for recipient countries. The programs cover applied fields including government, trade, foreign affairs, agriculture, technology, education, culture and health. The guide states that the programs support government officials, research fellows and senior managerial personnel. The MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC Program has sponsored young and middle-aged talent from recipient countries since 2015. The China Scholarship Council is entrusted to administer the scholarship.

What the official text says

Categories, duration and language (Section I). The scholarship supports a master's program of 2 to 3 years or a PhD program of 3 years. Scholarship winners must register for an English-taught program. The introduction states that these programs are fully conducted in English.

Eligibility (Section III). The guide states that applicants must:

  • be a citizen of a developing country other than the People's Republic of China, and be under the age of 45;
  • be healthy physically and mentally, with a physical examination report issued by a local public hospital, and have none of the conditions listed in the guide, namely: (a) diseases prohibited by Chinese Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Laws and Regulations; (b) other severe chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, cardio-cerebrovascular disease and diabetes, psychological diseases, or other infectious diseases which may harm public health; (c) being in the recovery period after major surgery or an acute disease attack; (d) severe physical disability; (e) pregnancy;
  • have at least three years' working experience, and be a bachelor's degree holder when applying for a master's program, or a master's degree holder when applying for a doctoral program;
  • be sufficient in English to meet the academic requirements of the program, equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 80 and above;
  • be public officials of division level and above (or corresponding level) in government sectors, senior management staff of organizations and enterprises, or academic backbones of universities and research institutions;
  • be neither studying in China nor admitted to other scholarship programs provided by the Chinese government.

The guide also states that incumbents with a relevant educational background or working experience to the applied program are preferred, and that applicants with the potential for professional development who are committed to promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between the host country and China are required.

Coverage (Section IV). The guide lists the following:

  1. Exemption from tuition fee, teaching material fee, research and survey fee, allowance of the English-taught program, and dissertation guidance fee.
  2. Free on-campus accommodation.
  3. A monthly stipend of 36,000 RMB per year for each master student and 42,000 RMB per year for each PhD student.
  4. A one-off resettlement fee of 3,000 RMB per person.
  5. Free medical insurance for international students.
  6. One-time round-trip international airfare for all students, for the first flight to China after enrollment and the flight home at graduation. A maximum of "n-1" round-trip airfares for home visits is also provided, where "n" is the length of schooling year set at enrollment and is at most three. Home visits are one time per year, set at the end of an academic year.
  7. An annual review, which is compulsory for all students. Students who pass the review may continue to receive the full scholarship in the next year.
  8. Other expenses are managed and used by MOFCOM or the universities as a whole and are not distributed to students. MOFCOM provides financial assistance only within the student's enrolled academic duration. Students who postpone graduation do not receive continuing sponsorship.

Application channel (Section II and Section V). The guide names the Economic and Commercial Counsellor's Office (ECCO) of the Chinese Embassy in the applicant's country as the place to apply. Section II directs applicants to the application receiving authority for the deadline of each year.

The guide gives the following order for offline submission:

  1. The applicant obtains the approval and recommendation of the relevant department of the host country.
  2. The applicant submits the application according to the requirements of that department.
  3. Only where the host government allows direct submission to the Embassy of China, the applicant obtains a permission or recommendation letter from the host government stating that the applicant has been approved to study in China.
  4. The applicant submits the original letter and the other application documents to the ECCO of the Chinese Embassy in the host country, with a scanned electronic copy.

The guide also states that the responsible department of the host government submits a written request to the ECCO for an official recommendation letter, and that the request states whether the applicant is willing to be considered for a similar program at other universities if the applied program cannot accept the applicant. The guide states that applications without the recommendation from the ECCO will not be considered.

Documents (Section V). The guide lists nine items for the online application and document list:

  1. The MOFCOM Scholarship-CSC application form, submitted online through the Campus China site and also printed as a hard copy.
  2. A photocopy of the highest diploma.
  3. A photocopy of academic transcripts.
  4. A study plan or research proposal, and a resume including educational background and working experience after high school.
  5. Two recommendation letters, one from the current employer and one from an academic perspective.
  6. A photocopy of the Foreigner Physical Examination Form.
  7. A photocopy of the English proficiency certificate.
  8. A photocopy of a valid passport.
  9. A certificate of non-criminal record issued by the local public security authority, which is usually issued within six months before the application date.

The guide's reminders state that documents must be in Chinese or English, or a notarized copy in Chinese or English is required. An original of degrees, transcripts, the Foreigner Physical Examination Form and language certificates must be presented for on-site verification. Applicants receive back all hard-copy materials from the ECCO. If admitted, students take the documents to China and submit them to the university for verification and archive. Under the reminders, bringing a spouse or other dependent is not allowed during study in China, and the scholarship does not provide any related cost. The guide states that no explanation will be given on the enrollment result.

Related terms

Sources

Checked 10 October 2026.

This entry is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, and it is not published by the bodies named. If the official text and the instructions of the body handling your case differ, the official text and those instructions prevail.

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