Confucius Institute Scholarship 2026–2027: Categories, HSK Requirements, Deadlines and How to Apply

The Confucius Institute scholarship is officially called the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship (国际中文教师奖学金). It is set up by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) under China's Ministry of Education and funds Chinese-language study or a degree in international Chinese language education at a Chinese university: tuition, a dormitory place, medical insurance and a monthly allowance of CNY 2,500 (about $370) on language programmes and bachelor's degrees or CNY 3,000 (about $450) on a master's. Non-Chinese citizens aged 16 to 35 with HSK and HSKK scores and a recommendation from a Confucius Institute or another recommending institution can apply. On 1 October 2026 one intake is open: the semester starting in March 2027, with applications due by 31 October 2026.

Not only for future teachers

The name is misleading: a "scholarship for Chinese language teachers" is also open to people who simply study the language. The 2026 rules include a Chinese Language Study track (汉语研修) for a year or a semester with no teaching background required. The eligibility list does mention a commitment to working in Chinese language education and related fields, but in practice applicants address it in their personal statement: a translator, a China-focused specialist, a future teacher.

The programme used to be run by Hanban, so older articles still refer to a "Hanban scholarship" and quote outdated amounts and deadlines. Rely only on the current year's rules as published by CLEC and the host universities.

Categories and language requirements

A dash in the Education column means CLEC sets no separate requirement and the host university decides. These are CLEC's minimums, and host universities may add their own conditions. Minzu University of China (MUC) in Beijing takes candidates from age 18, and Peking University also admits from 18 in principle; it teaches all one-year scholarship holders as ordinary language students regardless of the track chosen in the application and places 2026 high-school graduates in its preparatory programme. Each university decides which tracks it hosts at all, so start with the list of host institutions in your account.

HSK and HSKK reports must be no older than two years when you apply. Where to sit them and how to prepare is covered in our HSK exam guide.

What the scholarship covers and what you pay

Not covered: flights, the visa, the Foreigner Physical Examination, the police certificate, translations and notarisation, and the application fee if a university charges one. Central South University (CSU) in Changsha, for instance, asks for CNY 500 (about $75) after its initial review and does not refund it if you are unsuccessful. Bring your own money for the first month as well: the university starts paying the allowance after registration.

Deadlines under the 2026 rules

Some universities close earlier than CLEC's deadline. Peking University accepted applications for September 2026 only until 30 April, although CLEC's deadline was 15 May. Check the deadline on the page of the specific host university.

As of 1 October 2026, CLEC has not yet published the 2027 rules. In 2026 the portal opened on 1 March, so if the timetable repeats, applications for programmes starting in September 2027 will be due in spring 2027. Aim to have your language certificates by the end of winter.

Who can recommend you

A recommendation is a required part of the application. Under CLEC's rules it can come from:

• Confucius Institutes and independent Confucius Classrooms;
• some HSK test centres;
• foreign universities with Chinese language or Chinese teacher-training departments;
• professional associations of Chinese language teachers abroad;
• Chinese embassies and consulates.

Some host universities in China also act as recommending institutions; CSU states that it issues a recommendation letter after its initial review. Chinese Bridge competition winners who received a certificate for this scholarship apply directly to their chosen host university, attaching the certificate.

How it works in Russia: the UrFU example

Confucius Institutes in Russia operate at state universities, and each sets its own recommendation rules. In 2026 the Confucius Institute at Ural Federal University (UrFU) recommended only its current learners and students who had studied with its teachers for at least a semester (90 academic hours or more), attended at least 70% of classes and had no outstanding fees. Classes can be taken online, so the candidate does not need to live in Yekaterinburg. After the teacher's recommendation, candidates have an interview with the institute's Chinese director; at that stage police and health certificates are accepted in Russian.

The practical lesson: if you are not studying at any Confucius Institute, first find one that will recommend you and learn its conditions at least a semester before the deadline.

How to apply, step by step

1. Sit HSK at the required level and HSKK. Without the certificate by the deadline the application will not be accepted.
2. Register in the scholarship section of chinese.cn and open the list of host institutions, which is available once you log in.
3. Contact your chosen universities to confirm that they host scholarship students on your track and whether they have their own application system. Peking University, MUC and CSU all require an application in their own system as well.
4. Obtain the recommendation from the Confucius Institute where you study or another recommending institution.
5. Fill in the online form, upload the scans and submit before the deadline. The details in the form, the recommendation and the personal statement must match exactly: UrFU warns that any discrepancy can cost you the application.
6. Track the status in your account. CLEC decides on the scholarship and the university on admission.
7. Once approved, the university sends an admission letter and a JW201 form, used for an X2 visa (one semester) or an X1 (a year or longer). The procedure for Russian citizens is in our student visa guide for China.

Documents to prepare

• A scan of the passport photo page; the passport must be valid for the whole programme.
• HSK and HSKK reports no older than two years.
• A recommendation letter signed by the head of the recommending institution.
• A personal statement in Chinese, written by you.
• Your latest education certificate and transcript (current students: a certificate of enrolment) with a notarised translation into Chinese or English.
• The Foreigner Physical Examination Form; results are valid for six months, so time the check-up close to the deadline.
• A police certificate.
• For a master's: two references from associate professors or above; for a PhD: references and other documents on the host university's list.
• In-service Chinese teachers: proof of employment and a reference from the employer, which gives priority among equally qualified applicants.
• Applicants under 18: documents from a guardian residing in China and the guardian's signed undertaking.

General rules for translating and certifying documents for Chinese universities are in applying to Chinese universities.

Applicants aged 16–17

Formally, you can apply from 16. But if you are under 18 when the programme starts, the university will require a guardian living in China: CSU asks for the guardian's signed undertaking and ID, and Peking University for a letter of entrustment signed by a legal guardian in China. Some universities simply set 18 as their minimum. Guardianship rules for minors are explained in studying in China after 9th grade.

Confucius Institute scholarship or Chinese Government Scholarship

If you want engineering, economics or medicine, the Confucius Institute scholarship is the wrong tool: its focus is language and teaching. For other funding routes see scholarships abroad in 2026. If the scholarship does not come through, the same language year can be taken on a fee-paying basis; programmes and prices are in Chinese language programmes in China, and universities and cities are covered on Studying in China.

What matters for citizens of Russia and Kazakhstan

The scholarship rules contain no specific restrictions for Russian citizens; the competition is shared, with country balance taken into account. The allowance is paid in yuan by the Chinese university, so no money transfers from Russia are needed during the programme; you will need your own funds for the first weeks before the first payment, and payment options from Russia are described in studying in China as a Russian citizen. Visa-free entry for 30 days does not cover study, even a four-week programme, so the visa is issued on the university's documents. Citizens of Kazakhstan apply under the same rules through recommending institutions in Kazakhstan.

Common mistakes

• Following old "2019 rules" found online. Amounts, deadlines and HSK levels have changed; current rules are published by CLEC and host universities.
• Sitting HSK without HSKK. The spoken test is required for almost every category except the four-week programmes, the medicine and taiji semester and the one-year Chinese Language Study track.
• Leaving the recommendation to the last minute. Confucius Institutes recommend their own learners after an interview, which takes weeks.
• Applying only on the CLEC portal when the university also requires an application in its own system.
• Reapplying for a semester or year after holding a similar scholarship within the last three years: as a rule, such candidates are not admitted.
• Expecting the scholarship to cover flights and the visa. Those costs, like some universities' application fees, are yours.

FAQ

Sources

• 2026 scholarship guidelines in English: categories, age, deadlines, other conditions (Hebei Normal University, 16.03.2026) — checked 01.10.2026
• Minzu University of China: 2026 guidelines with coverage and document list — checked 01.10.2026
• Beijing Institute of Technology: 2026 guidelines, coverage, insurance, deadlines — checked 01.10.2026
• Central South University: March 2027 semester intake, application fee, recommending institutions, documents for minors (24.09.2026) — checked 01.10.2026
• Peking University: 2026 conditions and deadlines for language scholarship holders — checked 01.10.2026
• Confucius Institute at Ural Federal University: 2026 recommendation and application procedure — checked 01.10.2026
• CLEC scholarship website: chinese.cn — checked 01.10.2026
• Exchange rate: ECB reference rate for 01.10.2026 (EUR 1 = USD 1.1298 = CNY 7.5748, so CNY 1 ≈ USD 0.1492); amounts under $100 are rounded to the dollar, larger ones to $10.

If you want to work through your route to the scholarship, send a request: document preparation and submission are provided under an agreement with StudyU, and the university makes the admission decision while CLEC decides on the scholarship.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.