Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program

Guidelines

Scholarships are awarded for academic study, research, Chinese language training or a combination of these activities. Scholarships are not to be used towards a degree in China.

Scholarships are tenable at Chinese institutions that admit scholarship recipients of the Chinese Government Scholarship. These institutions are marked by an asterisk (*) in the list of participating Chinese institutions.

For students, each award is tenable for a period of no more than 12 months and no less than four months.

For mid-career professionals and faculty members, awards are tenable for a period of no more than 12 months and no less than eight weeks.

The scholarship is tenable between September 2021 and August 2022.

Scholarship value

The award component provided by the Chinese Government Scholarship includes:

• tuition fees at participating Chinese institutions;
• a monthly stipend appropriate to the recipient’s status (approximate values):
  • 2,500 Yuan for undergraduate students;
  • 3,000 Yuan for Master‘s students/general scholars; and
  • 3,500 Yuan for Doctoral students/senior scholars.
• on-campus accommodation or a subsidy for off-campus accommodation (if permitted); and
• comprehensive medical insurance.

NOTE: Funding provided by Global Affairs Canada is made through its legal name, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).

The award component provided by DFATD includes travel to and from the destination in China via the most cost-effective route between the scholarship recipient’s point of origin and the final destination, under the following conditions:

• the itinerary must be approved by DFATD or the scholarship administrator, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE);
• the funding only covers the flights for travel to China at the beginning of the scholarship and return travel to Canada upon completion of the scholarship;
• scholarship recipients must arrive in China from Canada a maximum of 15 days before the start of the scholarship and must depart from China back to Canada within a maximum of 15 days after the end of the scholarship;
• scholarship recipients must make travel arrangements through CBIE’s designated travel agency as soon as they obtain their visa;
• DFATD can only cover the cost of approved flights; any additional costs are the responsibility of the scholarship recipient;
• flights must be booked before March 15, 2022 by CBIE’s designated travel agency.

Scholarship duration

Scholarships are awarded for:

• four to 12 months for students; and
• eight weeks to 12 months for mid-career professionals and faculty members.

The Chinese academic year typically begins in September and ends in mid-July, including a winter vacation of approximately three weeks in January or February.

For the 2021-2022 Chinese academic year, the fall semester will be from September 2021 to January 2022, and the spring semester will be from February 2022 to July 2022.

Scholarships can begin as of September 2021 and must be completed by the end of August 2022.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• be Canadian citizens;
• be either:
  • a full-time professor or research staff at a post-secondary or research institution in Canada;
  • a student enrolled in either a college, undergraduate or graduate program at a recognized post-secondary education institution in Canada; or
  • a mid-career professional from a Canadian government, media or cultural organization, or a national education association, who has a graduate (Master's or doctoral) degree and has had managerial, policy development or decision making responsibilities for at least three years;
• have achieved the required level of written and spoken Chinese by the host institution in China, if applicable;
• undertake studies in an approved subject area in a Chinese institution;
• not be seeking a degree in China;
• be under 45 years of age if applying under the “General Scholar” category of the China Scholarship Council (CSC); and
• be under 50 years of age if applying under the “Senior Scholar” category of the CSC.

Please note that employees of the Government of Canada’s departments and agencies (including those on leave), although eligible for this scholarship, are not eligible for the travel benefit funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).

Desired qualifications

Applications will be assessed on the applicant's academic or professional merit, rationale for going to China, and the content and feasibility of the proposed study or research plan.

• Mid-career professionals must demonstrate strong leadership qualities through a commitment to innovation, creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Preference will be given to those candidates whose study or research plan is related to China.
• If applying for Chinese language training, priority may be given to those who have demonstrated a previous interest in the Chinese language and have a basic knowledge of the Chinese language.
• Where Chinese is the language of instruction, proficiency must be HSK level 3 for undergraduate studies and HSK level 4 for graduate studies. Applicants should contact the host institution for more information and visit the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK).

Terms and conditions

Scholarship recipients:

• must be enrolled at their host university for the time periods approved by the China Scholarship Council (CSC). Requests for deferred registration may not be accepted. Scholarship recipients who are unable to register on time must get permission from the Chinese institution directly;
• must return to Canada upon completion of their exchange program;
• may not concurrently hold other scholarships offering similar benefits;
• must sign a Letter of Agreement with DFATD in order to receive the in-kind grant towards the round-trip flight to and from China;
• must have appropriate medical insurance coverage for the duration of the scholarship;
• must submit a report to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada concerning their research, study, or Chinese language training in China within two months after the completion of their scholarship. The host post-secondary institution is also expected to evaluate the recipient's academic performance;
• who are going to China for less than six months must apply for the X2 Visa and include the Admission Notice, the Visa Application Form for Study in China (JW201) and a passport valid for the duration of their stay in China;
• who are going to China for more than six months must apply for the X1 Visa and include the completed Chinese Foreigners Physical Examination Form, the Blood Test Report, the Admission Notice, the Visa Application Form for Study in China (JW201) and a passport valid for the duration of their stay in China;
• must register with the Chinese institution with the original copies of the Admission Notice, the Visa Application Form for Study in China, the Chinese Foreigners Physical Examination Form and the Blood Test Report (if applicable); and
• must focus on their studies, research or Chinese language training at the Chinese host institution. Recipients may not undertake paid employment in China during their scholarship.

NOTE: Pre-selected candidates are expected to submit a Letter of Pre-Admission (or formal acceptance to do research) from one of their selected participating Chinese institutions to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada by fax at (613) 789-0262 or by email at daizhehua@cnembedu.ca within two weeks of receiving their their pre-selection letter or by March 8, 2021, whichever is later. Pre-selected candidates who do not obtain a Pre-admission Letter by March 8, 2021 will be allowed to continue to the next step of the CCSEP selection process. CSC makes the final decision on the Chinese host institutions for the selected recipients.

Any questions?

Please direct all inquiries regarding the eligibility requirements to: scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca or 613-237-4820.

Deadline

The deadline to submit the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) online application is January 21, 2021, 11:59 p.m. EDT.

The deadline to receive the China Scholarship Council (CSC) online application form and supporting documentation by mail is January 21, 2021.

Applications received late by the scholarship administrator, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), or incomplete applications will not be considered.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all documents required by mail are received at CBIE by the deadline. Supporting documents, other than the ones requested, will not be accepted.

An acknowledgement of receipt will not be provided. It is strongly recommended that the applicant send all the required supporting documents to CBIE in one package by a method that provides confirmation of its delivery, such as courier service or registered mail.

Notification

Applicants must ensure that a permanent email address is included in their application to receive notification.

Pre-selection

Applicants will be contacted by February 22, 2021 regarding the status of their application. Pre-selected candidates will receive a letter of intent from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada, which they will need to submit as soon as possible to the three Chinese institutions listed on their application to obtain a letter of pre-admission.

Pre-selected candidates are expected to submit a Letter of Pre-Admission from one of their selected participating Chinese institutions to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canada by fax at (613) 789-0262 or by email at daizhehua@cnembedu.ca within two weeks of receiving their award letter or by March 8, 2021, whichever is later. The Letter of Pre-Admission will be helpful in obtaining an Admission Notice for the China Scholarship Council program and the visa application document (JW201). Pre-selected candidates who do not obtain a Pre-admission Letter by March 8, 2021 will be allowed to continue to the next step of the CCSEP selection process. CSC makes the final decision on the Chinese host institutions for the selected recipients.

Final selection

CBIE will communicate with successful candidates by June 2021.

Successful candidates will receive an Admission Notice from the Chinese host institution along with other materials related to the visa application process and travel to China around the same time as the final selection.

Selection of the scholarship recipients is subject to the CSC agreeing to the terms of admission of the host university or institution in China.

Application process

To be considered for the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program, the applicant must complete the following three-step process.

1. Applicants must complete and submit the online application form of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) available on this site and provide the supporting documents as requested.
2. Applicants must complete and submit the CSC online application on the China Scholarship Council (CSC) website as well as print and mail the application package to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) in Ottawa, Canada.
3. Applicants must mail additional supporting documents to CBIE.

Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

IMPORTANT: Applicants are required to submit both the DFATD application form and the CSC application form. Any application submitted to only one of the government scholarship portals will not be considered.

Step one: DFATD online application

Applicants are encouraged to carefully read the instructions below before beginning the online form. If applicants experience difficulty filling out or submitting the form, they should send an email to scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca.

Instructions

Applicants must:

• complete the online form;
  • Individuals who do not have an account will first need to Register an account.
  • Under “For Canadians” section, applicants will need to go to the Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program and click on Apply Now.
• enter data in the fields marked mandatory, following the instructions for each item;
• upload all required supporting documents;
• upon completion, verify the data prior to submission;
• print the form for their records using the print function in the browser; and
• click SUBMIT to provide their form electronically to DFATD. The candidate will receive a confirmation message and reference number once their form is submitted.

NOTE: Applicants will have the possibility to save their application and complete it at a later time. Both saved and submitted applications will appear on the applicant’s profile homepage.

Information required in the application form:

• Letter of intent: In the box provided, the candidate must explain, in English or French: the nature of the research or study to be undertaken; their motivation/rationale for going to China and for the choice of the institution, program, and supervisor, if applicable; how their experience and skills would ensure a successful completion of the planned academic activity, and how they will accommodate the stay in China within their work or study schedule (maximum 10 000 characters).
• Letters of recommendation: The candidate must provide the name, title, relation and organization of the two referees submitting letters of recommendation.
• Academic qualifications: The candidate must provide a list of degrees obtained and other vocational/language studies relevant to this application.
• Academic distinction: The candidate can list up to three distinctions, prizes, or scholarships received and/or expected, and indicate the value in each case.
• Publications: The candidate can list up to three scholarly publications in the bibliographic format appropriate to his/her discipline including an abstract for each.
• Relevant work experience: this section is mandatory for mid-career professional, professors or research staff.
• Other achievements (maximum 1500 characters): The candidate must include any other information about their studies or career to date that shows their academic merit, leadership abilities, accomplishments and/or commitment to innovation and creativity.

Supporting documentation to upload to the application form

All supporting documentation may be submitted in English or in French, however pre-selected candidates will be required to provide English translations to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China by March 8, 2021.

The following documents must be uploaded and attached to the online application form in one of the following formats: .pdf, .jpg, .doc, .docx, .txt or .gif. Each document must be smaller than 5 Mb in order for the application to upload successfully.

1. Certificate of pre-admission or copy of correspondence: a certificate of pre-admission from the host institution or copy of correspondence testifying that the applicant has requested admission or will have access to the facilities needed to complete the proposed research project. Email correspondence with the international admissions office or a potential academic collaborator is accepted.
2. Proof of Canadian citizenship: copy of passport (valid for the duration of the scholarship); a baptism certificate is not accepted as proof of Canadian citizenship.
3. Copy of official transcripts: an official transcript of the highest post-secondary studies completed (including colleges and CÉGEPs) and an official transcript of studies in progress (if applicable).
4. Study or research proposal: an essay describing your study or research plan (maximum two pages).
5. Copy of diploma: for the highest degree or diploma obtained. College or undergraduate students who have not yet obtained a post-secondary degree or diploma can upload a high school diploma.
6. Proof of registration for studies in progress (if applicable): Proof of registration must be issued by the Registrar’s Office at the candidate’s Canadian home institution to confirm full-time enrolment in an academic program.

Step two: China Scholarship Council (CSC) application

Applicants must complete and submit the online application from the China Scholarship Council website. Please use Firefox or Internet Explorer (11.0) to fill out the online application. The CSC requires that all applicants submit their online application form in English or in Chinese.

Applicants must:

• create a profile by clicking on “Register”;
• select “Type A” under the “Program Category”;
• indicate on the form “1241” as the “Agency Number”;
• select three institutions on the application. Those who indicate that they are not willing to consider alternatives may be withdrawn from consideration if the institution that they have indicated is deemed inappropriate by CSC, or is not able to offer a place;
• download, print and sign one copy of the application once completed. Candidates should include a signature in the blank space at the bottom of the last page of the application; and
• ensure to include a photo of the applicant on the first page of the application form.

IMPORTANT: Candidates must select “1241” as the “Agency Number” and ensure that the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China is listed under the “Agency Name”. Candidates should not submit the application to a Chinese consulate in Canada.

NOTE: Candidates must apply either under the “General Scholar” category or the “Senior Scholar” category of the CSC. Candidates applying under the “General Scholar” category must hold at least a high school diploma and be under the age of 45. Candidates applying under the “Senior Scholar” category to undertake research in China must hold at least a Master’s degree or be associate professors or research staff and be under the age of 50.

All inquiries regarding the CSC application should be directed to:

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada
Attention: Education Office - Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program
396 Wilbrod Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 6M8
Tel: (613) 783-3562 
Fax: (613) 789-0262
Email: daizhehua@cnembedu.ca

For additional information, consult the Bilateral Program on the CSC website.

Step three: Additional supporting documents to be sent by mail

In addition to submitting the CSC online application, candidates are required to submit the supporting documents listed below by mail to the following address:

Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE)
Attention: Canada-China Scholars' Exchange Program
220 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 1550
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5Z9

It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that the documents are received at CBIE by the deadline. All supporting documentation may be submitted in English or in French, however pre-selected candidates that submitted supporting documents in French will be required to provide English translations to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada by March 8, 2021.

Supporting documentation to submit by mail

The following documents must be sent by mail:

• CSC online application form: the completed and signed CSC online application form with a picture.
• Two letters of recommendation: Two letters of recommendation from a professor, supervisor or employer, on letterhead, dated and signed, and stating the candidate’s name. The letters should explain the nature of the study or research and how the candidate will benefit from this scholarship program.
• Proof of Chinese language proficiency: results of the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK), or other Chinese language course results, if applicable.
• CV: The candidate’s CV, including: work experience; most relevant scholarly publications and other knowledge dissemination activities, if applicable; most important distinctions, prizes, or scholarships received to date and their value, if applicable; and other relevant professional and/or academic accomplishments demonstrating academic merit, leadership abilities, and/or commitment to innovation and creativity (maximum 6 pages).

Applicants in fine arts, music and architecture are required to submit artwork samples as follow (applicants in the history or theory of art, music, or architecture are not required to submit samples):

• Applicants in fine arts, painting, graphic arts, sculpture and photography¹ must submit six color pictures of six art pieces on a USB key, CD or DVD.
• Filmmakers and video artists¹ must submit at least one recent film, indicating when it was made, how the applicant was involved in its production, and the running time. These must be provided on a USB key, CD or DVD, be dated, and clearly identified with the applicant's name.
• Applicants in music¹ must submit a USB key, CD or DVD of three original compositions  totaling no more than 30 minutes.
• Applicants in architecture¹ must submit up to six reproductions of drawings, provided on a USB key, CD or DVD.

It is strongly recommended that the applicant send all the required supporting documents to CBIE in one package by a method that provides confirmation of its delivery, such as courier service or registered mail.

CBIE is unable to acknowledge receipt, by letter or telephone, but questions can be addressed to scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca or 613-237-4820.

Review procedures

A pre-selection committee, consisting of Canadian and Chinese government representatives and academic experts, will nominate a list of candidates to the CSC for approval and placement at Chinese institutions.

The final selection of scholarship recipients is made by the CSC.

Conditions

All recommendations of the Canadian scholarship selection committee and decisions made by the CSC are final. There is no appeal process.

The selection committee does not provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates. Applications submitted directly to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada will not be considered.

Submitted applications and documents are not returned.

The scholarships are subject to the availability of funds.

Background

The Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program (CCSEP) is based on reciprocal agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

Established in 1973, the CCSEP was the result of an undertaking by then Chinese premier Zhou Enlai and Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Over the past 47 years, more than 1000 scholars have participated in the program. Canadian scholars have brought new perspectives to their host country and returned to Canada with enhanced knowledge and understanding of China.

The original Memorandum of Understanding underpinning the scholarship program was modified in 2016 to allow for a wider range of applicants.