The China Scholarships Council (CSC) / Victoria University Scholarship Scheme is a joint arrangement between the China Scholarship Council and Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. It supports Chinese students who win a place in the university’s PhD programme.
The university pays the tuition fees for up to 48 months of doctoral study. CSC then considers a further application from the same candidate for living expenses, student health insurance, airfare and visa fees.
Candidates apply first for PhD admission through the Faculty of Graduate Research. CSC requires an unconditional offer of admission before it will fund a candidate, so complete documentation matters. Awards are made by selection, with no fixed number each year.
Benefits & funding
- Tuition fees paid by the university for up to 48 months of PhD study.
- Living expenses at the rate set from time to time by the Chinese government, granted by CSC on a further application; this includes student health insurance.
- One round-trip airfare to Wellington by the most economical route, granted by CSC.
- Visa application fees, granted by CSC.
- Number of awards: by selection, not a fixed quota.
Eligibility
- Open to Chinese students; the scheme is run jointly with the China Scholarship Council.
- Admission into the PhD programme at Victoria University of Wellington is required.
- Doctoral entry for New Zealand qualifications: a Bachelor’s degree with Honours, or a Master’s degree, with a GPA of at least 6 (letter grade B+).
- Doctoral entry for overseas qualifications: a four-year Bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or a first or upper second class Honours degree in the British system.
- Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of English proficiency before being accepted as a doctoral candidate.
- Admission also depends on the academic record, the research background, and whether supervision is available in the research area. Holding the entry qualification does not guarantee a place.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Eligible nationalities
China
Education required
Bachelor · Master
Appears to have an age limit “up to 48”
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Application process
- 1Check the doctoral entry requirements and the research areas where the university can supervise your topic.
- 2Register in the university’s online application system and start the PhD admission application.
- 3Write an expression of interest that gives a clear overview of the intended study; a full research proposal is not required at this stage.
- 4Upload certified transcripts and degree certificates, a 2,000-word academic writing sample, and, for qualifications gained outside New Zealand, a Scholaro GPA report.
- 5Ask two academic referees for reports, allowing at least two weeks before the round deadline.
- 6Submit the application in the 1 July or 1 November admission round, by 4.30 pm New Zealand time, so the university has time to issue an offer before the CSC deadline.
- 7Apply to CSC under its own timetable and deadline. CSC requires an unconditional offer from the university.
- 8The university notifies PhD admission outcomes six to eight weeks after the round deadline; CSC notifies the students it funds.
Program timeline
PhD admission round deadline, the earlier of the two rounds the scheme recommends.
1 July
PhD admission round deadline.
1 November
the third annual PhD admission round.
1 March
Six to eight weeks after each round deadline
PhD admission outcome announced.
Set by CSC
the scholarship deadline and the notification of funded students.