Funding

Fully Funded

PhD Scholarship•Australia · Brisbane

CSC-UQ PhD Scholarship (China Scholarship Council)

The University of Queensland

Application Deadline

January 20, 2027

Official Page

The CSC-UQ PhD Scholarship is offered jointly by the China Scholarship Council and the University of Queensland to doctoral applicants from mainland China. The China Scholarship Council funds the living costs of studying abroad, while UQ provides a tuition fee scholarship and asks the supervising advisor to top the stipend up to UQ’s standard research rate. Recipients move to Brisbane and complete a full-time PhD in any UQ research area, working with an advisory team.

Admission to the PhD program comes first: an applicant needs a UQ offer before the China Scholarship Council stage. Both prospective students and candidates already in the first year of a UQ PhD may be considered.

Benefits & funding

  • Tuition fee scholarship from UQ covering PhD tuition fees for up to four years.
  • Living allowance topped up to UQ’s standard research stipend rate, which is AUD 39,220 per year tax free at the 2026 rate and is indexed annually; the top-up is funded by the supervising advisor, school or institute.
  • Health insurance for the period of study in Australia.
  • One return airfare between China and Australia.
  • Australian student visa application fees.

Eligibility

  • The applicant must be a citizen and permanent resident of the People’s Republic of China.
  • The applicant must be eligible for an Australian student visa.
  • The applicant must satisfy the China Scholarship Council’s own selection criteria.
  • The applicant must meet UQ PhD entry requirements and be offered a place, holding one of: a research master’s degree; a bachelor’s degree with at least honours class IIA and research experience; a coursework master’s degree with a GPA of 5.65 on UQ’s 7-point scale plus research experience; a postgraduate degree of at least one year with a GPA of 5.0 plus demonstrated research experience; or a bachelor’s degree with at least two years of documented research experience and first-author publications, which requires Graduate School approval.
  • The applicant must meet UQ’s English proficiency requirement: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each sub-band, TOEFL iBT 87 overall, or PTE Academic 64 overall. Clinical research projects require IELTS 7.0 overall and 7.0 in every sub-band.
  • The proposed advisor must give a financial commitment to top the stipend up to UQ’s minimum rate for the duration of the program.
  • Prospective PhD students and students in the first year of a UQ PhD are both eligible.
  • The ranking of the applicant’s previous university is not considered in selection.

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

  • Eligible nationalities

    China

  • Residence required

    China

  • Education required

    Bachelor · Master · PhD Enrolled

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Application process

  1. 1
    Identify a prospective UQ advisor whose research matches the proposed doctoral project.
  2. 2
    Submit an expression of interest through UQ’s application system, noting the intention to apply for the China Scholarship Council scholarship, and secure advisor support including the stipend top-up commitment.
  3. 3
    Submit the full PhD application by the UQ closing date with an academic CV, transcripts, degree certificates, English test results and referee details.
  4. 4
    Receive the UQ outcome; a provisional offer is needed before the China Scholarship Council stage.
  5. 5
    Apply separately to the China Scholarship Council through its platform, with the supporting documents it requires, by its own deadlines.
  6. 6
    Send the China Scholarship Council award letter to UQ to obtain an unconditional offer, then use the confirmation of enrolment to apply for the Australian student visa.

Program timeline

  1. Expressions of interest open.

    2 November 2026

  2. Recommended date to submit the expression of interest.

    14 December 2026

  3. Full applications due to UQ.

    20 January 2027

  4. UQ outcomes begin to be released.

    1 March 2027

  5. China Scholarship Council application platform opens.

    March 2027

  6. After the CSC outcome

    The award letter goes to UQ, which then issues an unconditional offer and the confirmation of enrolment.

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