The USTC Fellowship is the University of Science and Technology of China's own scholarship for international students. It is paid from the university's budget and runs separately from the national Chinese Government Scholarship, so you are not competing for a CSC quota when you apply for it. It is open to undergraduate, Master's and PhD applicants, and it is aimed squarely at strong candidates in physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering and the sciences.
If you are a Pakistani student with a solid science or engineering record and you care more about labs and research than about living in Beijing or Shanghai, this one deserves a serious look. If you want business, humanities or medicine, it is probably the wrong fit. You can see the full scholarship details on our scholarship page, and this guide walks through how the award actually works and where applicants slip up.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), International College |
| Funding | Fully funded at graduate level and undergraduate Level A; undergraduate Level B is a tuition waiver only |
| Levels | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD |
| Fields | Physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, sciences |
| Application window | 14 November to 31 March, for the following academic year |
| Country | China (campus in Hefei, Anhui province) |
| Official site | USTC International College |
Level A, Level B and the graduate fellowship are three different deals
The single biggest source of confusion with this award is that "USTC Fellowship" covers quite different packages depending on your level.
For undergraduates there are two tiers. Level A gives a full tuition waiver, comprehensive medical insurance, a monthly stipend of roughly 2,500 RMB and an accommodation subsidy. Level B gives a full tuition waiver and nothing else. You can apply for either tier or both, but only one award is granted per student.
Level B is a real saving, but be honest with yourself about what it means. You would still be paying for food, housing, insurance and travel from Pakistan. Before you accept a Level B offer, work out whether your family can carry those costs for the full length of a Bachelor's degree. Our guide to bank statements and proof of funds is useful for planning that side.
At Master's and PhD level, the fellowship follows a similar structure: tuition waiver, insurance, housing support and a monthly stipend. Reported stipends go up to roughly 7,000 RMB a month, depending on degree level and program. Treat that figure as a ceiling, not a promise. The exact amount you get will be stated in your fellowship notice, so do not build a budget around the top number until you see it in writing.
Recipients also get access to USTC's research labs and joint programs with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. For a PhD student in a lab-heavy field, that access is arguably worth as much as the stipend.
Age limits and the HSK 5 bar
The basic eligibility rules are close to what you see across Chinese scholarships. The award is for non-Chinese citizens holding a valid passport and in good physical and mental health, so Pakistani passport holders are within the eligible group.
- Undergraduate applicants must be under 30 by September 1 of the intake year and hold a high school diploma.
- Master's applicants must be under 35 and hold a relevant Bachelor's degree.
- PhD applicants must be under 40 and hold a relevant Master's degree.
- Chinese-taught programs require HSK Level 5 or above, with exemptions for native speakers and applicants schooled in Chinese-medium institutions.
- You cannot hold another Chinese government or institutional scholarship for the same academic year.
These age limits are described as typical, so if you are close to a cutoff, confirm the exact rule for your program with USTC before you invest time in the application.
The language requirement is where many Pakistani applicants get caught out. HSK 5 is a high level, and most students from Pakistan will not have it unless they started Chinese years ago. English-taught programs may have different language requirements, so check what your specific program asks for. If you are aiming at a Chinese-taught program, start HSK preparation early. Cramming for HSK 5 in the months before a March deadline rarely works.
The one-scholarship rule also matters if you are applying to CSC or ANSO in the same cycle. You can apply widely, but you cannot hold two Chinese government or institutional scholarships for the same year, so be ready to choose if more than one offer comes through.
The paperwork USTC expects
The document list is shorter than for many Chinese scholarships, but a couple of items take longer than people expect.
- An account on USTC's online application system and a completed application form
- Passport copy
- High school diploma and transcripts for undergraduates, or Bachelor's or Master's degree and transcripts for graduate applicants
- HSK certificate, or proof of exemption
- Physical examination form
- Recommendation letters (graduate applicants)
- Notarized translations for any document not in English or Chinese
The physical examination form is the item most likely to hold you up. It can take weeks to schedule and process, so book it well ahead of the deadline rather than leaving it for the final fortnight. Most Pakistani degrees and transcripts are already in English, which helps, but any Urdu-language document will need a notarized translation. For a broader view of how to prepare and attest papers from Pakistan, see our documents checklist for international scholarships.
How the application runs on the USTC portal
You apply directly to the university, through its own system. The process looks like this:
- Create an account in USTC's online international application system.
- Choose your degree level and indicate that you want to be considered for the USTC Fellowship. Undergraduates select Level A, Level B or both.
- Upload your documents, including academic records, HSK certificate and medical examination form.
- USTC's admissions and fellowship committee reviews your application for admission and funding together.
- If you are successful, you receive an admission and fellowship notice that states the tier and benefits you have been awarded.
Because admission and funding are decided in the same review, a weak academic file hurts you twice. There is no separate scholarship essay that can rescue a thin application, so your grades, recommendations and research fit carry most of the weight.
From the November opening to a September start
The application window opens on 14 November and closes on 31 March, for the academic year that follows. Fellowship and admission decisions come out between April and June, and the academic year begins in September. Confirm the exact dates for your intake on the official USTC International College site, since these windows can shift from year to year.
For a Pakistani applicant, the practical timeline starts well before November. HSK preparation, the medical exam, recommendation letters and any notarized translations all take time, and the gap between a June decision and a September start is short once you add visa processing. Have your visa paperwork ready to go the moment your admission notice arrives.
Where applicants go wrong with this fellowship
As an undergraduate, apply for both Level A and Level B. Since only one award can be granted, ticking both costs you nothing and improves your chance of getting at least the tuition waiver.
Graduate applicants should contact a prospective supervisor before applying. Departmental support strengthens a fellowship case, and at a research-focused university like USTC, a professor who wants you in their lab is a real advantage. Send a short, specific email that shows you have read their recent work, not a generic message sent to twenty professors.
Do not apply here if your interests are outside the sciences. USTC is smaller and more specialized than Peking or Tsinghua, and its strength is concentrated in the physical sciences, engineering and computer science. A strong student in an unrelated field will usually do better targeting a comprehensive university.
Think about Hefei itself too. The city is a fast-growing science and technology hub in central China, home to major national research facilities, and it is quieter and more research-focused than Beijing or Shanghai. Some students love that. Others find it too quiet. Know which kind of student you are before you commit several years to it.
Finally, keep documents in both English and Chinese where you can. It avoids last-minute notarized-translation delays close to the deadline.
If you are comparing this with other options, our guide to all China scholarships sets the USTC Fellowship next to CSC, ANSO and other routes.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the USTC Fellowship?
Yes. The fellowship is open to non-Chinese citizens with a valid passport who meet the age, health and academic requirements for their degree level.
What is the difference between Level A and Level B?
Level A includes a tuition waiver, medical insurance, a monthly stipend of roughly 2,500 RMB and an accommodation subsidy. Level B covers the tuition waiver only. Both tiers apply to undergraduates.
Can I apply for both undergraduate tiers?
Yes, and it is a sensible move. Only one award can be granted to a single applicant, though.
How much do graduate fellows receive each month?
Reported stipends go up to approximately 7,000 RMB a month depending on degree level and program, on top of the tuition waiver, insurance and housing support. Your fellowship notice will state the exact amount.
Do I need HSK for every program?
No. HSK Level 5 is required for Chinese-taught programs. English-taught programs may have different language requirements, so check the rules for the program you choose.
Can I hold this together with a CSC scholarship?
No. You cannot hold another Chinese government or institutional scholarship for the same academic year.
Check current dates and requirements on the USTC International College website, and see the USTC Fellowship scholarship page for a summary you can come back to.