Confucius Institute Scholarship (CIS)

CIS supports several distinct program types: four-week short-term winter or summer courses, one-semester (5-month) programs, one-academic-year (11-month) programs, and full degree pathways including the Bachelor's in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (BTCSOL) and the Master's equivalent (MTCSOL). This range means CIS can suit anyone from a student wanting a short intensive language boost to one pursuing a full degree in Chinese language teaching.

Applicants are generally required to hold at least HSK Level 3 (210 points) for language-focused programs, with degree-track applicants needing higher levels depending on the specific BTCSOL/MTCSOL program requirements. Age limits typically run from 16 to 35 for most applicants, up to 45 for in-service Chinese language teachers applying for further training, and undergraduate program applicants generally must not exceed 20 years of age.

Benefits include full tuition coverage, free shared-room accommodation in university dormitories, basic medical insurance, and a monthly living allowance of roughly 2,500 RMB for language/BTCSOL students and roughly 3,000 RMB for MTCSOL students. Most Confucius Institutes worldwide run their own local nomination process, so applicants typically apply first through their nearest Confucius Institute or Confucius Classroom before being matched to a Chinese host university.

Because CIS is delivered through a global network of Confucius Institutes rather than a single central portal, application routes and exact local deadlines can vary by country and institute, but the overall CLEC-run scholarship itself remains centrally coordinated and consistently offered each year for the September and March intakes.