How to Apply
The application journey step by step: choosing a programme, documents, deadlines, offers and enrolment.
Applying to a Chinese university is straightforward once your documents are in order. Most institutions open applications between November and March for a September start; scholarship deadlines fall earlier, often January to April. Start about a year ahead.
The journey
Six steps to enrolment
- 1Choose programmesDecide on level, language of instruction, field and budget. Shortlist three to six so you have options. On Nadoumi you can filter by country, funding, language and level and compare requirements side by side.
- 2Prepare your documentsSee the checklist below. Notarise and translate anything not already in Chinese or English, and start the medical exam early.
- 3Submit the applicationThrough the university's own portal and, for the Chinese Government Scholarship, also the CSC system. Pay the application fee (usually ¥400 to 800). Apply for the scholarship and the admission at the same time; one does not guarantee the other.
- 4Interviews and decisionsSome departments hold a short online interview. Decisions arrive from April to July: an Admission Notice and, if awarded, a separate Scholarship Certificate.
- 5Accept and get your visa formConfirm your place; the university issues a JW202 (self-funded / university scholarship) or JW201 (government scholarship) with the admission letter. Continue to the Student Visa Guide.
- 6Before you flyBook accommodation, arrange the first months’ funds (stipends are paid after registration), bring every original, and note the registration deadline: missing it can void the offer.
Checklist
Documents you will need
Passport
Valid for at least the length of your study, plus six months.
Diploma & transcripts
Highest qualification and full records, notarised and translated.
Language certificate
HSK for Chinese-taught, IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught (or an English-medium letter).
Study plan
A personal statement, usually 800 to 1,500 words, naming supervisors or research groups.
Two recommendation letters
From academic referees who taught or supervised you.
Physical Examination Form
The Foreigner Physical Examination Form for programmes over six months, plus a white-background photo.
Under 18?
Support
How Nadoumi helps
We track every step, flag deadlines, and review your documents before you submit. Create a profile to begin, or read the Student Visa Guide for what comes after the offer.