CSC scholarships (China)

If you are interested in applying to the PhD programme of the GSMS on a CSC full PhD scholarship, the first prerequisite is to find a PhD supervisor(s) who is willing to supervise you as PhD candidate and help you carry out your PhD research project. To find a PhD supervisor(s) and research group that matches your research interest, we invite you to browse the UMCG research website.

The second step is to make a research plan. A scholarship PhD candidate can largely self-design its research project. If the project is carried out within the context of a particular research group, it is important that all parties agree on the feasibility of the research project. To draft the research plan, you can use the GSMS Research Proposal form as a template. Note that the CSC uses its own forms for the CSC PhD scholarship application.

Once a PhD supervisor affiliated with the UMCG has accepted you as prospective scholarship PhD candidate and you have discussed possible research topics and the plan, the supervisor must obtain an official Letter of Acceptance from the GSMS for you to include with your PhD application to the CSC (see below for further information on the Letter of Acceptance and other required documentation).

After being awarded a full PhD scholarship by the CSC, admittance to the GSMS and the PhD programme can be finalized, provided all criteria and requirements have been fulfilled.

• You are a Chinese national graduated from a Chinese or international university with a Master degree, or you are about to graduate with a Master degree.

• You would like to apply for CSC funding for a full PhD scholarship (max. 48 months) at the University of Groningen/UMCG.

• Your prospective UMCG supervisor(s) has accepted you as prospective scholarship PhD candidate and obtained a Letter of Acceptance from the Graduate School of Medical Sciences for you. Your supervisor has also assessed and fulfilled other important criteria for admission, such as your academic qualifications as well as proficiency in English, as outlined on the CSC supervisor webpage.

• You are able to submit official proof of proficiency in English: TOEFL iBT 92 (minimum skill score 20; or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum band score of 6.0 on each individual part obtained in one test). TOEFL Home Edition tests are not accepted. Combining multiple test results is not allowed.

• If you are unable to provide valid proof of English proficiency before the deadline for obtaining a GSMS Letter of Acceptance and the deadline for the CSC, the GSMS may decide to issue a conditional Letter of Acceptance, provided that you have the support of your prospective UMCG supervisor. However, proof of English proficiency must be submitted at a later stage, otherwise your admission to the GSMS PhD programme will not be finalized and the visa application process is blocked.

You and your supervisor will need to gather the following information for your Letter of Acceptance, which your supervisor must submit to the GSMS at the latest by 10 March 2026:

• Your English language CV
• Proof of proficiency in English (see above under “eligibility criteria” for minimum requirements)
• Fully completed Letter of Acceptance Request Form*
• Supervisor Statement*

*Templates are available for download for supervisors through the supervisor webpage.

Note that the GSMS is the only authoritative body responsible for issuing Letters of Acceptance and admitting CSC scholarship candidates to its PhD programme. Applicants who have not followed the procedures outlined on the GSMS CSC webpages will not be admitted. This includes CSC PhD candidates transferring from other institutes. Also note that depending on policy in force at the time of application, the GSMS maintains the right to limit the number of Letters of Acceptance issued to scholarship PhD candidates.

The agreement between UG and CSC has been renewed. All CSC applicants for a full PhD are encouraged to apply through the UG-CSC "cooperation channel”.

The maximum duration of funding provided by the CSC for a full PhD trajectory is 48 months. For candidates who have already begun their PhD at Groningen and wish to (re-)apply to the CSC, it is important to note the following:

• In line with CSC policy, the months you have already spent on your PhD research at the UMCG will be subtracted from the maximum scholarship duration.

• The earliest possible start date for the CSC PhD scholarship of candidates already conducting research in Groningen, is 1 September 2026.

• In addition to a Letter of Acceptance, the GSMS will issue an "Education Certificate" that states your registration date as a doctoral researcher to include with your application to the CSC.

• The CSC full PhD scholarship call opens between 10-31 March 2026.

• The deadline for requesting a GSMS Letter of Acceptance will be soon published, typically at the beginning of March.

• The CSC typically publishes the results of their selection procedure at the end of June. Please note that the GSMS will under no circumstances communicate about selection results prior to their official publication by the CSC.

The following documents must be submitted to the GSMS upon being awarded the CSC scholarship in order to secure admission, within one month of the scholarship award the latest:

• A PhD research proposal, as discussed and agreed upon between you and your supervisor(s), in accordance with the template available here . Other formats will not be accepted.

• Certified copy of the diploma for the highest degree attained. The preferred method is by providing an Online Verification Report from the CSSD. If the degree certificate has not yet been issued, a certified declaration from the home university confirming that the requirements for the degree award have been fulfilled is required. Uncertified documents will not be accepted.

• If the minimum requirements of the GSMS have not yet been met, proof of proficiency in English.