The Ultimate Chinese Scholarship and Fellowship List

One of the biggest hurdles to continuing your Chinese studies abroad is finding enough funding.This is a list of scholarships and fellowships that I wish I had when I began my Chinese studies. There are many opportunities available for both undergraduate and postgraduate students to study in China and Taiwan, you just have to know where to look. If you think I missed an important one, please leave a comment below, and I’ll add it to the list. Also, please share any of your experiences applying for or getting one of these awards.

Also, if you are visiting Sensible Chinese for the first time then be sure to check out our Chinese learning resources, Chinese character course and Hanzi Chinese Character Posters.

Scholarships

Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES)

Program Summary

To encourage international students and individuals to undertake Mandarin Chinese language study in Taiwan, the Ministry of Education (MOE) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) established the MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HUAYU ENRICHMENT SCHOLARSHIP (HES) Program in 2005. While providing language study opportunities for Mandarin Chinese and to learn about Taiwan’s culture at certified university or college-affiliated Mandarin training centers.

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Program Eligibility

International applicants above the age of 18, who possess a high school diploma or above, have shown excellent academic performance, and are of good moral character are eligible. Candidates with one of the following qualifications may not apply:
a. Is an overseas Chinese student or a national of the R.O.C.
b. Is currently registered as a student at a Mandarin Language Center or has sought a degree from a university or college in Taiwan.
c. Has already received a HES or a Taiwan Scholarship, in the past.
d. Is an exchange student to Taiwan, during the scholarship period.
e. Is currently receiving financial benefits from the Taiwan government or another educational institution.

Number of Scholarships

Varies by TECO office.

Program Duration

  1. Twelve months
  2. Nine months
  3. Six months
  4. Three months
  5. Two months (summer program only) in June/July or July/August.

Award Value

A Monthly stipend of 25,000 NTD.

Deadline

The yearly application period is from February 1st through March 31st. However, the actual application period varies by TECO office. Be sure to confirm the deadline before applying.

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program

Program Summary

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a fully-funded overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. With the goal of broadening the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building relationships between the people of the United States and other countries, CLS provides study opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning.

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Program Eligibility

All applicants must be U.S. citizens. Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. degree-granting program at the undergraduate or graduate level. All candidates must have completed at least their first year of university-level study by the beginning of the summer institute. Students in all disciplines including business, engineering, sciences, social sciences and humanities are encouraged to apply. The CLS Program welcomes all eligible applications and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.

Number of Scholarships

For Chinese

  • 2014: 102
  • 2013: 112
  • 2012: 90
  • 2011: 76

Program Duration

8-10 weeks

Grant Benefits

All CLS Program costs are covered for participants including: travel to and from the student’s U.S. home city and program location, mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington, DC, applicable visa fees, room, board, seven to ten weeks of group-based intensive language instruction, program-sponsored travel within country, and all entrance fees for CLS Program cultural enrichment activities. Note: U.S. passport fees will not be paid by the scholarship

Deadline

November

Boren Scholarship

Program Summary

Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.

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Program Eligibility

  • A U.S. citizen at the time of application
  • A high school graduate, or have earned a GED
  • Matriculated in an undergraduate degree program located within the United States accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Boren Scholars must remain matriculated in their undergraduate programs for the duration of the scholarship and may not graduate until the scholarship is complete.
  • Applying to a study abroad program that meets home institution standards in a country outside of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.  Boren Scholarships are not for study in the United States.

Number of Scholarships

See Boren Scholarship Statistics for 2014

Program Duration

Boren Scholarships promote long term linguistic and cultural immersion, and therefore study abroad proposals for two or more semesters are strongly encouraged. Preference will be given to undergraduate applicants proposing a full-year academic study. Boren-funded programs can begin no earlier than June 1.

Summer-only programs must be eight (8) weeks or more and are limited to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students. To learn more about this special STEM initiative, click here.

Award Value

Maximum scholarship awards are:

  • $8,000 for a summer program (special initiative for STEM students only; 8 weeks minimum)
  • $10,000 for a semester
  • $20,000 for a full academic year

Deadline

The 2016-17 application will be available in late-August. Please see your campus representative for your earlier on-campus deadline. For more information about the application process, click here.

Boren Scholarship applicants will be notified of their status by mail in late April.

The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Program

Program Summary

The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, provides merit-based scholarships for eligible high school students and recent high school graduates to learn less commonly taught languages in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs.

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Program Eligibility

  • U.S. citizen
  • Grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent
  • 15-18 years of age at start of program (birthdate between July 15, 1996 and June 10, 2000 for summer programs; birthdate between September 30, 1996 and June 30, 2000 for academic year programs)
  • Enrolled in high school (including home school) at the time of application
  • Not an immediate family member of an employee of the U.S. Department of State who works in the Youth Programs Division of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs or an employee at a NSLI-Y administering organization whose duties involve the NSLI-Y program
  • Have not previously traveled outside the U.S. on a long-term (more than eight weeks) program sponsored by the Youth Programs Division of the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
  • Previous NSLI-Y summer program participants or alumni of ECA-funded short-term programs are only eligible to apply for a NSLI-Y academic year program.

Program Duration

Summer programs are six to eight weeks in duration and typically start in mid-June to early July and end in early to mid-August. Academic Year Program runs from late August to June

Award Value

The costs covered by the scholarship are:

  • Round-trip travel between the participant’s home city to the pre-departure orientation and the overseas host program location
  • Pre-departure, arrival and end of stay orientations
  • Tuition and related academic program costs including preparation, support and testing
  • Educational and cultural programming, including program travel
  • In-country support
  • Room and board
  • Visas for entrance and exit of the host country
  • Secondary medical benefits

Deadline

Late October

Chinese Government Scholarship

Program Summary

Chinese Government Scholarship—Great Wall Program is a full scholarship established by MOE for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to sponsor students and scholars in developing countries to study in China or conduct research.

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Program Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must:

  • be a citizen of a country other than the People’s Republic of China, and be in good health;
  • be a bachelor’s degree holder under the age of 35 when applying for master’s programs;
  • be a master’s degree holder under the age of 40 when applying for doctoral programs.

This program generally does not support registered students who are studying in China when applying for this scholarship.

Program Duration

  1. This scholarship only supports master’s students for no more than 3 years or doctoral students for no more than 4 years.
  2. Duration of the scholarship, which covers both major study and Chinese language/preparatory study, as specified in the Admission Letter, cannot be extended in general.
  3. Scholarship students can register for either Chinese-taught program or English-taught program if applicable.

Award Value

This is a full scholarship which covers

  • tuition waiver;
  • accommodation;
  • stipend;
  • medical insurance

Deadline

You should apply to the designated Chinese universities undertaking this program between January and early April. Please consult your target university for its specific deadline.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program

Program Summary

The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go by offering awards to U.S. undergraduates who might otherwise not participate due to financial constraints.

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Program Eligibility

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is open to all U.S. citizen undergraduates, in good academic standing, who meet the criteria listed below:

  • The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of his/her study abroad program or internship.
  • The applicant is applying to or has been accepted into a study abroad program or internship eligible for credit by the student’s accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.
  • The applicant is studying or interning abroad for at least four weeks (28 days) in one country – or two weeks (14 days) for current community college students – and no more than one academic year. Programs going to more than one country are eligible if the student will be in one country for at least four consecutive weeks.
  • The applicant is studying or interning abroad in any country except Cuba or a country on the U.S. Department of State’s current Travel Warning list. Students applying to programs in Mexico may only apply for scholarships to support study in Mexican states where no advisory is in effect according to the U.S. Department of State Travel Warning list.

Note: Gilman Scholarship recipients can only receive the scholarship once. If a student previously declined the Gilman Scholarship, they are welcome to re-apply, as long as they still meet all eligibility requirements as listed above.

Number of Scholarships

Over 2,700 scholarships

Program Duration

Students can study and intern abroad during the spring, summer, fall or academic year term.

Award Value

Over 2,700 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study or intern abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need with the average award being approximately $4,000 for fall and spring programs, and $3,000 for summer programs.

Applicants who are studying a critical need language while abroad in a country in which the language is predominantly spoken will automatically be considered for the Critical Need Language Award, for a total award of $8,000. Please note that this award is competitive and offered to a limited number of students each year. During the 2013-2014 academic year, 60 Critical Need Language Awards were offered.

Deadline

Summer 2015 and Fall/Academic Year 2015-2016 Application Deadlines

The online application is due at 11:59 PM Central DaylightTime on Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Fellowships

Fulbright Study/Research Grants – China & Taiwan

Program Summary

Applicants for study/research grants design their own projects and will typically work with advisers at foreign universities or other institutes of higher education. The study/research grants are available in approximately 140 countries. Program requirements vary by country, so the applicant’s first step is to familiarize themselves with the program summary for the host country.

For China

Candidates should design projects that begin in early September 2016 or early March 2017, so that their arrivals in China will correspond with the beginning of an academic term at the Chinese host institution. Alternative project timelines are acceptable only for PhD candidates or those grantees applying for Critical Language Enhancement Awards. All candidates receiving Critical Language Enhancement Awards to study Mandarin in China will begin their language studies in an approved program in the summer or fall of 2016, and their Fulbright research terms will begin immediately after the conclusion of their intensive language programs.

Critical Language Enhancement Award:

The Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA) is a feature of the U.S. Student Fulbright Program, which provides an opportunity for some Fulbright U.S. Student grantees to receive typically from three to six months of intensive language study as an enhancement to their Fulbright grants. Language instruction providers and duration of individual programs are subject to change and vary by eligible country. They must be approved by local Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassies in the host countries. CLEA is offered to students once they have been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student grant which requires that they use one of the eligible languages for their Fulbright project and beyond.

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Program Eligibility

  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application. Permanent residents are not eligible. Please review the Ineligibility section below in relation to the eligibility of dual citizens.
  • Applicants must have a conferred bachelor’s degree or the equivalent before the start of the grant.
  • In the creative and performing arts, four years of professional training and/or experience meets the basic eligibility requirement.
  • Applicants must be in good health. Grantees will be required to submit a satisfactory Medical Certificate from a physician.
  • Applicants must have sufficient proficiency in the written and spoken language of the host country sufficient to communicate with the people and to carry out the proposed study/research. This is especially important for projects in the social sciences and the humanities.
  • Applicants may hold a J.D. at the time of application.

Number of Scholarships

Please be aware that our grants are highly competitive. In recent years, we were able to fund less than 10% of applicants.

Program Duration

10 months

Award Value

10 months of full funding and six months of language study if awarded the Critical Language Enhancement Award (only China program)

Deadline

The 2016-2017 Fulbright U.S. Student competition is now open. The Competition Deadline is October 13 2015 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Confucius China Studies Program (CCSP) Joint Research Ph.D. Fellowship

Program Summary

Over the past two decades, there has been a sharp increase in international interest in China, and the study of Chinese language.The mission of the Confucius China Studies Program Joint Research Ph.D. Fellowship is to foster this interest by supporting China-related study among the international academic community’s rising generation of young scholars. This program provides substantial funding for doctoral dissertation research in China from six months to up to two years, and award recipients are expected to further develop and improve their Chinese language skills for the duration of their grant.

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Program Eligibility

Students cannot be citizens of the People’s Republic of China, and must be enrolled in a doctoral program. Undergraduates, students in terminal Master’s programs, and post-doctoral students are not eligible. This award is open to both U.S. and international (non-Chinese) students. Applicants enrolled in U.S. institutions must apply for this award through IIE. Applications from U.S.-based students not submitted through IIE will not be considered for the fellowship. Eligible candidates must meet the following criteria:

  • Currently enrolled in a doctoral program at a U.S. Institution
  • Pursuing research in the arts, education, humanities, and social sciences with a focus on China
  • Are not a citizen of the People’s Republic of China
  • Will not be recipients of other Chinese government scholarship funding
  • Will not have spent a significant amount of time in the People’s Republic of China during the years of their secondary education

How to Apply

The applicant shall submit the online application, and then post the application form and other supporting documents to the Confucius Institute Headquarters. US-based applicants shall apply through the website of Institute of International Education: www.iie.org/ccsp.

Program Duration

From six months to two years.

Award Value

Recipients will receive generous support during their time in China. The award package will include the following:

  • 80,000 RMB annual living stipend
  • 20,000 RMB annual research stipend
  • Insurance
  • Financial support for a research visit to China by their home university advisor
  • Host university tuition
  • Reimbursement for the cost of roundtrip, economy class airfare

Deadline

Students enrolled in doctoral programs at U.S. universities must apply through IIE. Applications for 2015 have closed. Online applications for 2016 will open in the fall.

Blakemore Freeman Fellowships

Program Summary

The Blakemore Freeman Fellowships fund an academic year of advanced language study abroad of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and selected Southeast Asian languages. Since 1990, the Foundation has awarded over $14 million in language grants to individuals using an East or Southeast Asian language in their careers.

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Program Eligibility

To be eligible for a Blakemore Freeman Fellowship, an applicant must:

  • Be pursuing a professional, business, technical or academic career that involves the regular use of a modern East or Southeast Asian language.
  • Have a college undergraduate degree.
  • Be at or near an advanced level in the language as defined in the grant guidelines. (Minimum requirement is 3 years of study of the language at college level or equivalent fluency)
  • Be able to devote oneself exclusively to full-time intensive language study during the term of the grant. Grants are not made for part-time study or research.
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

Number of Scholarships

Please be aware that our grants are highly competitive. In recent years, we were able to fund less than 10% of applicants.

Program Duration

One year of full-time language study.

Award Value

For Chinese, we fund study at the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing and at the International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University in Taipei. We do not fund Chinese language study at any other institution.

Deadline

December 30

Yenching Academy Fellowship

Program Summary

The Yenching Academy offers an intensive program of interdisciplinary classroom and field study of Chinese history and culture, as well as real-time issues in China’s development. As a college integrated within China’s leading university, the Yenching Academy prepares a diverse group of exceptional international and Chinese students with the knowledge of China that they need to fulfill their potential as global citizens and leaders.

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Program Eligibility

Prospective Yenching Scholars

  • Bachelor’s degree in any field
  • Maximum age 25 in 2015
  • Outstanding academic record
  • Demonstrated leadership skills
  • Active in extracurricular activities
  • Active community engagement and a strong sense of social responsibility
  • Strong moral character
  • Demonstrated interest in exploring diverse cultures, in particular Chinese and Asia Pacific cultures
  • Demonstrated English Proficiency

Number of Scholarships

The inaugural class of 100 Yenching Scholars will begin in September, 2015. Approximately 65 percent will be international students; the remaining 35 percent will be from the mainland of China. Yenching Scholars will be a diverse group of talented young leaders who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, innovative thought, and a commitment to the betterment of society.

Program Duration

One year

Award Value

Yenching Scholars receive a fellowship that covers tuition and fees, accommodation and living costs. Students will complete their coursework during the fall and spring semesters, supplemented with additional study during the summer. The fellowship for international students ends after twelve months; they may complete and defend their thesis any time up to two years after they have completed their Yenching Academy residence. Mainland Chinese students will be supported on campus for an additional year during which they will work on their thesis.

Deadline

The application deadline for the 2015-2016 academic year is January 31, 2015. For inquiries regarding the 2016-2017 application process, please email yca-admission@pku.edu.cn.

Schwarzman Scholars

Program Summary

Schwarzman Scholars is a highly selective, one-year master’s program at Tsinghua University in Beijing that is designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders for the challenges of the future.

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Program Eligibility

  • Undergraduate degree or first degree from an accredited college or university or its equivalent. Applicants who are currently enrolled in undergraduate degree programs must be on track to successfully complete all degree requirements before orientation begins in July 2016. There are no requirements for a specific field of undergraduate study; all fields are welcome, but it will be important for applicants, regardless of undergraduate major, to articulate how participating in Schwarzman Scholars will help develop their leadership potential within their field.
  • English language proficiency. Applicants must demonstrate strong English Language skills, as all teaching will be conducted in English. If the applicant’s native language is not English, official English proficiency test scores must be submitted with the application. Acceptable test options are:
    • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT)
    • Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)
    • International English Language Testing System (IELTS)Pearson’s (PTE Academic)

This requirement is waived for applicants who graduated from an undergraduate institution where the language of instruction was English at an institution located in a country where English was a national language.

  • Age. Applicants must be at least 18 but not yet 29 years of age as of June 30, 2016

Number of Scholarships

Each year, up to 200 exceptional men and women will be accepted to the program: 45% US, 20% China, and 35% rest of world.

Program Duration

One year masters program.

Award Value

The extraordinary students selected to become Schwarzman Scholars will receive a comprehensive scholarship. It will include:

  • Tuition
  • Fees
  • Room and board
  • Travel to and from Beijing at the beginning and end of the academic year
  • An in-country study tour
  • Required course books and supplies
  • Lenovo laptop and smartphone
  • Health insurance
  • A modest personal stipend

Deadline

KEY DATES

  • April 2015: Application opens
  • October 1, 2015: Application deadline
  • October 2015: Reading and selection of semi-finalists
  • Mid-November 2015: Interviews for semi-finalists
  • Late November 2015: Finalists notified
  • July 5, 2016: Orientation at Tsinghua University begins

Princeton in Asia (PiA)

Program Summary

PiA sponsors over 150 fellowships and internships in 20 countries and is the oldest and largest organization of its kind, unique in its scope, size, century-long expertise and emphasis on service. The essence of PiA is to provide transformative, service-oriented experiences for bright, talented graduates and to serve the needs of Asia as determined by our host institutions and Asian partners. PiA arranges fellowships and internships with Asian host organizations in the fields of education, health, international development, environmental advocacy, journalism, engineering, technology, law and business. Fellowships are the means of fostering person-to-person diplomacy, enhancing mutual understanding, serving vulnerable communities with unmet needs and providing transformative experiences for fellows and host communities.

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Program Eligibility

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) experience which can be fulfilled through 20 hours of class or volunteer tutoring
  • International students eligible
  • Native English speaking ability
  • Asian language ability not necessary for most teaching positions; non-teaching positions typically require some language skill or specific academic or work experience
  • Must attend orientation at Princeton in May
  • Valid passport

Number of Scholarships

For the 2015-2016 academic year, PiA expects to offer approximately 135 full-year fellowships in the following countries: Cambodia, China/Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. New positions in other countries are always in development and may also be available. PiA offers service-oriented posts in the fields of education, international development (NGOs), journalism and business, with a majority of fellows working as English teachers at universities and high schools.

Program Duration

One year

Deadline

November 14: Deadline for submission of application materials.

The Luce Foundation Luce Scholars Program

Program Summary

The Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive fellowship program. It was launched by the Henry Luce Foundation in 1974 to enhance the understanding of Asia among potential leaders in American society. The program provides stipends, language training, and individualized professional placement in Asia for 15-18 Luce Scholars each year, and welcomes applications from college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals in a variety of fields who have had limited exposure to Asia.

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Program Eligibility

To be eligible for the Luce Scholars Program, candidates must be U.S. citizens who would not have reached their 30th birthday by July 1st of the year they enter the program.

Candidates must have earned at least a bachelor’s degree or reasonably expect to receive that degree by July 1st of the year they enter the program.

Candidates must be in physical health that will not restrict them from working in a foreign environment.

Candidates need not presently be on campus or formally affiliated with the nominating institution. They may be selected from graduating seniors, graduate or professional students currently at the nominating institution, from recent alumni, or others the nominating institution deems appropriate.

The intent of the program is to provide an immersion experience in Asia for an outstanding group of young Americans who would not otherwise have the opportunity to come to know Asia intimately. Those who already have significant experience in Asia or Asian studies are not eligible.

Number of Scholarships

15-18 Luce Scholars each year

Program Duration

One year

Award Value

The program provides stipends, language training, and individualized professional placement in Asia.

Deadline

Luce Scholar candidates are nominated by 75 participating colleges and universities. The Luce Foundation cannot accept applications submitted directly by individual candidates.

Candidates need not presently be on campus or formally affiliated with a nominating institution. They may be selected from graduating seniors, graduate or professional students currently at the nominating institution, from recent alumni, or any other group deemed appropriate by the nominating institution.

Each nominating institution has an internal application deadline, typically sometime in October, as well as procedures for internal candidate review. Please contact a Luce Scholars campus liaison for possible institutional endorsement.

Teach For China

Program Summary

Established in 2008, Teach For China is inspired by the vision that one day, all Chinese children will have access to a quality education. Teach For China takes a unique approach to eliminating educational inequity by enlisting the US and China’s most promising future leaders in the effort. In partnership with the global network Teach For All (www.teachforall.org), Teach For China recruits, selects, trains, and supports outstanding US and Chinese graduates to work side-by-side to deliver an excellent education in high poverty, rural Chinese communities.

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Program Eligibility

All applicants for the 2015-2017 Fellowship cohort must:

  • have received a Bachelor’s degree by July 2015;
  • be a US or Chinese citizen (includes those who have or are eligible for a Hong Kong or Macau passport, but not those who only have residency status);
  • have at least basic proficiency in Mandarin Chinese;
  • if you are a Chinese citizen, please click here to learn more (Chinese citizens studying in the US or another country must complete the Chinese application)

Number of Scholarships

About 200 a year

Program Duration

Two-year Fellowship

Deadline

Teach For China candidates can submit an online application for one of our four deadlines for the 2015-2017 Fellowship:

  • Deadline 1: September 25, 2014 11:59pm EDT
  • Deadline 2: October 23, 2014 11:59pm EDT
  • Deadline 3: January 22, 2015 11:59pm EST
  • Deadline 4: March 12, 2015 11:59pm EST