China Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarships

Top students from China are encouraged to study for their PhD at the University of Auckland through a scholarship programme developed in collaboration with the China Scholarship Council (CSC).

The programme aims to foster long-term research cooperation between the University of Auckland and Chinese universities. Students who receive a scholarship are provided with a living allowance as prescribed by the Chinese government for the term of the scholarship, return airfare to New Zealand by the most economical route, student visa fees, and the cost of health insurance for international students.

These scholarships are available for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme, for the duration of up to four (4) years. The University of Auckland will support up to 100 new CSC PhD scholars a year.

Application procedure

  1. Search our website to find a suitable supervisor and research project. Contact the potential supervisor to see if they are able to support your application. Once you have the support of a potential supervisor, apply for admission. 
  2. Submit an online Application for Admission to the University of Auckland. Allow at least three months for your application to be assessed. You can apply at any time: Application for Admission. The sooner you apply, the better. Remember: CSC has a deadline for applications. The University cannot complete its processes ahead of the CSC deadline if your application is incomplete or if you only submit an application close to the CSC deadline. 
  3. In your online application, when you are asked about funding, make it clear that you wish to be considered for a CSC scholarship. This will allow us to prioritise your application. 
  4. If we are able to make you an offer of a place, we will send you a letter indicating that we will not charge you tuition if you secure a CSC scholarship. You will use that letter as part of your application to CSC. Please note that CSC will accept conditional offers. 
  5. Submit a scholarship application to CSC or work with your home university to submit an application to CSC.
  6. Successful applicants for PhD admission will be notified by the University of Auckland via an Offer of Place. Please do not contact the University to ask if you have received CSC funding.  Successful recipients of a CSC scholarship will be notified by CSC.

Please see below the documents you need to submit via the University of Auckland Application for Admission:

  • Your academic transcripts to date (undergraduate and postgraduate)
  • The grading scale of your home university
  • Your degree certificate (if available)
  • An initial statement of research intent. You will work with your proposed supervisor on a fuller statement as part of the assessment process.
  • Your English language proficiency score (if available)
  • An academic CV/resumé 

You will also be asked to provide two letters of academic recommendation from your professors. These letters must be sent directly to the University from your professor. Download the template at Doctoral Referee Report.

For more information in Chinese about the University of Auckland and China Scholarship Council joint scholarship, visit CSC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to take an English test before I apply to the University of Auckland or CSC?
No. We will process your PhD application without your English test score, but a full letter of offer will not be issued until you have met our English language proficiency requirements. Please note CSC require confirmation that you have met this requirement. 

Can I apply for a University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship (UoADS) and CSC? 
When you complete your online application, you will be asked if you wish to be considered for a UoADS. If you tick that box, your application will be considered as part of the next available UoADS round. This means that you will be unlikely to receive your offer of a place in our PhD programme (with or without a UoADS) in time to also apply for the next round of CSC funding. For example, if you apply for admission anytime from November through to the end of February, and you indicate that you wish to be considered for a UoADS, you will not know the outcome of your application (for a place in the programme, and a UoADS) until 1 May. Learn more about the UoADS scheme.
Note: you are not able to co-tenure a UoADS and CSC funding. If you are offered both, you need to select which one you will accept. 

When will I know the outcome of my application?
It normally takes at least three months to assess PhD applications, but this depends on many factors, including whether you have provided all of the required information. Note also that New Zealand summer holidays fall during the CSC application period, and this may slow down the process. The sooner you apply, the better.

My intended research is in the engineering field but I do not have a masters degree in engineering. If I have a bachelors degree with honours, can I apply for a PhD in Engineering?
A masters degree with a strong research component is preferred. However if you have a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) or equivalent please complete the Application for Admission and ensure your CV includes any research and publications.

How do I get a letter stating the University of Auckland will waive my fees, which is a mandatory condition for a CSC scholarship?
The University of Auckland will send you a PhD registration letter stating that if you are successful in obtaining a scholarship from the China Scholarship Council, your enrolment in the PhD programme will be covered by the agreement between the University of Auckland and the CSC. Under that agreement you are exempt from the requirement to pay the PhD annual tuition fee for the first four years of your doctoral programme.

I am currently working. Will I be eligible to apply for a CSC scholarship or do I need to be sponsored by a university in China?
Yes, you are eligible to apply for a CSC scholarship. For more information please refer to CSC.

I do not have a potential supervisor. What should I do?
We encourage all applicants to spend time on our website, looking at the research strengths of our academics. We also encourage you to contact suitable potential supervisors before you begin your online application. You are more likely to be offered a place in the programme if you secure supervisory support before you submit an application. 

I am in the final year of my bachelors degree. Can I apply for a CSC scholarship now?
Yes, you may apply. Please refer to CSC for further information on their criteria.

What if I am not qualified for the PhD programme? Is there a pathway available?
You may be admitted to a masters degree leading to the PhD programme. Please note that the masters pathway is not covered under the University of Auckland agreement with CSC. For more information about tuition fees for international students see Tuition fees.

Do I need to provide my ranking in the university/school/department?
This is not compulsory, but you are welcome to provide this information if you wish.

Is it possible for me to be a teaching or research assistant during my PhD studies at the University?
It may be possible to find employment in your department or faculty but the University does not guarantee employment for any scholarship holder.

Does the University of Auckland accept visiting CSC scholars? 
Yes. If you are studying for a PhD in China, but wish to spend some time in Auckland, a supervisor at the UoA may be willing to host you. If they are, the Auckland supervisor can send you a letter of invitation, and you can use that letter to apply for CSC funding and for your visa. As you will not be an enrolled student at the University of Auckland, you do not need to complete an online application for admission. We suggest you ask your supervisor in China to first contact the potential Auckland supervisor so that the Auckland academic knows that your Chinese supervisor is supportive of you spending time overseas during your studies. 

What are the visa requirements for studying in Auckland, New Zealand?
Please refer to Applying for a visa.

How can I find out more about living and studying in Auckland, New Zealand?
Please refer to Living in Auckland.

More information

For more information on admission to postgraduate study at the University of Auckland visit Postgraduate admission.

Contact

The School of Graduate Studies
Email: doctoraladvice@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: +64 9 373 7599

The China Scholarship Council
Level 13, Building A3 No.9 Chegongzhuang Avenue
Beijing 100044
P.R. China
Phone: +86 (0)10 6609 3900
Facsimile: +86 (0)10 8839 3620
Website: www.csc.edu.cn

Application forms

For application forms and further details about the CSC application process, applicants should visit the CSC website.