Central South University CSU Silk Road Scholarship 2027-2028 | Fully Funded Master’s & PhD in China

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Central South University CSU Silk Road Scholarship 2027-2028 | Fully Funded Master’s & PhD in China

Central South University (CSU), China, has announced the 2027 Chinese Government Scholarship – Silk Road Scholarship Program for international students.

The scholarship offers fully funded opportunities for eligible students from selected countries to pursue Master’s and PhD degrees in China.

The university offers five eligible academic programs in Computer Science, Mining and Mineral Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Geological Resources and Geological Engineering.

The scholarship covers tuition fees, on-campus accommodation, medical insurance and monthly living allowances.

Application Deadline: May 20, 2027

1. Scholarship Overview

University: Central South University (CSU)
Location: Changsha, Hunan Province, China
Scholarship: Chinese Government Scholarship
Program: Silk Road Scholarship
Scholarship Category: Type B
Academic Year: 2027
Degree Levels: Master’s and PhD
CSC Agency Number: 10533
Application Deadline: May 20, 2027
Application Systems: CSU and CSC online systems
Eligible Countries: 10 specified countries

2. Eligible Countries

According to the official 2027 announcement, applicants from the following countries are eligible:

Pakistan
Bangladesh
Nigeria
Yemen
Ethiopia
Afghanistan
Indonesia
Turkmenistan
Tanzania
Russia

Important: This particular Silk Road scholarship announcement is restricted to the listed target countries.

3. Available Majors and Teaching Languages

Central South University has announced the following five eligible academic programs.

No.	Major	Teaching Language
1	Computer Science and Technology	Chinese / English
2	Mining and Mineral Engineering	Chinese / English
3	Transportation Engineering	Chinese / English
4	Civil Engineering	English
5	Geological Resources and Geological Engineering	Chinese / English

Both Master’s and Doctoral applicants can apply, subject to the availability and admission requirements of their selected program.

4. Scholarship Benefits

The full scholarship includes:

Full tuition fee coverage.
Free on-campus accommodation.
Comprehensive medical insurance.
Monthly living allowance.

Monthly Stipend: The specific monthly stipend amount is not stated in the 2027 Silk Road announcement. Applicants should confirm the amount with CSU or check their final admission notice.

5. Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

Must be citizens of one of the ten eligible target countries.
Must be non-Chinese citizens.
Must have excellent academic performance.
Must be in good physical and mental health.
Must have no criminal record.
Must have a strong academic background and scientific and innovative abilities.
Must not have been funded by other organizations or institutions under the stated scholarship conditions and must submit the required declaration.

Master’s Degree Applicants

Must hold a Bachelor’s degree.
Must be under 35 years of age.

PhD Applicants

Must hold a Master’s degree.
Must be under 40 years of age.

6. Language Requirements

Applicants must satisfy the language requirements according to their selected program.

A. English-Taught Programs

Applicants must provide one of the following:

IELTS: Minimum 6.0.
TOEFL: Minimum 85.
TOEFL new 1–6 scale: Minimum 4.0.

Applicants whose native language is English or whose previous degree was taught in English may be exempted from providing IELTS or TOEFL after verification by CSU.

B. Chinese-Taught Programs

Applicants must provide:

HSK Level 4.
Minimum score: 180.

Applicants who do not meet the Chinese language requirements for direct entry into their professional program may be arranged to attend one year of Chinese-language remedial courses.

Applicants whose native language is Chinese or whose previous degree was taught in Chinese may be exempted from submitting HSK results after verification by CSU.

7. Required Application Documents

Applicants must prepare the following documents for the 2027 Silk Road Scholarship.

Complete Document Checklist

1. CSC Application Form

Complete the Chinese Government Scholarship application form.
Submit the application through the official CSC online system.
Download the completed application form.

2. Passport Copy

Clear copy of the passport biodata page.
Passport must have more than one year of remaining validity.
Applicants whose passports do not meet this requirement should renew them before applying.
A valid ordinary passport is required for the study visa and residence procedures.

3. Academic Degree Certificates

Applicants must submit a complete chain of academic certificates from Bachelor’s level onwards.

For Master’s applicants:

Bachelor’s graduation certificate.
Bachelor’s degree certificate.

For PhD applicants:

Bachelor’s graduation certificate.
Bachelor’s degree certificate.
Master’s graduation certificate.
Master’s degree certificate.

Applicants graduating in the current year may submit an official pre-graduation certificate or certificate of enrolment.

Documents must be notarized in Chinese or English. Documents in other languages must include notarized translations.

4. Academic Transcripts

Complete academic transcripts from Bachelor’s level onwards.
Transcripts must cover the first to last semester.
Must be issued and sealed by the academic affairs office, graduate school or student management department.
Documents in other languages must include notarized English translations.

5. Language Proficiency Certificate

HSK Level 4 with at least 180 points for Chinese-taught programs.
IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 85 for English-taught programs.
Accepted exemption certificate, where applicable.

6. Study Plan

Applicants must submit a study plan in Chinese or English.

Requirements:

Minimum 1,000 words.
Must explain the proposed research topic.
Must include research objectives.
Must describe research methods.
Must explain expected research outcomes.

PhD applicants must have their research proposal signed by their intended CSU supervisor.

Download Official Study Plan Template (DOCX)

7. Supervisor Acceptance Letter – Mandatory

Applicants must submit an Acceptance Letter from a prospective supervisor at Central South University.

Download Official Supervisor Acceptance Letter (DOCX)

8. Foreigner Physical Examination Form

Applicants must submit a completed Foreigner Physical Examination Form with blood test reports.

Requirements:

All required medical examinations must be completed.
Form must be in Chinese or English.
Applicant’s photograph must carry the hospital’s official stamp.
Must contain the final medical examination opinion.
Must include the physician’s signature and hospital stamp.
Examination date must be after October 1, 2026.

The original chest X-ray report, ECG and laboratory reports for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B must also be provided.

Download Official Physical Examination Form

9. Non-Criminal Record Certificate

Must be issued by the local public security authority.
Must carry an official stamp.
Must be in Chinese or English.
Issue date must be after October 1, 2026.

10. Two Recommendation Letters

Applicants must submit two recommendation letters.

Requirements:

Written by professors or associate professors.
Written in Chinese or English.
Must include recommenders’ contact information.
Must explain the applicant’s study objectives and academic abilities.
Must be issued after October 1, 2026.

11. Published Academic Papers

Applicants who have published academic papers should submit them with their applications.

If there are multiple publications:

Attach a publication list.
Include the first page of each paper.
Full texts of high-level journal papers may also be included.
Merge all documents into a single PDF file.

12. Personal Statement Video

Applicants must prepare a personal statement video explaining their educational and research background and demonstrating their research potential.

Requirements:

Duration: Approximately 1 minute.
Maximum file size: 40 MB.
Format: MP4.

13. Statement of Not Receiving Other Scholarships

Applicants must submit a statement confirming that they have not received funding or other scholarships from organizations or institutions.

Download Official Personal Statement / Declaration Template (DOCX)

14. Other Supporting Documents

Applicants may also submit:

Updated CV.
Academic awards.
Certificates.
Published research achievements.
Other relevant supporting documents.

8. Application Procedure

Applicants must complete applications through BOTH the CSU online application system and the CSC online application system.

Step 1: Apply Through Central South University’s Online System

Visit:

https://csu.17gz.org/member/login.do

Register an account.
Complete your personal information.
Select Chinese Government Scholarship.
Choose the Silk Road Scholarship.
Select your preferred Master’s or PhD program.
Upload all required documents.
Submit your application.

Important: Completing the CSU application system is mandatory. Applicants who do not complete this step will not be considered.

Step 2: Apply Through the CSC Online System

Visit:

https://studyinchina.csc.edu.cn/#/login

Complete the CSC application and enter:

Scholarship Category: Type B.
University: Central South University.
Agency Number: 10533.

Complete the application form, submit it online and download the completed CSC application form.

Important: The university specifically instructs applicants to submit their supporting materials through CSU’s application system. CSC does not accept the supporting application documents directly.

Step 3: Initial Application Review

The university will conduct an initial review of the submitted applications.

Applicants who pass the initial review will receive a notification through the application system and registered email.

Step 4: Pay the Application and Review Fee

After passing the initial review, applicants must pay:

Application and Review Fee: 500 RMB

Payment instructions:

Payment must be made within seven days of receiving the system notification and email.
Payment is made through the CSU Campus Unified Payment Platform.
Accepted payment methods include WeChat Pay, Alipay and UnionPay.

Applicants who fail the initial review do not need to pay the fee.

Applicants who fail to pay within the required period will be considered to have withdrawn their applications.

The fee is non-refundable.

Step 5: Academic Review

The relevant academic schools will evaluate:

Academic background.
Research ability.
Scientific innovation potential.
Suitability for the selected program.

Step 6: Final Scholarship Selection

CSU will recommend selected applicants to the China Scholarship Council.

Final scholarship admission will be decided by CSC.

The final scholarship category must be checked in the official Admission Notice.

9. Admission and Enrollment

According to the university’s announcement:

Electronic admission letters and visa application forms will normally be sent before July 31, 2027.
Registration is expected at the beginning of September 2027.
The exact registration date will be stated in the Admission Notice.

Applicants must register within the specified period.

10. Important Instructions for Applicants

Only applicants from the ten specified countries are eligible under this announcement.
Applicants must complete both the CSU and CSC online application systems.
The CSC category is Type B.
The Agency Number is 10533.
A supervisor acceptance letter is mandatory.
PhD research proposals must be signed by the CSU supervisor.
The study plan must contain at least 1,000 words.
Applicants must submit a one-minute MP4 personal statement video not exceeding 40 MB.
The 500 RMB application and review fee is payable only after passing the initial review.
The final scholarship type is confirmed through the Admission Notice.
Applicants cannot change their university, major or study duration after admission.
Scholarship recipients must pass the annual scholarship review.
Students cannot simultaneously receive other Chinese local government or university scholarships under the stated CSC rules.