China Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarships

Top students from China are encouraged to apply 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. The University of Auckland will pay the tuition fees for students who receive a scholarship under the University's agreement with CSC.

These scholarships are available for new applicants 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.

1. Search our website to find a suitable supervisor and research project. You can also download and search the CSC opportunities booklet for current projects. 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. If you do not provide all of the required information, it will take us longer to assess your application. 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 in time for you to meet 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 admission and we select you for our CSC list at the time of consideration of your application for admission, your offer of admission will include advice that we will not charge you tuition if you secure a CSC scholarship. You can use that offer of admission as part of your application to CSC. Please note that CSC will accept conditional offers.
5. If we are able to make you an offer of admission but we do not select you for our CSC list at the time of offer of admission, we will notify you on or by 5 March as to whether you have been selected for the University’s CSC list. If you are selected for the University’s CSC list on or by 5 March, the University will provide you with an updated offer of admission advising that we will not charge you tuition fees if you secure a CSC scholarship. You can use that updated offer as part of your application to CSC. Please note that CSC will accept conditional offers.
6. Submit your scholarship application to CSC or work with your home university to submit an application to CSC.
7. 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. One of these letters should be from the professor supervising your masters thesis. Both letters must be sent directly to the University from your referees to postgraduate@auckland.ac.nz

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

Do I need to take an English test before I apply to the University of Auckland or CSC?
No. We can process your PhD application without your English test score, but a full offer of admission 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. UoADS and admission offers are made together, four times a year. Given those dates, if you tick the UoADS box it is unlikely that your application will be considered in time for you to also apply for CSC funding. 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.

Can I be awarded a UoADS and CSC funding?
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, once you have provided all of the required information. The length of time it takes depends on many factors, including how long it takes you to respond to any requirements set by your proposed supervisor, e.g. revising your statement of research intent. 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. Can I apply for a PhD Engineering if I have a 4 year bachelors degree in Engineering?
A masters degree with a strong research component is preferred. However if you have a 4 year Bachelor of Engineering from a Double First Class, 985 or 211 university, you may complete the Application for Admission and ensure your CV details your research outputs and any publications.

How do I get a document stating the University of Auckland will waive my fees, which is a mandatory condition for a CSC scholarship?
The University of Auckland will consider all new applicants who indicate they wish to be considered for CSC funding. 
If you are selected under our agreement with CSC, the University of Auckland will send you an (updated) offer of admission. It will state that if you are successful in obtaining a scholarship from the China Scholarship Council, your tuition fees for the PhD programme will be covered by the agreement between the University of Auckland and the CSC for the duration of your scholarship. All tuition fee waiver documents will be sent by 5 March.

I am currently in paid employment. Will I be eligible to apply for a CSC scholarship or do I need to be sponsored by a university in China?
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 expect you to spend time on our website, looking at the research strengths of our academics. Please 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?
For most disciplines, the expectation is that you will complete a masters degree before you apply for a CSC scholarship. The main exception at the University of Auckland is engineering, if you have good grades from a top engineering school. 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.

I’m already enrolled in my PhD at the University of Auckland and have now want to apply for a CSC scholarship. How do I get a tuition fee waiver letter? 
The University of Aucklands agreement with CSC is for students who have not yet enrolled in our PhD programme. No one who is already enrolled is entitled to a tuition fee letter. If a faculty Dean/LSRI Director (or their nominee) is willing to support your request for a tuition fee waiver the University will consider whether it will offer you atuition fee waiver letter. 

I have a CSC scholarship to study at another university. Can I transfer my scholarship to the University of Auckland? 
You’re welcome to apply for admission to the University of Auckland, but there is no expectation that we will offer you a tuition fee waiver. Our agreement with CSC is to support students who apply to us to do a PhD and who then applies for a scholarship with the support of the University of Auckland. If you decided to apply to another university but no longer wish to study with them, you may have to surrender your CSC offer. 

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.

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

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

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