Scholarship Gecko International Scholarship Online Forum
Related Articles
Top 15 Caregiving Scholarships in China
The caregiving profession has emerged as one of the most in-demand careers in contemporary society. You can get top quality training in this profession in Mainland China where there exists some of Asia’s strongest nursing schools. The good news is that there are several scholarships that will pay your way through caregiving training in China. If your dream is to have a successful career in caregiving (nursing, elderly care, traditional Chinese medicine nursing or health care management), these 15 scholarships can cover tuition, housing and often a monthly allowance.
Very few awards are limited to caregiving alone. So this list offers a combination of nursing-specific programmes with the major government and university scholarships that are open to nursing and health applicants. Click any scholarship name to go straight to its official page.
The 15 scholarships
The Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) is China’s biggest scholarship. It is operated by the China Scholarship Council for the Ministry of Education. It covers tuition, a free dormitory or housing allowance, a monthly stipend and medical insurance at more than 280 universities. Nursing is among the subjects on offer; Shandong University, for example, offers a master’s in Nursing Science under it. Type A applications go through your home country’s Chinese embassy, and Type B goes directly to a Chinese university. Most deadlines fall between January and April annually.
The Silk Road Programme is a full scholarship which is also under the Chinese Government Scholarship. It is only for students from Belt and Road countries. It is designed to train future industry leaders and skilled professionals for those countries. You apply through a designated university and then complete the form on the CSC online system, so check each university’s list of majors for nursing or health programmes.
This is the most caregiving-focused scholarship on the list. China’s Ministry of Commerce funds a two-year, English-taught nursing master’s at Central South University’s Xiangya School of Nursing, which China rates A+ for nursing. The latest published guide lists free tuition and housing, 3,000 RMB a month, insurance and return flights. It is aimed at nurses and health managers from developing countries who are under 45, with a bachelor’s degree and at least three years of work experience. A new guide is published each year, so check the dates for 2027.
Shanghai’s city government funds international students at its universities, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Fudan. Type A is a full scholarship covering tuition, housing, living costs and medical insurance. Type B covers tuition and insurance. Age limits are 25 for bachelor’s, 35 for master’s and 40 for PhD, and applications usually run from February to April annually.
The Beijing Government Scholarship supports international students at universities in the capital, including Peking University. Category A covers tuition, housing, living costs and insurance. Category B covers everything except living costs, and Category C covers tuition and insurance. You apply directly to your chosen university, and Category A applicants need IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 85.
Jiangsu Province created this scholarship in 2010 for top international students. Host universities include Nanjing Medical University and Jiangsu University, both of which teach nursing. The full scholarship covers tuition, housing, insurance and a monthly allowance; Hohai University lists this as 1,500 RMB a month. Applications usually open on 1 January and close on 30 May. Apply through your host university’s international office, because the old Study in Jiangsu portal may no longer work. This is an annual opportunity so you should always monitor the official scholarship website to note when each opportunity opens.
Zhejiang Province started this award in 2009 to bring strong students to its universities. Type A gives postgraduates 30,000 RMB a year, and Type B gives undergraduates 20,000 RMB a year. It goes towards tuition and has no monthly stipend. Apply through your host university; Hangzhou Normal University (linked) lists an October deadline that follows the provincial notice. This is an annual scholarship so if you miss the current opportunity you monitor the official scholarship website to observe when the next window opens.
Shandong University funds new international students on its degree programmes. Those programmes include an English-taught Bachelor of Nursing and a master’s in nursing. The master’s prepares graduates for clinical nursing, nursing education, management and research. Apply through SDU’s online admissions system and choose the scholarship when you submit your application.
Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou has more than a century of nursing education, and its School of Nursing leads a Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao nursing alliance. The university scholarship covers every programme in its international catalogue except the MPA and MBA. Applicants need strong grades and a recommendation from an agency or recruitment ambassador that SYSU recognises. Watch the official scholarship website for the 2027 guide.
Beyond the MOFCOM programme, Central South University in Changsha offers its own scholarships and Chinese Government Scholarship places. Its nursing school, founded in 1911, is one of the first in China to award doctorates in nursing. This page lists every current guide, including the CSU Scholarship and the CSC High-level Graduate programme. This is an annual scholarship so if you miss the current opportunity you monitor the official scholarship website to observe when the next window opens.
The Henan University of Chinese Medicine Zhongjing International Scholarship is a good fit if you want to combine caregiving with traditional Chinese medicine. Henan University of Chinese Medicine teaches nursing alongside TCM, acupuncture and rehabilitation. The Zhongjing and Henan Provincial Government scholarships cover tuition and the application fee, while the Chinese Government Scholarship here covers everything. This is an annual scholarship so if you miss the current opportunity you monitor the official scholarship website to observe when the next window opens.
Sichuan University is home to the West China School of Nursing, founded in 1915 and one of China’s earliest university nursing schools. For master’s and PhD students, this scholarship covers tuition, a housing subsidy, medical insurance and a living allowance of up to 2,000 RMB a month for master’s and 3,000 RMB for PhD. Undergraduates can get up to 20,000 RMB a year. Nursing is eligible; only clinical medicine and stomatology are excluded. The last round ran in four stages from November to May, so apply early.
Fudan University in Shanghai has its own School of Nursing and is ranked 30th in the 2026 QS World University Rankings. International students can apply for the Fudan International Students’ Scholarship, the Chinese Government Scholarship or the Shanghai Government Scholarship. You choose the scholarship in the Fudan online application when you apply for your programme.
Wuhan University’s School of Nursing grew out of the HOPE School of Nursing, set up with the US charity Project HOPE in 2002. Its “Studying in Wuhan University” freshman scholarships support new international degree students. Applications open on 5 March and close on 30 May each year. You choose your major and apply through the university’s School of International Education website.
Jiangsu University in Zhenjiang offers a three-year nursing master’s with courses in emergency and critical care, cardiovascular care and wound care. Its Presidential Scholarship comes in full and partial versions for bachelor’s, master’s and PhD students. You must first be admitted, then complete the scholarship form online. This is also an annual scholarship so if you miss the current opportunity you monitor the official scholarship website to observe when the next window opens.
Key Considerations Before Applying
Check the dates on the official page. Most scholarships for September 2027 open between November and April, and some university rounds close as early as January.
Choose your programme first. Most of these awards are tied to admission, so find a nursing, gerontology or health programme and apply to it at the same time as the scholarship.
Hold only one award. Most Chinese scholarships do not allow you to receive another Chinese government or university scholarship at the same time.
Check the language of teaching. Many nursing programmes in mainland China are taught in Chinese, so look for English-taught options or plan for a preparatory language year.
Apply only through official channels. The China Scholarship Council says it never uses agents to process applications, so avoid anyone who charges a fee to guarantee a place.
