CSC Scholarship - 2012 American/EU Applicants

[icebear]

Can any previous winners on here say when they were notified about the scholarship in previous years? For those who applied and didn't get it, were you given a rejection?

In this or older threads it seems the notification can come as early as May and as late as August (!).

[Oleg Khodovskyi]

Hello everybody! I'm from Ukraine and i'm wondering about the way to send my application to CSC. I called in chinese embass in ukraine and they told me that they don't send apllications directly, that i have to do it trough ministry of education. i called them, but they were really confused about CSC. They even didn't know what is it. So what I have to do now? Trying to find universities which can aplly me directly? Or i read about some "third parties" in this topic, what is it? I'm going to get shcplarship for language classes + bachaelor. Please, help

[Five_Elements]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the help this year! Good luck everyone.

[basilofbakerst]

Good luck! If anyone gets a response, please post about it!

[Brian US]

Don't expect a response until June or July. We will have a separate topic to discuss results after the April 30th deadline.

[Kike]

Goodluck everyone with the results of the scholarship!

Still go my fingers crossed... even though it's taking sooo long!

[lorenz]

So is there any scholarship for EU students this year (with deadline 30th april) or not? I didn't get this point...

[Brian US]

So is there any scholarship for EU students this year (with deadline 30th april) or not? I didn't get this point...

Maybe? But most likely not.

[jenn]

My notarized transcripts won't be ready for another two weeks. Has anyone heard of a successful outcome from applying late (as in June)?

I'm in DC, btw.

[samosx]

I would also still like to apply if possible? Im currently studying in Beihang taking a language course.

Is it still possible to apply when you're in China?

[smossey]

Hi I am new to posting on the forums, but a long time viewer and I cannot stress how helpful all the information and everyone in the forums have been!

My back story is a little funky. I was accepted to medical school last year, but deciding it wasn't for me and I chose to leave after incurring a tad bit of financial burden not too much). I have always wanted to go into International Relations, and decided to apply broadly to Universities around the New England area as well as to Peking University in China. I had a few general questions I didn't know if anyone could provide answers too.

1) I applied to PKU for the MIR program in February, and the CSC China Government Scholarship through the D.C. embassy March 31st. From the forums it seems like the norm is that people don't hear from about the China Government Scholarship until July, but does anyone have experience with hearing back from PKU itself? Also can anyone comment on if it costs 30,000 or 60,000 RMB? I cannot find a clear tuition cost.

2) Does anyone know the chances of receiving the scholarship? I did not know that I could select up to 3 schools, and only put PKU on my application. I don't speak enough Chinese to get by in anything but an English Taught program, and don't know if that will hurt my chances?

3) I have been accepted to all the schools I have applied to for my Master's in New England(Northeastern, Brandeis, Umass), but with finances being an issue I have narrowed it down to one school namely my State University, The University of New Hampshire. The school awarded me a half assistantship, which by the time I'm done school will equal my tuition for two years. For now I am going ahead with UNH till I hear from PKU, but my heart tells me to go to PKU for the cultural experience, and also to kick start my language learning. I have read this is not the case, but my gut tells me "Studying International Relations in China over the U.S.A. for policy involving China has better hope than receiving a degree from a state school." I suppose the problem is the price tag that would be associated with attending PKU should I not receive the scholarship. I am concerned with finding a job, and besides getting into various schools I cannot find work despite my grades, and credentials. I suppose what I am asking is "is graduate school in China a good investment for the $35,000 price tag I have calculated for two years of schooling"? Would attending my state University give me near the same resources to work in International Relations involving China?

Thank you all so much, and apologize for the superfluous advice question, but no one I talk to around me in person has any knowledge, comment, or experience with Chinese schools. Most tend to give me all negative viewpoints.

[icebear]

If your goal is to work in policy in the US then with either school you'll face an uphill battle - you'll note that most serious policy wonks have degrees from Ivy League schools (e.g. see the CFR website and experts list). Of the two choices you have, PKU would be the more authoritative institution and location to have on your CV. Stories on the value of international masters from China's top schools are rare and mixed, which I think probably reflects that they are new and largely untested (relative to long established programs elsewhere) - thus student outcomes vary widely, depending a lot on each student's motivation in building a career afterwards, salesmanship (regarding the degree), and luck. My impression is that career placement services are nearly non-existant in Chinese programs. The value of the degree will thus mostly rest on your ability and drive to leverage that name and location, it won't be something like Harvard where people (in the US and China) just immediately assume you are a cream of the crop student.

Regarding the scholarship, I've not yet seen a post wherein a CSC scholarship was granted to one of the international masters programs in China (i.e. the higher priced ones). I'm skeptical that they would grant it for that.

[smossey]

Thank you for the advice icebear. Although to some people this may seem like an easy decision, its proving very difficult for me to make. I guess I won't hold my breath for the scholarship, but if it comes through that would be excellent. I thought I read about someone receiving a scholarship for the MIR program, but at a different school and not PKU.

In your opinion would finding a job in China be difficult with a degree from a state school? My thoughts are to go teach or spend some time in China following my degree if thing's don't work out with PKU, and I instead go to my state school.

[icebear]

In your opinion would finding a job in China be difficult with a degree from a state school? My thoughts are to go teach or spend some time in China following my degree if thing's don't work out with PKU, and I instead go to my state school.

No, not at all - I think pedigree matters very little for jobs in China for expats. But my impression is that it is increasingly difficult to find one if you are younger that 25 and without 2 years experience under your belt, which has been the legal requirement for a working visa for a few years but seems to be increasingly enforced (based on job ads). Finding a early career job in Beijing or Shanghai isn't impossibly hard, so long as you are willing to take a big gamble and uproot yourself there to actually search. Its hard to compete with a handful of other equally good applicants that are already on the ground because they just finished a language immersion program, internship or other job there.

[smossey]

Thank you again Icebear. If thing's don't work out at PKU I will probably do a language immersion program, and hit the ground running after my schooling. I'm 24 so I have some experience under my belt, but none in any good fields unfortunately.

[ZhangKaiRong]

EU citizens, check the website of chinamission. They announced the EU window... The deadline is ridicolous, though: 20 May...

[lorenz]

Thank you ZhangKaiRong!

Yeah the deadline is ridicolous and they do not even attached the 3 documents to download...

[ZhangKaiRong]

lorenz: Try the Chinese site of Chinamission, they uploaded the documents there.

http://www.chinamission.be/chn/zogx/jyjl/zgzfjxjxm/t929986.htm

[Pavel123]

I sent them an email about those 3 attached documents and this is their reply, I don´t understand this anymore

Dear Scholarship Applicants,

We have released the pre-selected namelist of 2011/2012 academic year of the Chinese Scholarship Programme-EU window. Please check on the following website: www.chinamission.be.

By the deadline of March 30, 2011, we have received 580 applications for 2011-2012 Chinese Government Scholarship (EU Window) among which only 100 students are selected by the Chinese Scholarship Council (www.csc.edu.cn). It is a great pity that the other applicants will not be offered scholarships despite of the fact that most of you are strongly competitive. The scholarship scheme will continue for the coming years and I hope you will have better luck. I am sorry that the CSC will not be able to provide specific reasons for the rejection. Thank you for your understanding!

The admission packages for those selected will be mailed to your permanent mailing adress in the envelop which was sent with your application materials. It is estimated that the packages will reach you by the end of July. Please keep checking your mailbox or the local post office if necessary. I sincerely hope that every scholarship recipient will cherish the opportunity to study in China and make the CSC believe that you are the right candidates to award the scholarships.

All my best wishes.

Sincerely yours,

Mr. Changqing KE

First Secretary for Education

Mission of P.R.China to the EU

Boulevard de la Woluwe 100

1200 Brussels

Belgium

[lorenz]

Thank you ZhangKaiRong! By the way, I wrote an email to Mr. Ke, asking if I may consider to send the application later than the May 30th, since it is materially impossible for me to have all the documents ready for that time. But, apparently, they don't refresh often their site/email, since I received the automatic answer that Pavel posted above....

Hey Pavel: about the 3 docs to download, go to the Chinese page that ZhangKaiRong linked us. U can find them there!