CSC Scholarship - 2013 American/EU Applicants

[brennan]

Just finished the foreigner medical examination form today but when it came time for my doctor to stamp the form, he didn't have one. He actually searched around his office looking for one but no luck. He did find a current date/time stamp, stamped that and then wrote his signature underneath. In the photocopies I got it seemed okay, but who knows and I am a tad worried.

Anyone else have a similar problem?

[brennan]

Hate to double post but I guess I can't edit my original post? New member restrictions? I'll have to find somewhere to post once more so I can receive private messages.

I'm in need of a guarantor so if someone could send some info my way, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

[shikeqi]

Glad your applications are coming together. I am having some major issues with mine. I cannot get a notarized photocopy in my country because I received my BA Diploma in the UK, therefore local notaries cannot notarize foreign documents...Not sure what to do given the fact that there is not so much time left. Has anyone had any similar problems?!

Brennan, I honestly don't think there should be an issue with that. I lived in China before and had to submit the same medical form for the Embassy in order to get a VISA. Mine had only a date stamp and a signature and it was completely fine - I am sure they understand that different countries have different systems when it comes to such documents.

[oneeyedcats]

I just finished filling-in my application form at laihua.com and funny enough guarantor in China was marked as optional, so I didn't write any name/info. Am I missing something or what?

And one more question - I already passed 'the interview' in my country, i.e. I was accepted for scholarship. As far as I know, it means that I would definitely get a Chinese Government Scholarship. You can state your preferences (mine are Nanjing Uni, Fudan and Beijing Normal, btw I'm applying for a Master's in Intl Relations), but if for some reason you are not accepted at these universities, then the Ministry of Education in your home country starts sending your application left, right and center to universities in China, right? I mean, they can't actually reject your application altogether and not get scholarship for any uni in China?

Thanks a lot and good luck to all .

[ZhangKaiRong]

@shikeqi: don't get too worried about the notarized photocopy of your diploma. Just get a stamp on your photocopy in any kind of official buraeu, it should be no problem, really. (do you attend a university now at your home country? Your university's Study Office can stamp your photocopy I guess).

@oneeyedcats: if you applied for a bilateral scholarship scheme between China and your home country (so your country has a number of fixed places), and your embassy or scholarship council accepted you, you can sit back and relax, they definitely find a university for you.

I am sure they understand that different countries have different systems when it comes to such documents.

According to my experience, in this case they rather see an opportunity to lighten the poor 外国留学生's wallet, because according to them, "the medical papers don't fit the Chinese standards". Of course, this is an issue after coming to China, and getting the medical paper for your residence permit. During the application, it should be no problem.

[oneeyedcats]

A bucket of thanks, ZhangKaiRong, that's a much appreciated info

[brennan]

@oneeyedcats

Yes, the guarantor is completely optional. As far as I know you can write in a random name/create your guarantor as they will not contact this person. At the same time, I don't think it would hurt to write in a name as it makes your application appear/feel wholesome. And it's better to do something even if it is optional because not having a guarantor could come back and bite you in the bootay.

Especially if you're a completionist it alleviates any anxiety.

[Miro]

I saw some post on this forum mentioning that it is necesarry to submit 2 sets of ALL documents, but the only thing I found in application and instruction was requirement for "two application forms". So does it mean that i just include extra copy of application form or separate copy set of everything? Im applying for EU window. Thanks.

[brennan]

@Miro

Play it safe and submit two copies of everything.

[oneeyedcats]

brennan

actually, when I was in HK applying for a visa, they told me I gotta write a guarantor's name, that it's not optional at all, bla bla. Then I wrote down the name of a Chinese person I know, only changed the last digit of her phone number and .. yup, that was it, never had any issue over that. That's why I wonder why everyone is going nuts over this guarantor thing, which, moreover, is optional. I just don't get it. Thanks for the answer though, I would definitely put some random friend's name in there

[AlexColteaRO]

I really need help with this matter:

I recieved a mail from the China Embassy saying that all the Chinese government scholarship candidates should contact the Chinese universities of their first choice (**my 1st choice is Tsinghua University) and get a letter of pre-acceptance from the applied university. When they hand in the whole-set of paper-version application documents, they should also hand in the letter of pre-acceptance. For those candidates who submit this document before the deadline of submitting the whole set of documents, the Chinese Scholarship Committee will admit them to the desired universities according to their first choice. For those who cannot submit this document, they may be arranged to study in universities decided by the Chinese Scholarship Committee as in the past.

On Tsinghua University online application, trying to get the pre-acceptance letter, it's written that I cannot apply for Chinese Language Programe because I have applied with CSC scolarship :

The Chinese Language Programme only opens to the student who is intent to apply for study at Chinese Language & Culture Center, Tsinghua University.

Age of the applicant shall be over 18 and under 55 years old, with the valid graduation certificate from high school or higher educational certificate/degree as well as the valid personal passport.

Applicants for the Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC), intending to have a further study at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, or pursuing for the exchange programme at Tsinghua Univeristy, are NOT allowed to apply for the Chinese Language Programme

Can anyone help me please? What can I do? Those who have been accepted at Tsinghua University by CSC application, how have you proceded?

[Brian US]

Can anyone help me please? What can I do? Those who have been accepted at Tsinghua University by CSC application, how have you proceded?

As far as I know, Tsinghua doesn't accept CSC students. I think this is due to Tsinghua not getting reimbursed by the CSC and prefer you paying out of pocket.

Also apologize to not getting back to many people requesting guarantor info. If you can (I know new members can't) message me, I will most likely respond more quickly.

[shikeqi]

I have noticed that a lot of people say Tsinghua Uni either doesn't accept CSC students or that no one has ever studied there with this programme, so I thought I would share this info with you. I know one girl who applied through this programme (EU Window) as a Chinese Language Student (1 Year) and studied at Tsinghua Uni. It was in 2011, so there is a possibility that things have changed since then though.

By the way, just out of curiosity. Do you guys send your docs via regular (signed/registered) mail or use Fedex/UPS/DHL and etc. services? I think I am going to post mine at the end of this week and since there is plenty of time until the EU deadline not sure what way to choose.

[FredSaidYes]

Just about to go to the post office and send my application, just sending it by UK International Signed For.

Just also want to say thank you to everyone on here, its been very helpful.

[wensente]

For the "foreigner physical examination form" (this one: http://www.cucas.edu.cn/HomePage/2011-11-16/Page_1266.shtml) it asks for a photo with an "official stamp." My country doesnt have an official stamp for photos... is it ok just to send an unstampted photo?

[shikeqi]

Wensente, if I were you I would at least ask for a signature on that photo (half of the signature placed on your photo and half of the signature placed on the application form). From what I understand, they only need it so you couldn't attach your photo on another person's examination form.

Although now that I read your message again...there is no "official stamp for photos" - the stamp that they had in mind is an official stamp from your hospital/doctor's office. The majority of hospitals have official stamps the only thing is that sometimes doctors are not that keen on using those.

Good luck.

P.S. I sent mine today! Fingers crossed

[wushucrab836]

Does anyone know what schools will take the csc award and apply it directly to a language study program? I really want to apply for a one year non-degree language program, but I'm not sure which schools will accept the support of the csc award. I need to base my decision of which schools to list on the application on this factor. I've contacted Fudan University in Shanghai, but they say the award is not applicable to a year of non-degree language study. If anyone has any advice or suggestions I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

[ZhangKaiRong]

@wushucrab836

Forget the most famous universities if you are applying for the language course. They have a good reputation, language course fee is high, so most of them don't participate in the CGS language scholarship program. Not to mention the fact that these top-notch universities' language program is really not better than the smaller ones'... They use the same crappy BLCUP/PUKP textbooks, the teachers use the same Confucian teaching methods (which is strange to any non-Asian), so don't get too excited about choosing the best universities, the language course is about the same everywhere.

If you want to go to Shanghai, I recommend you these universities, all of them accept CGS language scholarship applicants (at least last year they accepted):

- Tongji University

- University of Shanghai for Science and Technology

- Shanghai International Studies University

- Shanghai Normal University

If you want to go the Jiangsu/Shanghai/Zhejiang area, I can also recommend you Soochow University, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing University or Hangzhou Normal University.

[haruka228]

I'm an American currently living in Guangzhou, studying at Sun Yat Sen University and funding myself. I'm applying for the CSC. I would love your help answering my questions:

1. For the agency #, do I put down Sun Yat Sen (which is my 1st choice) or the Chinese embassy in the US?

2. For the medical examination form, I have the form that my doctor filled out last August 2012, which is the exact form that's required for CSC. Is it still valid?

3. I'm only studying language. Is it necessary to submit the two letters of recommendation? Any advice of what the letter should contain would be helpful too.

Thank you!

Ana C.

[wushucrab836]

@ZhangKaiRong

Thanks for the suggestions. I suppose the prestige of the University doesn't matter so much to me, its more that I need the support of scholarships to study in China and I'm really willing to go pretty much anywhere and make the most of it. Any other suggestions of universities you know of that have participated in the past with CSC for language study students?

From what I've read, it doesn't sound like the university programs are of the greatest quality as far as teaching the language goes. Do students still manage to have a good experience in these kinds of programs and develop their language skills well?