CSC Scholarship Applications/Results - 2015

[Antoinette]

@Ampicilin I emailed CSC directly about the change of major. As long as the course has (1) the same study duration with the one that was initially granted to you and (2) you are going to take the course at the same university, then it is possible to change your major. I was going to do my Masters in Applied Economics but I decided to change it to MA in International Relations a week prior to registration. Good luck!

Anyone going to University of International Business and Economics?

Hi! May I know the contact info of csc? And Would you know if it will work in Fudan?

I am accepted there as a general advanced student taught in Chinese but I don't know how to speak chinese! I am worried how will I learn when I don't even understand them! Does anyone know if there will be any preparatory language classes?

Any thoughts will be very much appreciated. Thanks!

[Maxime]

Earlier in this thread I mentioned that my CSC EU Window application for an English-thought master degree in China Studies got rejected. My choices were (1) Nanjing University, (2) Shanghai University, and (3) Zhejiang University. But now I am relieved and happy to say that I unexpectedly did get a full EU Window scholarship, for a one-year Chinese language training at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU).

 

Let me briefly sketch how this turnaround went. Initially, my application for a master degree got rejected. On the 24th of July, nine days after the result announcement, Mr. Chen (from the Office for Education and Culture in Brussels) asked me if I would be interested in applying for a one-year language program instead. Apparently, earlier that day a successful applicant had withdrawn and now I was offered to take his place, if Beijing approved of it. Even though I was already accepted at a one-year language program at Huazhong University of Science & Technology as a self-supporting student, this opportunity was simply too good to turn down. My application was sent to Beijing for consideration, and several weeks later my acceptance letter was in the mail. Beijing had selected BLCU for me and I am very grateful for this. (Mr. Chen kindly gave me permission to post about this.)

 

Some people might want to kick me for saying this, but I still believe that the Laihua status matters to some degree. Granted, once the status changed to 'checking' it probably doesn't mean much any more. My guess is that this indicates that the package was considered by at least one university, who then might or might not have accepted it. However, as far as I can tell, being stuck on an 'already submitted' status is not a good thing. I guess that, in this case, the package was never considered by any uni. In my case, for example, I believe Brussels first withheld my application due to my foolish lack of pre-admission letters, and therefore my status never changed. I know there are claims that some people with an 'already submitted' status still got the scholarship, but I remain skeptical. Perhaps there are differences between the different scholarship programs. Anyway, once my application was for sure sent to Beijing for the language program consideration, my status rather soon jumped to 'checking'. I understand that some people, perhaps most people, believe the status to be devoid of meaning, and I respect that opinion, but I also think it would be nice if those who do look for patterns would be allowed to do so in a respectful atmosphere. The entire application process is a black box and we are all trying to get some insights into it, each in our own ways.

 

I recall that some successful applicants had a hard time turning down their offer, because then their spot, that someone else could have had, would be 'wasted'. I now know that CSC (at least the EU Window) really tries to re-assign those spots that got turned down. I have no idea how frequently this occurs, in fact I never saw a situation like mine before, but it happens. So I would kindly request all future successful applications that want to refuse their offer, to do it as soon as possible, because then it might still be granted to someone else. To the kind soul who gave up his spot which made it possible for me to get it: You are probably not reading this, but whoever you are, thank you. I will try to be a worthy replacement for you, and I hope that everything will go your way.

 

The day after tomorrow I will take the airplane to Beijing, a city I have been before and absolutely loved, to start this new chapter in my life. If time permits, I will try to keep an eye on this thread and help future applicants where I can. Big thanks to all those who helped me!

 

tl;dr: I got a scholarship after initially being rejected, which means that CSC tries to re-assign scholarships that got turned down. And I still believe the Laihua status means something.

[pol_diyan]

@Antoinette Hi there. Here's the email wxu@csc.edu.cn Goodluck. 

[洋人丹]

@Antoinette

 

I think contacting Fudan might be a better idea than the CSC. Registration has already started for the fall semester (though undergrads, grads, and general scholars are all on different days). You should try to get an answer immediately.

 

Do you know how you got accepted as a general advanced student if you don't know Chinese? They usually would require HSK or proof of language ability, wouldn't they? I forget how it all works, but it's divided into general scholar and advanced general scholar, correct? If you have no Chinese ability, you should be a general scholar...

 

Regardless, if what I said above is correct and you should be a general scholar, Fudan is going to be the one to talk to since they are the ones who are going to be registering you and putting you into classes. I'm assuming you bought your ticket and everything? Are you set on coming if you don't get an answer? If you decide you are coming regardless (which I'm not sure is wise), you might just have to explain it to them when you get here. 

 

Hope everything works out.

[diit]

Hi Maxime, good to hear that you were able to secure a scholarship place after all. Your situation leaves me wondering though; are we supposed to accept our scholarship places somehow? Or is it simply a more polite thing to reject the offer if you don't intend to take it? The reason I'm asking is because I never contacted the EU Window office after I saw my name on the list. They did send me all the documents though so I suppose everything is fine. Flying to Shanghai in a couple of days! 

[HFK]

Didn't know where to post this question but if anyone knows the answer, kindly do reply. Is the spouse accompanying a scholar allowed to work in China with S1 visa?

[Klang]

Should I print out the Chinese lettering of my Uni for the taxi driver at the airport?

[NargizT]

Hi dear all. Does any of Mofcom scholarship receivers have any news regarding the documents which had to be sent to us (admission form and etc.) and the tickets?

 

Anyone attending UIBE, International Executive MBA?

[Yussuf Amour]

@ NargizT

You will receive two Documents.

(1) admission notice from University accepted you as scholarship receiver and

(2) Viza application form issued Ministry of Education of China P.R

Then, if your documents were sent directly to the Embassy. You will be called for visa application...

For me I received this msg today

... Mr. Yussuf:

I would like to inform you that am booking your air flight to China. once i have the flight information, then you will come to apply for visa.

[MikeJones]

Hello! I'm a Chinese Government Scholarship student just starting my first semester, and I have a bit of a dilemma: I want to change my major. I've spoken to my university's international student office, and they told me I'd need approval from the Chinese Scholarship Council, but warned me that even asking them might cause them to terminate my scholarship altogether. What I've read online either says the same or says changing majors isn't even possible. 

 

So, has anyone successfully changed their major and kept their scholarship? How?

[pol_diyan]

MikeJones: I was initially enrolled in UIBE as Economics major  for my masters and successfully changed into International Relations. Before actually talking to the university about the change, i directly talked to CSC and they were totally cool about it as long as It has the same study duration with the first course you were initially accepted to. Goodluck. 

[Guest]

Guys! Please, help!

Does anyone know if they need the original of your diploma in university? I do have some problems with bringing it to China but I have notarized copy of it (it is not legalized by the MoE in my country to be fully legal in foreign countries though). So what is the procedure during registration in chinese uni? do I have to present then the original or they even want me to deposit it with them?

Thanks in advance!

[Ampicillin]

@ pol_diyan

Thanks mate, I'm considering to change my course How long it takes? I'm going to talk to my university vice Dean who handles scholarship stuff. My course duration will be the same 3 years. By the way do you have any idea about changing the university and course both? One of my graduate bench mate and colleague accepted in different university and if possible I want to do the both! Haha. I know it's scary cause CSC will need a strong reason to do that?

Thanks,

[tobz]

@Ampicillin Changing the Uni takes time. Im doing the same thing you have to ask your country's embassy to help out.

[Nnedi Ugo]

@valiksheva

They would like to see the original. When you register, they need to see your award letter.

[pol_diyan]

@Ampicillin You can change your major as long as it has the same study duration and the major is offered by the same university that accepted you. That's according to the CSC officer I talked to. If you intend to change the university, they might suspend or cancel your scholarship as you are essentially going back to STEP 1 where in you apply for the admission in your chosen university. It needs time (which obviously is not on your side because the autumn semester is about to commence), paperwork and calls to specific officers from your dispatching agency,CSC, your university and the university you want to transfer to. Generally, Changing your major is significantly doable but changing the course and the university in worse scenario will cause you cancellation of your scholarship.  

[Guest]

@Nnedi Ugo

So you think if I only show it to them it will be enough? I can leave them the copy but hardly an original. And by the Award Letter you mean Admission Letter? Cause i gave the award letter when I applied for scholarship and never saw it again.

[Ampicillin]

@pol_diyan

Thanks mate, in that case I'd just change the major. It'll be enough for my future prospects.

@tobz

How you are doing it? What's the process?

PS. What if both university mutually agrees that my existing university doesn't mind let me go and on the other side university is willing to accept me? Would CSC still deny or they'll agree on it?

[tobz]

@Ampicillin

If both Universities accept then you have to get both letters then have your embassy write to the CSC so they can accept the transfer. As long as your country's embassy is involved the csc will agree with the transfer.

[Nnedi Ugo]

@valiksheva

When I say Admission Letter, I am talking about the letter CSC sent yog when you was accepted to the university. When I registered, they never asked for the diploma but I guess it depends on the school. You can try bringing the notarized version and trying that But if I were you, I would bring both. I don't want you coming to China and possibly getting stuck.