Application Guide of the 2025 Youth of Excellence Scheme of China Program Chinese Government Scholarship at Sun Yat-sen University
Postdate：2025-01-06
In accordance with the relevant documents stipulated by the China Scholarship Council, as well as the actual conditions of SYSU, this guide is formulated as follows:
I. Introduction of the Scholarship
The Youth of Excellence Scheme of China aims to cultivate global governance professionals with international vision, excellent comprehensive quality, outstanding leadership and cross-cultural background.
As one of the enrollment units of the Youth of Excellence Scheme, Sun Yat-sen University is enrolling international students for its MA programs. The China Scholarship Council will conduct a preliminary review of the applicants' submitted and arrange for experts to assess the qualifications. The final admission decision will be made by the experts.
II. Eligibility
1. Applicants shall be non-Chinese citizens holding valid foreign passports.
2. Applicants shall be under 45 years of age. They shall be in good physical and mental health and meet the physical examination requirements for obtaining a student visa or residence permit for study in China.
3. Applicants shall hold a bachelor's degree or higher, have three years of working experiences or over. Priority will be given to those with relevant educational or professional backgrounds.
4. Applicants shall demonstrate friendliness toward China, diligence in their studies, excellent academic performance, good moral character, and compliance with laws and regulations. They must have no record of school disciplinary violations, security penalties, or criminal offenses.
5. Applicants must belong to one of the following categories:
(1) Public officials at the department level or equivalent positions in their home country;
(2) Senior management personnel in institutions or companies;
(3) Administrative personnel in higher education institutions or research organizations;
(4) Individuals with work or internship experience in international organizations.
6. Proof of English language proficiency: Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must submit valid proof of English language skills to demonstrate that their English proficiency is sufficient to meet the academic requirements, such as TOEFL (minimum score of 79 on iBT, with no less than 15 in each section) or IELTS Academic (minimum score of 6.5, with no less than 5.5 in each section). Applicants who have previously studied with English as the medium of instruction may submit an official certificate from their institution confirming this. Upon verification by the university, these applicants may be exempt from submitting English test scores.
III. Programs and Modes of Study
1. Master of Public Administration (MPA): a one-year master's degree program taught in English.
2. International Master of Business Administration (MBA): a two-year master's degree program taught in English. In the first year, students will complete their coursework and prepare their thesis at Sun Yat-sen University; in the second year, students will return to their home country to complete their thesis writing and thesis defense.
IV. Scholarship and Duration
The scholarship provides full funding for a period of one year. Any adjustments to the funding standards will follow the announcements issued by the China Scholarship Council for that year.
V. Application Procedure
1. Apply through the China Scholarship Council website (http:// studyinchina.csc.edu.cn/#/login). Create an account to login, and then begin the application by selecting the “Type A” program with the code No. 1563. The program name is “Youth of Excellence Scheme of China”. Please submit the required documents as specified.
2. Apply through the Sun Yat-sen University application website at https://apply.sysu.edu.cn/login before February 15, 2025. Select “2025 Youth of Excellence Scheme of China” to complete your application.
Application documents include the following:
(1) A valid ordinary passport and a personal profile photo
The passport should not expire before December 1, 2025. Please renew the passport if needed. Applicants who are staying in China at the time of application should provide a scanned copy of their passport pages with the Chinese visa or residence permit page, and entry seal. Those who have acquired foreign nationality and were once residents of the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan region must submit a certificate of cancellation of household registration or a certificate of withdrawal of Chinese nationality, or submit an official document issued by the Chinese diplomatic representation and consular authorities certifying that they do not hold Chinese nationality.
(2) Proof of three years or above working experience issued by the applicant's current employer, with specification of the position held and related work responsibilities.
(3) Diploma, degree certificates and verification reports of bachelor's degree
Applicants who graduated from universities in Chinese mainland should provide the Record of Electronic Registration of Academic Certificates of the Ministry of Education and Online Verification Report of Chinese Higher Education Degree for Master's and Bachelor's degrees from the website of Chinese Higher Education Student Information (https://www.chsi.com.cn).
Applicants who graduated from universities outside the Chinese mainland should submit the Verification of Foreign Academic Degrees from the website of the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchanges (https://www.cscse.edu.cn).
(4) Complete Academic Transcript of Undergraduate Studies
The transcript shall be issued and stamped by the office of academic affairs or relevant student management department of the applicant's institution.
(5) Proof of English Proficiency
Applicants from non-English-speaking countries shall submit their recent TOEFL or IELTS scores, or a proof of English as the medium of instruction.
(6) Two letters of recommendation
The letters of recommendation shall be provided by experts or scholars with recognized standing in the applicant's field (e.g., professors or associate professors). The letters should detail the applicant's academic background, professional focus, past performance, and research abilities (Template provided in Attachment 1).
(7) Plan of study and research in China
The Plan of Study and Research in China shall be about 1,500 words, covering academic background and research work experience and achievements related to the intended field of study, study and research plan during the graduate studies, career plan after graduation from the MA program, etc. (Template provided in Attachment 2)
(8) Physical examination and blood test results
Applicants shall submit scanned copies of the Foreigner Physical Examination Form, chest X-ray, ECG, and laboratory test reports for specific items, all stamped by the issuing hospital and within six months prior to the date of submission (template provided in Attachment 3).
Applicants currently residing in the Chinese mainland with a valid foreigner's residence permit or permanent residence ID card may substitute either of these documents for the Foreigner Physical Examination Form
(9) Certificate of non-criminal record
Applicants shall submit a valid non-criminal record issued by local authorities; the document shall be issued within six months before the date of application submission.
(10) Application form of China Scholarship Council
Applicants shall complete the application form on the China Scholarship Council website (http://studyinchina.csc.edu.cn). Select the “Type A” program with the code No. 1563, sign the last page, and upload a scanned copy of the completed application form to the website.
(11) Supporting documents
Applicants can submit award certificates or proof of experience as additional supporting documents.
(12) Commitment letter
Applicants must certify that all application information provided is true, legal and valid. They shall print, sign, and upload the signed the Letter of Commitment to the system. (template provided in Attachment 4).
(13) Personal Information Form
The Personal Information Form will be automatically generated by the International Student Management System. Applicants shall print, sign, and upload the signed form to the system.
Note: Application documents shall be original and in either Chinese or English. For documents in other languages, both the original documents and their notarized Chinese or English translations shall be provided. Translations must be authenticated by either the Hague Apostille Convention or a Chinese embassy or consulate. Applicants shall ensure the accuracy of the email address, WeChat account number, and contact phone number entered in the application system. Notification regarding supplementary materials will be issued via the application system(https://apply.sysu.edu.cn). Failure to submit the scanned copies of supplementary materials, translations, or translation notarized certificates in a timely manner, submission of materials that do not meet the requirements, or incorrect contact information may result in an unsuccessful application, for which the applicant shall assume full responsibility.
VI. Application deadline
February, 15, 2025
VII. Selection Procedures
1. Qualification Review
Sun Yat-sen University will review the applicant's foreign status, highest academic qualification, academic performance, language proficiency, recommendation letters, and study plan to finalize the assessment shortlist.
2. Assessment
The assessment will be organized by admission teams of the respective schools or departments using one of the following methods: (1) an interview (2) an interview combined with a written test. Applicants who pass the qualification review will be notified by the admission team of the specific assessment method, location, and time.
3. Conditional Admission
SYSU will determine the conditional admission list based on the applicants' qualifications and assessment results, as well as the programs the applicants have applied for. Conditional admission letters will be sent via the application system (https://apply.sysu.edu.cn). Applicants must upload their conditional admission letters to the China Scholarship Council application system (http:// studyinchina.csc.edu.cn/#/login) before March 31, 2025.
4. Admission Policy
The final admission decision will be based on the evaluation results of the Chinese Scholarship Council experts. Sun Yat-sen University will release the conditional admission results, electronic Admission Letter, and the Confirmation Form for Study in China through its application system (https://apply.sysu.edu.cn). Applicants shall ensure that the email address and phone number provided in the application system are accurate and valid.
5. Admitted applicants shall apply for an X1 visa at the Chinese embassy or consulate using the Admission Letter and Confirmation Form for Study in China. Upon arrival in China, they shall convert the X1 visa into a student residence permit within 30 days. Failure to do so will result in disqualification from admission. Students with non-student visas shall not be allowed to register. International students holding expired visas or residence permits shall not be allowed to reside on campus or participate in activities.
VIII. Others
1. Registration: Admitted students shall register on the specified date and location as indicated in the Admission Letter. Early registration is not permitted. Failure to register on time without prior approval will result in disqualification from admission and scholarship eligibility.
2. Responsibility for Submitted Materials: Applicants are responsible for the authenticity of their submitted materials. According to national regulations and university rules, those found to have submitted falsified materials will have their admission, enrollment, and student status revoked, and the incident will be reported to relevant authorities.
3. Post-Admission Physical Examination and Eligibility Review: Sun Yat-sen University will conduct a physical examination and admission eligibility review for all enrolled students. Those who fail to meet the requirements or are found to have falsified materials will have their admission, enrollment, and scholarship qualifications canceled.
4. Annual Scholarship Review: Scholarship recipients are required to participate in an annual review. Failure to meet the review requirements may result in suspension or cancellation of the scholarship.
5. Supervision: The Admissions Office (Office of International Students' Affairs) of Sun Yat-sen University shall oversee the admissions process, while the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Department shall perform dedicated supervisory duties.
IX. Contact information
1. Department of Chinese foreign Affairs of China Scholarship Council
Website: http://studyinchina.csc.edu.cn
or Website: https://www.campuschina.org
Inquiry Tel: 0086（10）66093928
2. Office of International Students' Affairs, Sun Yat-sen University
Website: http://iso.sysu.edu.cn
Online Application Website: https://apply.sysu.edu.cn
Email：admissions@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Inquiry Tel: 0086（20）84110819
Supervision Department Tel: 0086（20）84115582
Address: Office of International Students' Affairs, Sun Yat-sen University, 135 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou, P.R.China
Zip code: 510275
3. School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University (Master of Public Administration)
Website: https://sog.sysu.edu.cn
Email: mpacgdc@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Inquiry Tel: 0086（20）39343436
Address: Rm C212B, School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University, Waihuan E Road No. 132, University Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou, P.R. China
Zip code: 510006
4. School of Business, Sun Yat-sen University (Master of International Business Administration)
Website: https://bus.sysu.edu.cn/mba
Email: sysumba@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Inquiry Tel: 0086（20）84115584
Address: Lanyuan No. 6, Sun Yat-sen University (East Campus), Waihuan E Road No. 132, University Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou, P.R. China
Zip code: 510006