The Confucius Scholarship: Study Mandarin Chinese in China This Year

Learning Mandarin Chinese is different from learning other languages such as Italian or French. It is nearly impossible to self-study Mandarin Chinese or learn through books and audio/video resources alone. To effectively learn Mandarin Chinese, you need to immerse yourself into a learning process with a native-speaking Chinese teacher. If possible, the opportunity to study in China is a fabulous way to learn the language and motivate and inspire yourself culturally, as well as make friends and memories to last a lifetime.
Many of my Chinese students began learning Chinese back in their home countries before arriving here in China to study further. Many of the learners were Mandarin Chinese majors in college, took classes in the evening at local community schools, or learned one-on-one through online lessons. Some, but not many, got their start with Chinese by watching videos or reading textbooks. One thing all of them have in common is that they were looking for scholarships to study in China. Why not? Free money for a life-changing experience? Sign me up!
However, the application is not as easy as simply signing up. Before being considered for the scholarship, you must show that:
• You have scored adequately on standardized Mandarin Chinese tests;
• You have a purpose for studying;
• You have the proper credentials and application prerequisites.
One well-known scholarship I would like to introduce today is the “孔子学院奖学金 (kǒngzǐ xuéyuàn jiǎngxuéjīn) Confucius Institute Scholarship.” There are many “levels” of which scholarships are available:
• Scholarship for Master’s Degree in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages
• Scholarship for Bachelor’s Degree in Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages
• Scholarship for One-Academic-Year Study
• Scholarship for One-Semester Study
• Scholarship for Four-Week Study
Each level of the scholarship comes with its own unique qualifications. However, one consistent requirement is to take the HSK test. After checking the qualifications, you may know HSK is a very important factor. Getting a good score in HSK will definitely increase the probability of success in any of the scholarship categories you choose to pursue. Learning along with a native-speaking Chinese teacher with experience in HSK test preparation will go a long way in this stage, as well as enhancing your Chinese skills all-around.

1. April 20th (for those commencing in July)
2. June 20th (for those commencing in September)
3. September 20th (for those commencing in December)
4. December 20th (for those commencing in March 2019)
The application dates are staggered for those who plan on beginning their study at various times throughout the year.
In addition to paying close attention to the timeline, you may need to check which host institutions you can apply for study in. Remember, the cities and regions of China can be quite different and there are some cities that are considered the best to study in.
Once you’ve decided on your dates and your chosen school, you can set up an account and apply for the scholarship online.

1. 学院 (Xuéyuàn) = a noun, meaning college; academy; institute.

Jack zài fǎ xuéyuàn dúshū.
Jack 在  法  学   院   读 书。
Jack is at law college.

Tā shì yì suǒ zhōngwén xuéyuàn de xuéshēng.
他  是 一 所     中     文    学  院    的   学  生。
He is a student in a Chinese academy.

2. 奖学金 (Jiǎngxuéjīn) = a noun, meaning scholarship; exhibition; fellowship.

Lily huòdé le qù hāfó dàxué dúshū de jiǎngxuéjīn.
Lily  获 得 了 去  哈佛 大 学   读 书  的   奖   学  金。
Lily has been awarded a scholarship to study at Harvard.

Nǐ nádào jiǎngxuéjīn le ma?
你  拿 到     奖   学 金 了 吗？
Have you won the scholarship?

So, don’t hesitate! Stay organized with application materials, improve your Chinese, prepare for and take the HSK Chinese test, and apply for the “孔子学院奖学金 (kǒngzǐ xuéyuàn jiǎngxuéjīn) Confucius Institute Scholarship” this year. Begin changing your life for the better today!

1. To apply for the “孔子学院奖学金 (kǒngzǐ xuéyuàn jiǎngxuéjīn)” you must do all of the following to prepare, except:
A. Live in China for more than one year
B. Practice for and take the HSK Chinese exam
C. Write your purpose for learning and improving your Chinese language
D. Stay organized on the dates of the application

Becky Zhang is a teacher at eChineseLearning.com. She has over eight years of experience teaching Mandarin Chinese to foreign students and promoting Chinese culture. She lives in Beijing but loves traveling to ancient Chinese villages. One day she’d like to be a tour guide in China!

孔子 (kŏng zĭ) Confucius
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