The study categories have different tests and durations
The 2026 CLEC rules list four-year undergraduate and doctoral routes, a two-year Chinese-education master’s route, eleven-month annual study, five-month semester study and four-week courses. The semester route expressly includes March 2027. It does not establish every autumn 2027 condition.
The master’s route needs a bachelor’s degree, HSK 5 at 210 and intermediate HSKK at 60. The undergraduate Chinese-education route uses HSK 4 at 210 and intermediate HSKK at 60. A semester in the listed education/literature/history/philosophy fields uses HSK 3 at 180 and an HSKK result. Other categories have different evidence.
Registration affects the first living payment
The longer eligible undergraduate, annual and semester routes have CNY 2500 monthly living support; the named master’s and doctoral routes use CNY 3000 and CNY 3500. Four-week students do not receive a living allowance. Insurance also differs: CNY 100 for four weeks, CNY 400 for a semester and CNY 800 per year for annual or longer study.
The rules give a concrete registration distinction: registration on or before the fifteenth receives the full first month’s living payment, while later registration receives half. This concerns the named scheme and eligible living support. It should not be presented as a universal payment rule for every Chinese scholarship.
Put this guide into practice
Create a short record for your intended programme. Add the relevant notice or document beside each item; leave unpublished details marked “to confirm”.
- Actual course duration and enrolment category
- Accepted language certificate, score and validity
- Body that receives and reviews the application
Your next step
Explore Chinese-language course supportDocuments involve more than the language score
All applicants provide the specified passport page, valid HSK/HSKK evidence and recommendation from the recommending institution. Degree applicants add qualification and transcript material; master’s and doctoral routes require the relevant academic recommendations. Employed Chinese teachers add employment confirmation and an employer recommendation.
An applicant with the right test score still needs a receiving university and the appropriate recommending arrangement. For March 2027, the student cutoff is 31 October 2026, with institutional review by 10 November. Completing the applicant step and receiving a recommendation remain separate from the final selection.
Selected CLEC routes in the 2026 rules
| Route | Published duration/intake | Selected language condition |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese-education master’s | Two years; September 2026 | HSK 5: 210 and intermediate HSKK: 60 |
| Chinese-education undergraduate | Four years; September 2026 | HSK 4: 210 and intermediate HSKK: 60 |
| Annual Chinese-language study | Eleven months; September 2026 | HSK 3: 210; HSKK given priority |
| Semester in listed education/humanities fields | Five months; September 2026 or March 2027 | HSK 3: 180 and HSKK result |
| Four-week study | July or December 2026 | HSK result; specified recommending/group arrangements |
This selection is not the complete rules for every CLEC field. Intake and subject restrictions must remain visible.
CLEC funds Chinese-language teaching pathways
The scholarship administered by CLEC focuses on preparing and supporting Chinese-language teachers. A recommending institution and a host institution form part of the process. Degree, one-year, one-semester and four-week routes differ. The longer eligible bachelor/language-study streams currently provide CNY 2,500 per month; master’s and doctoral Chinese-education routes use their own shared-policy rates. The four-week route excludes living stipend.
Requirements depend on the study stream
Under selected 2026 rules, the master’s route requires HSK 5 with 210 and intermediate HSKK 60. The one-year Chinese-language-study route uses HSK 3 with 210, with HSKK given priority. A one-semester route uses HSK 3 with 180 and an HSKK result. Other fields and doctoral routes differ; use the complete host checklist.
FAQ
Can I use the master’s HSK requirement for a one-semester language scholarship?
No. Requirements follow the particular study stream and subject. Use the semester conditions and the receiving institution’s instructions; higher-degree rules are not a universal checklist for every CLEC application.