Fully funded does not mean no spending before departure
Beihang’s full postgraduate example explicitly excludes international travel. SIGS publishes an application fee of CNY 800 for its 2027 admission process. Test charges, translations and certification can also arise before selection, although this article does not invent their prices.
A useful first budget separates preparation, travel, registration and recurring living expenses. Only confirmed coverage should be removed from that budget. If tuition is waived but a deposit must be paid before housing allocation or the first stipend, the applicant still needs accessible funds at that moment.
Short language study can be funded without a living allowance
Under CLEC 2026, four-week study has no living stipend even though the listed tuition, accommodation and insurance benefits may be funded. A longer semester’s CNY 2500 monthly rate cannot be inserted into the short-course budget. This is a concrete example of support that is valuable without making every expense zero.
For an eligible master’s full CGS package, the verified CNY 3000 monthly allowance is a different component from tuition and housing. Whether it meets personal needs depends on actual spending. It is not a universal promise that every lifestyle in every city costs less than the stipend.
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 Add the relevant notice or document beside each item; leave unpublished details marked “to confirm”.
- Covered costs and costs you still have to pay
- Payments due before enrolment or the first stipend
- Cost you must cover if funding is delayed or not awarded
Your next step
Three preparation tasks, with useful guides. No account or email; this is not an eligibility assessment or scholarship prediction.
Build my free preparation planUse two budgets before deciding whether study is affordable
Budget one should use the written scholarship benefits and actual payment timing. Budget two should show the cost if the application is unsuccessful, the selected category is partial or renewal later fails. Those are planning scenarios, not predictions of the applicant’s result.
If the second scenario cannot be financed, that affects whether to postpone, choose a different course or wait for confirmed funding before making non-refundable commitments. A scholarship search is more useful when it produces an affordable decision, rather than only a list of maximum benefits.
What a full award can remove
Start by separating tuition, housing, stipend and insurance. The full CGS baseline covers these core components, while municipal and university schemes can offer different combinations. An award is competitive and conditional on eligibility, selection and continued compliance. An advertisement saying “study for free” is not enough to establish that your programme or living arrangements will be fully funded.
Your study choices still affect the budget
Assess academic and language eligibility before building a zero-cost plan. Confirm whether a language-preparation period, the full degree duration and your actual accommodation choice are included. The monthly stipend helps with daily expenses but is not an unlimited budget. Different cities and personal needs can change what you must pay even when the headline benefits match.
FAQ
Does a full scholarship mean I need no money before arrival?
No. You may still face travel, documentation, deposits and early living costs before payment starts. Read the coverage and disbursement rules and keep a reserve suited to your own circumstances.
Your next step
Three preparation tasks, with useful guides. No account or email; this is not an eligibility assessment or scholarship prediction.
Build my free preparation plan