Sheffield–China Scholarships Council PhD Scholarship Programme

**Applications for the Sheffield–China Scholarships Council PhD Scholarship Programme for 2023 entry are now closed**

This scheme provides academically excellent Chinese students with the opportunity to study for a PhD at the University of Sheffield. The scholarships are supported jointly by the China Scholarship Council and the University of Sheffield.

The University of Sheffield will fund tuition fees for 3.5 years. Students are expected to submit their thesis within this period. CSC will fund a grant for living costs for up to 4 years, and one return flight from China to the UK.

• Eligibility
• Research areas
• How to apply
• Nomination process
• Further information

Eligibility

To be eligible for a CSC scholarship:

• you must be applying to start a new full-time PhD programme at Sheffield
• you must have a strong academic background
• you must be a national of and reside in, mainland China (not including Hong Kong or Macau) – see CSC policies
• you must also be intending to return to China once your programme is completed
• You will require an unconditional study offer from the University of Sheffield including meeting both academic and English language criteria
• Satisfy all of the CSC's selection criteria

Research areas

Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of academic merit and the fit of the applicant’s proposed research programme with Sheffield’s identified research priorities, which are:

• Health, demographic change and wellbeing
• Food security, sustainable agriculture and the bioeconomy
• Secure, clean and efficient energy
• Smart, green and integrated transport
• Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials
• The changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies
• Secure societies – protecting freedom and security of citizens

Candidates should be intending to pursue research in one of the priority academic areas identified by Sheffield and CSC. However, applicants to other study/research areas will also be considered subject to the availability of relevant programmes of study at Sheffield. Up to five scholarships will be supported per year.

How to apply

All applicants are required to submit a study application via the Postgraduate Online Application Form. 

Apply for admission now

Applicants must select a start date of no earlier than 1st September 2023.

Applicants to the Faculties of Engineering, Social Science, Arts & Humanities, and Science must ensure that they complete the additional 'Scholarship Application' section of the Postgraduate Online Application Form. This section of the form is only accessible to those who select a PhD start date of 1 September 2023 or later. Applicants to the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health should refer to this page for instructions. 

Nomination process

Following the application deadline, departments and faculties will hold internal selection processes to determine which of their unconditional offer holders will be nominated to CSC. A total of ten nominees across the five faculties will be selected.

The university will inform these candidates by 10th March each year. These ten candidates will be issued with a provisional fee offer letter in addition to the unconditional study offer letter they will have received from their department, and nominated to CSC.

Nominated candidates must then apply directly to the CSC for the Sheffield–China Scholarships Council PhD Scholarship Programme to secure the maintenance award, using their unconditional study offer letter and provisional fee award offer letter.

CSC will select the final five successful candidates from the list of ten nominees and inform the university of their decision. These five successful candidates will then be issued with a final fee award letter.

Further information

If you have any questions about scholarships please see our FAQs or email pgr-scholarships@sheffield.ac.uk.