The China Scholarship Council (CSC) and the University of East Anglia (UEA) bilateral programme
The focus of this programme is for outstanding Chinese students to undertake full-time PhD study at UEA or at any of the Norwich Bioscience Institutes (NBI) that have accepted the conditions of this bilateral programme (The Sainsbury Laboratory, the John Innes Centre and the Earlham Institute). The scholarships are supported jointly by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and UEA. There are 20 full scholarships per year available for students to start a PhD.
Eligibility criteria
The entry criteria are subject to the CSC policy at the time of application (article 13). The scholarships are awarded to citizens and permanent residents of the People's Republic of China who have been accepted on a full-time PhD programme at UEA/NBI. Applicants should not be more than 35 years old. Candidates cannot be working outside China, or be a final-year undergraduate studying outside China at the time of application, but those studying outside China at Master’s level or first year of Doctoral level (e.g. at UEA/NBI) are eligible to apply.
Upon completion of their PhD at UEA/NBI, successful applicants must agree to return to China for a period of two years.
Funding model
UEA/NBI have agreed not to charge tuition fees to CSC scholars. The CSC provides a living allowance as set by the Chinese Government, which includes Student Health cover, a return airfare from China to the UK by the most economical route, and visa application fees. All studentships are funded for up to 4 years.
Some research projects may require additional bench fee funding (e.g. for laboratory consumables), which will be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Any such requirements will be clearly listed in the UEA offer letter.
Research with us: life-changing research programmes at UEA/NBI
UEA is a research-led university organised in four faculties (Arts and Humanities, Medicine and Health, Science and Social Sciences), with more than 1,600 postgraduate research students. UEA is co-located on the Norwich Research Park that hosts a unique cluster of internationally renowned research institutes, including the Sainsbury Laboratory, the John Innes Centre, and the Earlham Institute, and the Norwich and Norfolk University Hospital. The Norwich Research Park brings together a wide range of high-profile researchers and professionals, and provides an exceptional opportunity to tackle societal challenges using integrated and creative approaches.
You can find here the networks, resources and vision that match your research ambitions. We welcome passionate and innovative researchers who see the value in cross-disciplinary work.
Your personal and professional development matter to us
Our Doctoral College, Graduate Schools and prestigious doctoral training partnerships help create the best environment for our postgraduate research students to thrive. Our Personal and Professional Development (PPD) Programmes are designed to enable you to develop your knowledge and skills, manage your own personal development and support your career aspirations. This infrastructure ensures that you will be provided with the academic and transferable skills you need to enhance your prospects, whatever you choose to do next.
Application and selection process
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Candidates should hold an unconditional offer letter from UEA/NBI at the time of application. Candidates should directly apply for admission to UEA before the application deadline set by UEA (first week of January). Further information can be found on our dedicated webpage. Please note that it can take 8-10 weeks for PhD applications to be processed.
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Before submitting a PhD application, it is essential that candidates contact potential supervisors in the relevant school of study at UEA or at NBI (TSL, JIC, EI) with the details of their proposed project. You can use this guide to find a supervisor, and take a look at the full list of research areas that UEA/NBI offer. Please ensure that you fulfil the University’s English language requirements before applying for admission at UEA/NBI.
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UEA will nominate principal candidates for a CSC scholarship according to its internal review results and will send an offer letter to nominated candidates. Offer letters will be conditional upon CSC funding.
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Nominated candidates must complete a separate application as required and submit it directly to CSC. Application guidance is published on the CSC official website. Normally, the CSC deadline is 31 March.
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Applications are judged in terms of qualifications and the quality of the proposed project.
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CSC will evaluate the nominated candidates according to CSC requirements and priorities, and will produce a final list of scholarship recipients and inform successful candidates. Students will be asked to share the funding outcome letter with UEA.
Contact Us
If you have any question, please contact our dedicated postgraduate research admissions enquiries at UEA.