"Students who receive admission letters from US colleges (tuition waived) can apply to the state for subsidies. Once approved, they can receive 120,000 yuan of living subsidies every year provided by the state." This news has gained wide recognition among Chinese students in Tsinghua University.

 

From next year the China Scholarship Council (CSC) will start the Government-Sponsored Overseas Students Five-Year Program. With this scheme about 5,000 students will be sent by the government to study abroad every year, the Ministry of Education and CSC announced recently, as reported by Shanghai Morning Post.

 

The policy is issued by the state in an attempt to encourage students going overseas to return to make a contribution when they finish their studies. Students who apply for the subsidies sign an agreement with the government promising they'll return. Those who can access such subsidies will vary from college to college based on the majors to be studied. Students covered by the program include PhD candidates and those covered under the PhD Dissertation Research Program. Once approved, the state will compensate for round trip costs and college living expenses.

 

The candidates will be chosen from three sources. Those sent by the state under the current CSC study programs, those who go abroad through cooperation programs between Chinese and US universities and individual students who choose colleges by themselves and apply for and obtain the agreement from US colleges on tuition waiver.

 

The initiative will cover mainly colleges and universities under the 985 Project. This is a program that aims to establish world-renowned colleges and universities in China with the majors being those which are greatly supported and encouraged by the state. The program adheres to the principle that top-notch students in China will be sent to world first-class universities to learn from top-notch tutors.

 

At present colleges and universities included in the 985 Project are selecting students and making detailed regulations based on the principle of the program.

 

(Chinanews.cn December 27, 2006)