Starting yesterday, people who want to seek government funds to
study abroad can apply through a newly launched online system for
the 2006 National Scholarship.
Hopefuls can log on at www.csc.edu.cn to get the
application form. About 7,000 people this year will receive the
fund to cover all or part of their expenses abroad, the China
Scholarship Council (CSC) has announced.
Eligible applicants should have at least a bachelor's degree and
work at colleges, government departments, public institutions,
research centers or enterprises for at least two years.
Postgraduate and doctorate students in college are also
eligible, according to the scheme.
Cao Guoxing, director of the International Cooperation and
Exchange Department with the Ministry of Education, said more
postgraduates would be offered the scholarship this year.
"The National Scholarship is to aid excellent students or
experts who have financial difficulties," he said at a recent
meeting. "Priority will be given to applicants that major in fields
that the country is weak at."
They include telecommunications, advanced agricultural
technology, life science, materials science, engineering science,
applied social science and environmental science.
Deadline for applications is March 10, and successful applicants
have to sign contracts to guarantee they come back to China after
finishing studies.
The Sino-British Merit Scholarship and Sino-French doctorate
program will be further promoted this year as part of the National
Scholarship.
Ministry figures show that 7,000 Chinese got the National
Scholarship last year, up 75 per cent over the previous year.
Cao reiterated that it is China's consistent policy to encourage
students to study abroad and students are welcome back after
finishing their studies. He revealed that 18,098 out of 22,031
people who were funded by CSC have returned to China after they
completed their studies overseas since 1996.
Nearly one-fourth of the 900,000 Chinese students who had been
abroad for studies have returned.
(China Daily January 6, 2006)