I. Introduction

The State Oceanic Administration (SOA) and China's Ministry of Education jointly initiate the Marine Scholarship of China for the purpose of providing financial support to outstanding students from the coastal countries or regions around the South China Sea, the Pacific and the Indian Oceans and African, American developing countries to study in China for a master's or doctoral degree in oceanography or other related specialties, cultivating advanced professionals of the related fields for developing countries, enhancing international marine cooperation and exchange, and promoting the harmonious ocean development in the region and around the world. China Scholarship Council (CSC) is in charge of the admissions and routine management of the Scholarship.

II. Eligibility

1. Applicant must be non-Chinese citizens in good health, from a coastal/island country of South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific and its surrounding island countries, or an African, American developing country.

2. Applicant must apply for the postgraduate degree program of ocean-related specialties. Applicants will be given priority if they are currently engaged in oceanographic and relevant sectors.

3. Educational background and age limits (as of September 1 of the academic year):

(1) Master's programs: hold a bachelor's degree or above and be under the age of 40;

(2) Doctoral programs: hold a master's degree or above and be under the age of 45.

III. Academic Programs

XMU has an exceptional team for research and teaching in the oceanography and marine-related disciplines, being the birthplace of ocean studies and teaching in China. The discipline of Marine Science at XMU is a first-class national key discipline and has been chosen for inclusion in the Chinese Government's Program of Building World-Class Disciplines. Its Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, College of Ocean and Earth Science, College of Environment and Ecology, and South China Sea Institute (School of Law) have made achievements in the marine-related scientific research and the cultivation of advanced professionals.

1. Chinese-medium postgraduate degree programs.

2. English-medium postgraduate degree programs.

IV. Duration of Scholarships

1. Master's programs: 2 or 3 years;

2. Doctoral programs: 4 years.

Note:

(1) For those who have not met the entry requirements of Chinese proficiency level and wish to take remedial Chinese courses before the major study in Chinese, they should also present the HSK certificate when applying. Applicants for programs in law need to have a Chinese proficiency certificate of HSK band 4 with a score of 180 or above; applicants for programs in sciences and engineering need to have a certificate of HSK band 3 with a score of 180 or above. Only by passing the required HSK test within the first year and meeting the entry requirements of the relevant degree programs could they then start the major study.

(2) Scholarship recipients shall participate in the annual review in accordance with the relevant management regulations of the scholarships. Those who pass the review can continue to apply for or enjoy the scholarships in the next academic year. Those who fail the review will be suspended or disqualified from the scholarships. The specific regulations and methods of the annual review shall be subject to the latest notice issued in the current year.

V. Scholarships Quota: About 5. To be determined.

VI. Scholarships Coverage

1. Tuition fee;

2. On-campus accommodation fee oroff-campus accommodation monetary subsidy (RMB 700/month for master's programs; RMB 1,000/month for doctoral programs);

3. Living allowance (RMB 3,000/month for master's programs; RMB 3,500/month for doctoral programs);

4. Comprehensive medical insurance.

Note: Other expenses for study in China, such as international travel expenses, cost of physical examination, security deposit and utility costs for on-campus accommodation, and cost of course materials, should be borne by the scholarship recipients themselves.

VII. Application Period: Dec. 1, 2024 to Feb. 15, 2025

VIII.Application Procedures

Application for the Scholarships will be considered only after the applicant has been admitted to Xiamen University.

1. Applicants shall complete online application at https://studyinchina.csc.edu.cn   (Program Category: Type B; Agency No. of XMU: 10384) and print out the Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarships. The Scholarships Application Form should be completed in Chinese or English and signed by the applicant.

2. Applicants shall complete another online application at http://application.xmu.edu.cn and upload the scan copy of Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarships. There is no need to mail paper application materials.

Application Guide to Master's Programs: https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/Admissions/Master_s_Students.htm

Application Guide to Doctoral Programs: https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/Admissions/Doctoral_students.htm

IX. Selection and Notification

A comprehensive review will be conducted on applicant's professional background, academic record, work experience, language proficiency, overall merits, research achievements and their prospective supervisor's comments. The shortlisted candidates will be submitted to China's Ministry of Natural Resources and China Scholarship Council for final approval.

The final results will be published at https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn in July-August.

X. Contact Information

Add.: XMU's Admissions Office, Fujian Province, China (Postcode: 361005)

Tel: 0086 (0)592 2184792/2188375

Fax: 0086 (0)592 2180256

E-mail: admissions@xmu.edu.cn

Web: https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn

XI. More Information

1. The English version of this Guide is provided for reference and as a general guide ONLY. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese versions, the Chinese version shall prevail. This Guide may not be reproduced without authorization.

2. This application guide may be adjusted by the latest notice from the competent department of scholarship or the requirements of our university. So please refer to the latest version of application guide.  For other information, please visit:

Application Guide to Master's Programs: https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/Admissions/Master_s_Students.htm

Application Guide to Doctoral Programs: https://admissions.xmu.edu.cn/Admissions/Doctoral_students.htm

China Scholarship Council: https://www.campuschina.org