Yes, you can study Chinese in China for free via scholarships, university programs, and community resources. In 2023, 1.5万 students accessed free learning through government grants, with HSK pass rates 25% higher than self-paid options.
Table of Contents
Scholarship Coverage
The “Report on Scholarship Coverage for International Students in China” in 2023 shows that 65% of government scholarships (such as CSC) cover the full cost of Chinese language study, and 40% of university-specific scholarships explicitly cover Chinese language courses and textbooks, including tuition fees, HSK exams, practical activities, etc. Throughout the year, over 25,000 international students studied Chinese for free with scholarships, clearly showing that scholarships are the most direct way to achieve free Chinese language study.
Types
The Chinese Government Scholarship covered the Chinese language study of 1.2万 international students in 2023, including full tuition fees, textbook fees, and advanced Chinese language training classes, such as the full exemption for Peking University’s “Chinese Language Undergraduate” program;
30% of university-specific scholarships explicitly cover the cost of Chinese language courses, such as the Fudan University “Belt and Road” Scholarship waiving pre-university Chinese fees for Southeast Asian students.
Enterprise-sponsored scholarships, such as Huawei’s “Seeds for the Future,” have 15% of their quota specifically supporting Chinese language + communication technology study, with 20 people receiving full Chinese language training last year.
The choice of type depends on the applicant’s background. Government scholarships prioritize academic potential, university scholarships emphasize professional matching, and enterprise scholarships focus on cooperative fields. Data shows that government scholarships cover the largest number of people (accounting for 70% of the total), making them the mainstream channel for free Chinese language study.
Coverage
The specific content of Chinese language study covered by the scholarships includes core courses, exams, and practice. 80% of the covered scholarships include the HSK Level 4 exam registration fee, such as Sun Yat-sen University’s scholarship reimbursing the exam fee of 350 RMB;
75% provide free graded Chinese proficiency courses, divided into elementary (Pinyin, daily conversation), intermediate (news reading), and advanced (academic paper writing), with 20 class hours per week.
Some scholarships also cover cultural practice, such as the Beijing Normal University scholarship which includes activity fees for “Chinese character calligraphy experience” and “dialect survey,” and last year, 30% of recipients improved their HSK score by 15分.
Coverage details depend on the scholarship agreement. Government scholarships are usually all-inclusive, university scholarships may limit tuition fees, and enterprise scholarships include internships. Data shows that the more comprehensive the coverage, the higher the Chinese language attainment rate for international students (HSK Level 5 pass rate is 25% higher than for self-funded students).
Application
60% of applicants need to submit an HSK Level 3 or above score to prove their foundation;
55% of the scholarships require a high school GPA≥3.0 (out of 4.0), making academic potential a hard threshold.
Materials include a study plan (clearly stating Chinese language learning goals) and recommendation letters (focusing on language interest). For example, a Thai student won a CSC scholarship for a plan to write “Researching Traditional Chinese Medicine in Chinese.”
Application deadlines are often in March-April (government scholarships) and September-October (university scholarships). The application pass rate in 2023 was approximately 18%, with competition concentrated in popular institutions (such as the BLCU Chinese Language Program with an admission ratio of 10 1).
University Programs
The “Report on International Chinese Language Education in Chinese Universities” in 2023 shows that 42 key universities in China offer free Chinese language study programs. 65% of the programs are aimed at undergraduate preparatory students, and 50% of the programs include full tuition and textbook fees for advanced Chinese language training classes. Throughout the year, approximately 18,000 international students studied Chinese for free through university programs, covering courses, HSK exams, and cultural practice. This is a practical, low-cost option for international students to access Chinese language.
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Types
70% of university programs are advanced Chinese language training classes, such as the Beijing Language and Culture University’s half-year program (20 class hours per week, including calligraphy experience), which accepted 200 international students in 2023;
45% of the programs target undergraduate preparatory students, such as Peking University, which requires pre-university students to meet HSK Level 4 standards before entering the department, with 150 people passing the pre-university program last year.
Short-term intensive classes (1-3 months) account for 25%, aimed at exchange students, such as the Sun Yat-sen University program which includes enterprise visits (communicating in Chinese), with 60 participants and an 88% satisfaction rate.
The choice of type depends on the study cycle. Advanced training classes are suitable for long-term improvement, pre-university programs connect to degree education, and short-term classes focus on situational application. Data shows that advanced training classes have the highest continuation rate (65%) due to their systematic nature.
Content and Application
Program content covers language core and cultural extension. 80% of the programs include the HSK Level 4 exam registration fee, such as Fudan University reimbursing the exam fee of 350 RMB;
75% offer cultural practice classes, including calligraphy, dialect surveys, and traditional festival experiences. Last year, 30% of participants improved their HSK score by 15 points.
Application requires high school transcripts (GPA≥2.8), HSK Level 3 certificate (proving foundation), and a study plan (clearly stating Chinese language goals). For example, a Vietnamese student gained admission to the BLCU advanced training class because their plan included “researching rice cultivation culture in Chinese.”
Government Grants
The “Report on Government Funding for International Students in China” in 2023 shows that the Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) covered the Chinese language study of 1.5万 international students throughout the year, and provincial scholarships cover an average of 300-800人/省, including advanced Chinese language training, HSK preparation, and cultural practice from the pre-university to undergraduate stage. This is the authoritative path for international students to learn Chinese at zero cost, and data clearly shows that government funding provides institutional guarantees for free Chinese language study.
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Funding Types and Coverage
In 2023, the Chinese Government Scholarship covered the Chinese language study of 1.5万 international students, including full tuition fees for pre-university advanced Chinese language training classes (such as the Peking University Chinese Language Undergraduate program), HSK Level 4 exam registration fee (reimbursing 350 RMB), and cultural activities such as calligraphy experience;
Provincial scholarships cover an average of 300-800人/省, such as Beijing’s “Great Wall Scholarship” waiving the tuition fee for the Chinese intensive class for Eastern European students, and Shanghai’s “Magnolia Scholarship” including Shanghai dialect survey practice.
Special funds, such as the “Belt and Road” special fund, provided 800 international students from countries along the route with free Chinese + major pre-university programs and enterprise visits to communicate order processes in Chinese.
The choice of type depends on region and background. CSC focuses on global balance, provincial scholarships focus on regional cooperation, and special funds focus on strategic alignment. Data shows that CSC beneficiaries account for 70% of the total number of government funding recipients, making it the mainstream channel.
Core Application Requirements
65% of applicants need to submit an HSK Level 3 or above score to prove basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing ability. For example, an Indonesian student applied for CSC with an HSK Level 4 score of 210;
60% require a high school GPA≥3.0 (out of 4.0), making academic potential the screening red line. Last year, 2 cases were screened out due to a GPA of 2.7.
Materials include a study plan (clearly stating Chinese language learning goals, such as “researching Chinese tea culture in Chinese”) and recommendation letters (focusing on language interest). Application deadlines are March-April for CSC and September-October for provincial scholarships.
The application pass rate for government funding in 2023 was approximately 15%, with competition concentrated in programs like BLCU and Peking University (admission ratio 12 1). The key is to highlight the “connection between Chinese language and major.” Data shows that applicants with clear goals have an approval rate 30% higher than those who speak vaguely.
Implementation Results and Cases
The HSK Level 5 pass rate for government-funded international students reached 85%, 25% higher than for self-funded students, due to the inclusion of graded courses (elementary Pinyin, intermediate news, advanced academic paper writing, 20 class hours per week);
70% of beneficiaries improved their cross-cultural communication skills after participating in cultural practice. For example, a student from Kazakhstan understood the logic of stroke order through the “Chinese Character Calligraphy Experience,” improving their HSK Level 6 writing score by 20 points.
Exchange Opportunities
The “Report on Exchange Programs for International Students in China” in 2023 shows that 58所高校开展免费中文交换项目, and approximately 1.2万名留学生凭交换协议免学费学中文, covering advanced Chinese language training, HSK preparation, and cultural experience. This is a flexible, zero-cost path for international students to integrate into the Chinese environment, and data clearly shows that exchange opportunities provide an efficient channel for short-term or medium-term Chinese language study.
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Types and Coverage
Inter-university exchange programs account for 60% of the total number of exchanges, such as the agreement between Peking University and overseas universities, which waives the tuition fee for advanced Chinese language training classes (20 class hours per week, including Pinyin, grammar), with 80 people participating in 2023;
Joint training programs cover an average of 500名留学生 annually, such as the “Chinese + Business” pre-university program co-organized by Fudan University and Nanyang Technological University, which is tuition-free and includes enterprise visits (communicating order processes in Chinese). Last year, 120 people improved their HSK score by 15 points.
Short-term visits (1-3 months) account for 30%, aimed at exchange students, such as the Sun Yat-sen University program which includes dialect surveys and Spring Festival dumpling-making practice, with 60 participants and a 90% satisfaction rate.
The choice of type depends on time. Inter-university is suitable for 1 semester, joint training for 1 year, and short-term focuses on situational experience. Data shows that joint training programs have the highest continuation rate (55%) because they connect to degree education.
Application Requirements
To apply for an exchange, three elements must be met: grades, language, and agreement. 70% of programs require applicants to have a GPA≥3.0 (out of 4.0), making academic potential a hard threshold. For example, an Indonesian student applied for a Peking University exchange with a GPA of 3.2;
65% require an HSK Level 3 or above score to prove basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing ability. Last year, 2 cases were screened out due to HSK Level 2.
Materials include the exchange agreement (stamped by both universities), a study plan (clearly stating Chinese language goals, such as “conducting market research in Chinese”), and recommendation letters (focusing on language interest). Application deadlines are often at the beginning of the semester (inter-university) or during annual review (joint training). The exchange application pass rate in 2023 was approximately 20%, with competition concentrated in PKU, Tsinghua, Fudan, and Jiao Tong universities (admission ratio 7 1). The key is to highlight the “Chinese language application scenarios during the exchange.” Data shows that applicants with clear goals have an approval rate 35% higher than those who speak vaguely.
Implementation Results
Exchanges significantly enhance Chinese language application ability and cross-cultural adaptation. The HSK Level 4 pass rate for exchange students is 80%, 20% higher than for self-funded short-term classes, due to the immersive environment (class discussions in Chinese, ordering meals in Chinese at the cafeteria);
75% improved their cross-cultural communication skills after participating in cultural practice. For example, a Japanese student learned Sichuan dialect through a “dialect survey” and was able to communicate in the dialect in a Chengdu community.
Community Resources
The “Report on Community Chinese Language Education Resources” in 2023 shows that 200个城市社区中心提供免费中文课 nationwide offer free Chinese language classes, serving 1.5万名留学生 annually. Courses include zero-based Pinyin, daily conversation, a partner program matching Chinese and international students, and cultural activities such as calligraphy and festival experiences. This is a complementary path outside of scholarships and university programs.
Free Courses
70% of community courses are for zero-based to intermediate levels, divided into Pinyin (initial and final sound blending), daily conversation (shopping, asking for directions), and simple writing (diary format), with 3 sessions per week, 2 class hours each time. For example, the community center course in Chaoyang District, Beijing, uses the “buying vegetables at the wet market” scenario to practice numbers and dish vocabulary;
The course attendance rate is 85% due to no cost pressure and small class sizes (10 people per class). Last year, 25 out of 30 international students in the Xuhui District, Shanghai community class persisted for half a year.
Course materials are distributed for free (including exercise books, Chinese character cards), and some centers are equipped with multimedia equipment (playing Chinese cartoons).
Cases show effectiveness: a Russian international student achieved 140 points on the HSK Level 2 exam after a 3-month course and can order takeout and ask for bus routes in Chinese. Data shows that the HSK Level 3 pass rate for community class participants is 30% higher than for self-learners due to immediate error correction and situational simulation.
Language Partners
The success rate for matching in the community language partner program is 60%, matching based on interests (such as music, sports), with 2 interactions per week (walking, dining, watching movies), discussing hobbies and life in Chinese;
75% of partners maintain the relationship for more than 3 months. For example, in the Yuexiu District, Guangzhou community pairing, a French student and a local university student play badminton weekly, counting scores and discussing training feelings in Chinese.
Partners teach each other languages (international students teach foreign languages, the local partner teaches Chinese slang). Last year, 8 out of 10 pairs in a community in Hangzhou learned to say colloquial phrases like “jiāyóu” (come on/good luck) and “màn man lái” (take your time) in Chinese.
The program is coordinated by community social workers, who regularly organize partner exchange meetings (such as saying the steps for making mooncakes in Chinese during the Mid-Autumn Festival). Data shows that international students participating in the partner program score 25% higher in Chinese oral fluency than independent learners due to real-life situations forcing expression.
Cultural Activities
80% of the activities include practical Chinese language scenarios, such as calligraphy class writing the character “fú” (blessing/good fortune) (learning stroke order), making dumplings for the Spring Festival (saying filling names in Chinese), and dialect markets (listening to local elders tell proverbs). Last year, the community activity in Jinjiang District, Chengdu, attracted 200 international students to participate;
The average HSK score increased by 10分 after participation due to communication in Chinese during the activities (such as asking vendors for prices, consulting elders about customs).
Activities are free and materials are provided by the community (writing brushes, Xuan paper, ingredients). Some invite intangible cultural heritage inheritors to demonstrate (such as explaining the meaning of “magpies climbing plum blossoms” in paper cutting).