Scholarships for International Students in China's Greater Bay Area (2027 Guide)

Studying in China's Greater Bay Area (GBA) is already one of the best value propositions in international education — but with the right scholarship, it can cost you little or nothing. Universities across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau offer government, provincial, and school-level awards that can cover full tuition, on-campus housing, and even a monthly living stipend.

This guide breaks down every major scholarship route available to international students applying to GBA universities for the 2027 intake, with real figures drawn from current university program listings.

Quick overview: the Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) is listed as an option on more than 100 GBA programs, the Guangdong Government Scholarship appears on nearly 70, and almost every university in the region runs its own merit awards on top of these.

1. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)

The CSC Scholarship is China's flagship national award. It comes in full and partial forms: the full award typically covers tuition, on-campus accommodation, medical insurance, and a monthly stipend. In the GBA it is available across a huge range of programs — from Jinan University's English-taught business and medicine degrees to SCUT's engineering master's and PhD tracks.

• Coverage: full tuition + accommodation + stipend (full award) or partial tuition (partial award)
• Apply through: Chinese Embassy/Consulate in your country, or directly via designated universities
• Best for: academically strong applicants at bachelor, master, and PhD level

For a deeper dive into categories, values, and deadlines, see our CSC Scholarship guide.

2. Guangdong Government Scholarship

Guangdong Province runs one of the most generous provincial scholarship schemes in China, and it appears on 69 GBA programs in our database. Award values are typically tiered:

• ¥10,000/year — common entry-tier award at universities like Shantou University and GDUFS
• ¥20,000/year — frequently bundled with CSC and university awards (e.g. SCUT's combined "CSC + Guangdong Gov ¥20,000 + SCUT Scholarship" package)
• ¥30,000/year — top provincial tier, often stacked with CSC at universities such as Jinan University

Guangdong also runs the Outstanding International Student Scholarship (¥10,000–30,000), a merit-based award for currently enrolled students who perform well academically. Full details are in our Guangdong Government Scholarship guide.

3. University Scholarships on the Mainland

Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen (HIT-SZ)

HIT-SZ runs one of the most transparent tiered systems for its English-taught master's programs (¥35,000/year tuition):

• Major award: 100% tuition + ¥1,000/month living allowance
• First prize: 100% tuition
• Second prize: 80% tuition
• Third prize: 70% tuition

On top of that, students can access the Shenzhen Universiade Scholarship (¥35,000/year) and the Guangdong Government Scholarship (¥20,000/year) — meaning a well-ranked student at HIT-SZ can effectively study for free and get paid to do it.

Shantou University

Shantou University, home of the FAIMER-registered English-taught MBBS (¥40,000/year), offers four scholarship tiers:

• 1st: full tuition + housing + ¥15,000/year living allowance
• 2nd: full tuition + housing
• 3rd: full tuition
• 4th: half tuition

Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech)

SUSTech offers both a Full Scholarship and a Tuition Scholarship across its English-taught bachelor and graduate programs (listed tuition ¥10,000–30,000/year). Combined with its research intensity, this makes SUSTech one of the best value STEM destinations in the region.

Presidential and other named awards

Sun Yat-sen University and Shenzhen University both operate Presidential Scholarships for outstanding applicants, and Jinan University's College of Chinese Language & Culture offers dedicated awards (plus the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship) for language-track students.

4. Hong Kong: HKSAR Government and University Awards

Hong Kong tuition is higher (HK$145,000–249,000/year for bachelor programs), but the scholarship ecosystem is equally strong:

• HKSAR Government Scholarship — available across all eight UGC-funded universities and listed on 27 GBA programs
• University entrance scholarships — every institution runs its own merit awards: HKU Foundation Scholarship, HKU Presidential Scholars Fund, CUHK/HKUST/CityU/HKBU/EdUHK/Lingnan/PolyU entrance scholarships
• Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme — a prestigious stipend of about HK$331,200/year plus travel allowance for PhD applicants; listed across 12 GBA programs including HKU, CUHK, and HKUST

Tip: Hong Kong entrance scholarships are largely automatic — admissions committees consider every applicant for merit awards based on academic record, so a strong application doubles as a scholarship application.

5. Macau: Macao SAR and University Scholarships

Macau combines moderate tuition (MOP 60,000–120,000/year) with accessible awards:

• Macao SAR Government Scholarship — listed across 12 programs at the University of Macau, MUST, MPU, and City University of Macau
• University scholarships — UM, MUST, MPU, and CityU Macau each offer their own merit-based tuition awards
• Portuguese Scholarship — a niche award supporting Lusophone students, unique to Macau's role as Asia's Portuguese-language hub

How to Maximise Your Chances

• Apply early. Many scholarship decisions are made in the first admission round; late applicants compete for leftovers.
• Stack awards. In Guangdong, CSC + provincial + university awards are frequently combinable — ask each university's international office how they stack.
• Target tiered systems. HIT-SZ and Shantou University publish clear percentage tiers, so you can predict your award from your academic standing.
• No IELTS? Don't rule yourself out. Some scholarship routes accept alternatives — see our guide to full scholarships without IELTS.
• Check country-specific options. African applicants have dedicated routes — see our scholarships for African students guide.

Scholarship values and tiers above are quoted from current university program listings and may change for the 2027 intake. Always confirm the latest details with the university or with StudyinGBA before applying.

Browse every program and its scholarship options on our programs page, compare costs in our cheapest GBA cities guide, then start your application via StudyinGBA.