China will fund 240 students to go to US universities despite geopolitical tensions

The China Scholarship Council has announced plans to help up to 240 outstanding Chinese students to study in the US next year

Reading Time:2 minutes

China accounted for the largest group of international students in the United States in 2023, but most were graduate students without a scholarship or funding from the Chinese government. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:00pm, 1 Sep 2024Updated: 8:10pm, 1 Sep 2024

The government of China is continuing to help young talent pursue graduate education in the United States, despite increasing geopolitical tensions between the two countries.

Up to 240 outstanding Chinese students will be selected to work towards a master’s degree or doctorate at seven partner universities in the US next year, according to an announcement posted on the China Scholarship Council (CSC) website earlier this month.

Their studies will be jointly sponsored by CSC and the US universities, which include the University of California (UC) Irvine, UC Davis, UC Riverside, Dartmouth College, the University of Notre Dame, Temple University and the University of Tennessee.

Various programmes across a wide range of research fields, such as agriculture, public health, liberal arts and sociology are open for application, according to the post from the CSC, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Education and the primary body providing state-funded scholarships to facilitate academic exchange.

Most of the universities offer PhD programmes in computer science, biomedical engineering and other key areas where China and the US are competing for global leadership.

For instance, students can apply to study at UC Irvine’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering, including its department of mechanical and aerospace engineering. There are 10 slots available for PhD students and five for visiting students, according to the institute’s website.

CSC will cover in-state tuition and offer a monthly stipend for the first two years. Starting from the third year of doctoral studies, UC Irvine will provide full tuition and health insurance as long as the student maintains good academic standing, according to UC Irvine and CSC.