NEW YORK, November 4, 2015— U.S.-based graduate students can now apply for two doctoral-level fellowships for study and research in China, provided by Hanban, a public institution affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education. The fellowships are managed in the United States by the Institute of International Education. The application deadline is February 15, 2016, for Fellowship awards beginning in fall of 2016.
The newly launched Confucius China Studies Program Ph.D. in China Fellowship will provide funding for U.S.-based students to enroll in and receive a degree from one of 15 participating universities in China in a China-related field in the Arts, Education, Humanities, or Social sciences. To be eligible, applicants must have a master’s degree by the fall of 2016.
Students who are pursuing their doctoral degrees at U.S. universities can apply for the Confucius China Studies Program Research Ph.D. Fellowship, which will support doctoral dissertation research in China for a period of one semester to two years. As with the first year of the CCSP Research Ph.D. Fellowships, IIE will manage the recruitment and review of fellowship applications for U.S.-based students.
These two Fellowship programs are components of an array of scholarships and fellowships offered by Hanban. The CCSP Fellowships reflect Hanban’s commitment to fostering deep understanding of China and Chinese culture among young generations from around the world, enabling the prosperous growth of China studies, and enhancing the friendly relationship between China and the people of other countries. In order to promote the growth of sinology and China studies, and strengthen China’s international relationships, the programs offer a wide array of resources that enhance the students’ experience beyond the Fellowship grant. For example, the programs give each student the flexibility to pursue his or her own research in collaboration with faculty at their host institution in China, and are representative of the larger aim of the Chinese Ministry of Education to promote, as it has with CIs and other CCSP initiatives, intercultural and educational exchange.
The CCSP Fellowships are open to both U.S. and international (non-Chinese) students. Applicants for the Research Ph.D. Fellowship must be enrolled in a doctoral program in the U.S., and applicants for the Ph.D. in China Fellowship must have completed a master’s degree in a China-related field. The fellowships will support students in their study, research, and degree pursuits for a period of six months to four years. Funding will cover tuition, research costs, medical insurance, airfare, and a stipend for living expenses.
In managing the U.S. side of these fellowships, IIE will draw upon its strong scholarship management expertise from working with governments of the United States and other countries on flagship programs such as the Fulbright Scholarship Program, which IIE administers on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, and the Brazil Scientific Mobility Program, which IIE administers on behalf of the Government of Brazil.
“The two Ph.D. Fellowships provide excellent opportunities for U.S. students to learn more about China,” said IIE’s President and CEO Allan E. Goodman. “At a time when increasing numbers of Chinese students have been coming to the United States for higher education, these fellowships will enable more American students to live and study in China and gain an in-depth understanding of Chinese language and culture.”
The CCSP Fellowships are in keeping with the goal of IIE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative, which aims to double the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade. IIE believes that international experience is one of the most important components of a 21st -century education, as globalization brings with it the demand for a U.S. workforce that both possesses knowledge of other countries and cultures and is competent in languages other than English. In order to build inclusive and prosperous communities, future leaders must possess knowledge, skills, and cultural understanding that can transcend the borders of our interconnected world. Studying in another country opens students’ eyes to a new way of thinking about the world, instilling a more informed approach to problem-solving in cross-cultural contexts.
These fellowships also help to advance two goals of the U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE), the official bilateral dialogue to discuss deepening connections between our two societies, and the “100,000 Strong Initiative,” which seeks to realize President Barack Obama’s call for 100,000 Americans to study in China.
The United States government currently provides opportunities for U.S. students to study, teach, and conduct research in China through the Gilman International Scholarships and Fulbright Student Program of the U.S. Department of State, and the Boren Fellowships and Scholarships of National Security Education Program. The Confucius China Studies Program represents a significant contribution by the Chinese government to further educational exchange between our two countries.
CCSP Fellowship grantees can attend one of the following Chinese universities: Beijing University; Renmin University of China; Beijing Normal University; Beijing Foreign Studies University; Jilin University; Shandong University; Nanjing University; Nankai University; Fudan University; East China Normal University; Sichuan University; Wuhan University; Xiamen University; Sun Yat-sen University, and Beijing Language and Culture University.
In the 2013/14 academic year, more than 274,000 students from China were studying in the United States (up 17% from the previous year). China remains the leading place of origin for students coming to the United States. In 2012/13, there were 14,413 U.S. students studying in mainland China for academic credit at their home universities in the United States, according to IIE’s Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, and more than 11,000 additional students engaged in other education-related activities in China such as language study, service learning, and internships that were not reported by the students’ home universities, according to a pilot study conducted by IIE on U.S. student participation in education abroad activities in China.
About the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education is a world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,200 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. IIE also conducts policy research and program evaluations, and provides advising and counseling on international education and opportunities abroad.
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