University Overview

South China Normal University (SCNU) is a Double World Class and Project 211 university as designated by China's Ministry of Education. It is also a key comprehensive university jointly subsidized by the province of Guangdong and the Ministry of Education, and listed as a provincial high-level university. SCNU now has four campuses in three cities: the Shipai campus and the University Town campus in Guangzhou, the Nanhai campus in Foshan, and the Binhai campus in Shanwei, three cities in Guangdong province, covering a total area of over 355 hectares. The university has four faculties, 35 schools and 9 research institutes and centers.

1. Doctorate Programs

SCNU has 12 doctorate disciplines/majors for international students as follows:

2. Application Requirements

2.1  General requirements

(1) Applicants must abide by the laws and regulations of China and the rules and regulations of the university, and respect Chinese social customs.

(2) Applicants should be healthy, both physically and psychologically, with no criminal record, and meet the physical standards required for applying for a student visa or residence permit.

2.2 Age and identification requirements

(1) Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens with valid passports.

(2) Applicants should be aged between 18 and 45 years (Scholarship applicants must meet the age requirements of each program).

2.3 Academic requirements

(1) Equal to a master's degree (or above) in China;

(2) Full transcripts of final education, original or notarized version, in notarized Chinese or English Translation.

2.4 Language proficiency

(1) Applicants should hold an HSK (Level 5) certificate after February 2023.

(2) A scanned copy of score reports of the HSK tests.  Admitted students are required to submit original copies of those official documents for verification. Those who provide fake materials will be disqualified from admission.

2.5 Financial condition

Applicants should be able to pay tuition fees, accommodation and related daily living expenses.

3. Teaching Language

Chinese.

4. Program Duration

4 years (Subject to the talent cultivation program of each major).

5. Application Period

(1) Application schedule: 1 February 2025 to 10 June 2025

(2) Enrollment: 8 September 2025

6. Application Materials and Requirements

(1) Equal to a master's degree (or above) in China;

(2) Full transcripts of final education, original or notarized version, in notarized Chinese or English Translation.

(3) A scanned copy of score reports of the HSK tests.  Admitted students are required to submit original copies of those official documents for verification. Those who provide fake materials will be disqualified from admission.)

(4) Personal statement in Chinese or English including study and working experience (if available), academic research experience and results, research proposal and so on (including applicants’ understanding of the discipline or major they are applying for and their plan, about 1000 words).

(5) Two recommendation letters in Chinese or English from professors or associate professors in the graduated university or college.

(6) A scanned copy of passport valid for more than 6 months.

(7) A scanned copy of passport including the photo page, and all pages with visa records, and entry and exit stamps (if any).

(8) Single person color photo without a hat, taken recently within the last 6 months, same size as the one on the passport.

(9) Other requirements

★ Applicants are required to submit additional materials if necessary.

★Documents that can prove applicants’ comprehensive abilities, such as certificates of awards, certificates, admission letters from foreign universities and so on, can be submitted together with their application.

★ Application materials will NOT be returned regardless of the application result.

7. Examination Arrangement and Admission 

Please pay attention to the university’s admission information from 1 February 2025 to 10 June 2025.

8. Fees

(1) Registration fee: 420 CNY (non-refundable and non-transferable)

(2) Tuition fees:

(3) Insurance: Foreign students studying in China must purchase comprehensive medical insurance, covering outpatient and emergency medical insurance, hospitalization and medical treatment, accidental disability and death insurance. There are three options: 800 CNY/year/per person; 1000 CNY/year/per person; 1200 CNY/year/per person. (https://lxbx.net/ insurance).

9. Scholarships

(1) Chinese Government Scholarship (Full Scholarship): Suitable for applicants under 40 years old with a minimum score of 180 on the HSK Test (Level 5) or those who apply for a doctoral degree in international Chinese Language Education with a minimum score of 180 on the HSK Test (Level 6). Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can directly apply to their home country's student exchange office or the Education Section of the Chinese Embassy or Consulate (Consulate General) in their host country. 

The application period generally lasts from January to early April each year, and application procedures and deadlines vary in different countries; please consult in advance. For more details, please visit the Chinese Government Scholarship Application System (https://campuschina.org), create an account, select Project Type A, and submit the materials as requested.

(2) International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship (for  "International Chinese Education" applicants only): Full scholarship. Suitable for applicants under the age of 35 with a minimum score of 200 on the HSK Test (Level 6), and 60 on the HSKK test (Advanced Level). Be interested in Chinese language education and related work.

(3) Guangdong Government Outstanding International Student Scholarship: A one-time payment of 30,000 CNY is awarded to self-funded students who have been admitted by the university. The application time is from April to July each year, and students are selected on the basis of merit.

10. Accommodation and Application for Entry

(1) Offer help in dormitory booking in International Student Housing

(2) For applicants who meet the admission requirements, the university can assist in applying for the X1 visa and obtaining residence documents upon arrival.

11. Contact Information

(1) Registration website: 

http://istudy.scnu.edu.cn

(2) Contact number: 0086-20-85215350/85210012

(3) Email: 20161043@m.scnu.edu.cn, hscic7@scnu.edu.cn

(4) WeChat official account: CICSCNU. (New followers need to click the upper right corner to view historical push notifications).

12. Warm Tips

(1) Please upload all required documents to complete the application process. Each document must be less than 1M.

(2) The transfer application will not be accepted after two weeks of starting of school.

(3) Please upload valid passport and visa page, transcripts, attendance (above 80%) and transfer certificate, entry and exit records if applicants have been studied in any school in China.

(4) International students from some countries are required to submit the resume and notarized non-criminal certification. The specific requirements will be notified by email.

(5) Those under the age of 18 who apply for a degree or long-term education must have a guardian of Chinese nationality. The guardian's certificate must be notarized. The specific requirements will be notified by email.

(6) Applicants must promise that all information filled and materials uploaded on the "South China Normal University International Student Online Service Platform" are accurate, truthful, legal, and valid. Once submitted, they cannot be modified. If the materials contain information that is false, fake or misleading, applicants will be disqualified and bear relevant liabilities.