This article discusses my various thoughts and the information I collected on studying abroad during the process of continuous learning. You are welcome to add to it.

Two sides of studying abroad

Advantages
  • Bilingual skill
  • More personal time and more efficient
  • Diversified Talents (Cultural Integration)
  • A variety of options
Drawbacks
  • Loneliness
  • Cultural differences
  • Lack of domestic relationships
  • Unfamiliarity with the domestic environment (missed campus recruitment, insensitive to the job market, etc.)

CSC Application

On January 9, 2025, the China Scholarship Council issued the “2025 Guidelines for the Selection of National Scholarship Funded Overseas Students”

Web: https://www.csc.edu.cn/chuguo/s/3460

Criteria
  • Excellent students
  • Top rankings of foreign universities and excellent foreign tutors
  • Research plans are feasible, advanced and practically close to domestic problems

Process: Foreign tutors establish Connection - RP - Interview - Fill in the CSC system

After March 10, 2025, you can enter the complete tutor name in the foreign tutor interface to query the number of applicants for that year (in principle, one tutor can accept 2 doctoral students + 2 joint training in one year of CSC. In special cases, such as if the tutor is a European academician, more can be recruited, so when you see ≥3, you are likely to meet a foreign tutor.

Materials preparation

Web： https://www.csc.edu.cn/article/3446

A. Basic information
B. Application status (key funded disciplines and major codes)
C. Foreign language proficiency (TOEFL scores are not required for CSC applications, only language certification from foreign tutors is required, but foreign schools are likely to require TOEFL scores for admission)
D. Education and work experience
E. Major academic achievements (unpublished/under review papers should be filled in F)
F. Summary of major academic achievements (most important: 3,000 characters must be filled, personal academic achievement summary, paper summary introduction, overview of scientific research projects (topics) participated in, awards received)
G. Training plan (most important: 3,000 characters must be filled, intended study abroad major, intended research topic, domestic and foreign research situation and level, intended study abroad country, study abroad unit and reason for selection, feasibility of studying abroad, purpose of study abroad, expected goals, research methods, time planning, work/study plan after returning to China)
H. Domestic tutor
I. Foreign tutor
J. Letter of commitment

Updated on January 11, 2025 (No longer updated)