China opens 15 government scholarships for Kenyan students, sets November 18 deadline

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 9 – China has opened 15 government-funded scholarship opportunities for Kenyan students seeking to pursue undergraduate, master’s and PhD studies at universities in China for the 2027/2028 academic year.

The Ministry of Education announced that it had received communication from the Chinese Embassy in Kenya confirming the availability of the scholarships, which will be awarded through a competitive selection process.

Interested applicants have until November 18, 2026, at 5 pm to submit the required documents to the Ministry of Education, which is the designated dispatching agent for the programme in Kenya.

In a separate notice, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya confirmed the opening of the scholarship programme, inviting qualified Kenyan students to apply through the Ministry.

“Kenyan students qualified are welcomed to file application through the Ministry of Education of Kenya,” the Embassy said.

The scholarships cover three levels of study, with applicants required to meet specific academic and age qualifications depending on their preferred programme.

For undergraduate studies, applicants must have a minimum Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) mean grade of B (Plain) or its equivalent, be aged below 25 years and have strong grades in subjects relevant to their chosen areas of specialisation.

They must also have completed secondary education within the last three years.

Those applying for master’s programmes must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least Second-Class Upper Division and be below 35 years, while PhD applicants must possess a relevant master’s degree from a recognised university and be below 40 years.

Undergraduate applicants will also be required to register for and sit the China Scholastic Competence Assessment (CSCA) scheduled for December 19, 2026.

The online assessment comprises compulsory Chinese Language and Mathematics subjects, alongside selective Physics and Chemistry tests.

Applicants have been advised to contact their preferred universities to confirm the subjects required for their intended courses.

A CSCA score report is mandatory for undergraduate scholarship applications.

The Ministry further stated that shortlisted candidates would undergo additional assessments, including written examinations and interviews organised by the Chinese Embassy.

Applicants are required to first seek admission to their preferred Chinese universities and obtain pre-admission documents before completing the scholarship application.

Applications must be submitted through the China Scholarship Council’s official website, www.campuschina.org, where candidates are required to create an account and select Programme Category Type A using Agency Number 4041.

The application process requires candidates to upload a valid passport copy, certified academic certificates and transcripts, a study plan or research proposal, and pre-admission documents from their chosen universities.

Undergraduate applicants must submit a study plan of at least 200 words, while postgraduate applicants must provide a research proposal of at least 800 words.

Master’s and PhD applicants are also required to submit two recommendation letters from professors or associate professors.

Other mandatory documents include a Foreigner Physical Examination Form completed by a medical practitioner and a valid Certificate of Good Conduct.

The Ministry requires applicants to submit a copy of their online Chinese Government Scholarship application, a completed standard scholarship application form, a copy of the medical examination form and certified copies of their identification and academic documents.

These include national identification cards, academic and professional certificates, transcripts, birth certificates, passports and other relevant testimonials.

The documents, together with postgraduate study plans and recommendation letters, should be addressed to the Director of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Telposta Towers, P.O. Box 9583–00200, Nairobi.

Alternatively, applicants can deliver them to the Ministry’s offices on the 27th floor, Room 2701, at Telposta Towers.

The Ministry emphasised that all applicants must undergo its preliminary selection process before being considered for the Chinese Government Scholarship.

It also warned that academic certificates obtained from foreign institutions of higher learning must be recognised by the Commission for University Education (CUE).

The Chinese Embassy cautioned applicants against using intermediaries, stressing that the China Scholarship Council’s website is the only official channel for scholarship information published by the council and Chinese universities.

“The Ministry of Education of Kenya is the only dispatching agent for the Chinese Government Scholarship programmes. All public applications should be sent through the Ministry and are subject to preliminary selection process,” the Embassy said.

The Embassy further warned that applicants would be held responsible for the information and documents they submit, adding that fraudulent applications would result in permanent rejection.

It also noted that applicants with higher proficiency in Chinese would receive preferential consideration during the selection process.

​Bruhan Makong is a Senior News Reporter for Capital FM in Nairobi, covering diplomacy, foreign policy, national security, climate, and human rights across East Africa and the wider region.