Apply, then sit back, cross your fi ngers and pray

Matthew Knowles, 30, from the United States received a full Chinese Government Scholarship for a one-year performing arts program at the Beijing Film Academy in 2013.

Ifirst learned about the scholarship from my friend, Grant. We met while filming a TV show in China, and he told me that he was the first Caucasian to study in the performing arts program at China’s Central Academy of Drama.

He was on a full government scholarship there. I told Grant about my background in film, and he recommended that I apply for a scholarship for the BFA because no nonAsian had ever graduated from the acting program there.

He explained that the China Scholarship Council’s website was where you applied. The process was very confusing, and no government agency or worker was knowledgeable or helpful.

I relied on an online message board where past students had written down their very troubled and confused experiences. I figured great grades, you have an amazing times I was about to stop, but I attitude toward study, why don’t you didn’t give up. The increase was prompted by try the Chinese Government Schol“After learning Chinese for three a number of factors, including arship program’?” years, I applied for a scholarship, the rising costs borne by Chinese

Galajdova had not previously and I’m really happy to be studying higher education institutes that heard of the program, so she looked Chinese in China.” receive international students, for information about it on the Greene believes her lifelong interthe ministries said. Internet. est in China and the country’s culThe new standard divides

“I found out that it was a very ture, which she wrote about in her scholarship holders into three interesting scholarship and was personal statement, helped her. types according to their majors: really suitable for my profile,” she She had been interested in Asian students majoring in philosophy, said. “So I prepared all the papers culture since she was 5, when she saw economics, the law, pedagogy, and documents I needed and some Asians buying goods at a marthe liberal arts or management; applied — and it worked.” ket of her hometown in Tennessee. those specializing in science,

A third type of scholarship, the Her interest in China continued engineering or agriculture; and Chinese University Program, proto grow, and she decided to focus on those studying literary theory or vides full assistance for designated it at the age of 18. medicine. Chinese universities and certain “The key to being accepted is to be The level of support students provincial education offices to Neither Greene nor Galajdova yourself,” she said. “Any way that you receive varies depending on enroll outstanding international knew how many applicants in their can demonstrate your interest in their major and stage of learnstudents to take ing.postgraduatecountriesorregionswerecompet-Chinawillmakeyoustandout. degrees in China. ing for a scholarship last year, but “In your personal statement, say Universities will keep some of

To apply for it, international stuboth said there were very few places why you want to come to China, and the money to pay for tuition, dents submit their documents directand the competition was fierce. have an idea of what you want to do accommodations and medical ly to the designated universities. Galajdova believes having some — whether it is to work for a Chinese insurance, and give some to stu

Shao Jiani, who runs the Chinese experience of the Chinese language company, or to teach English. dents each month to cover their Government Scholarship program is a must to stand out among a “Whatever it may be, make sure living expenses. The latter at the University of International group of strong candidates, and this you put these three elements in your amount ranges from 2,500 to Business and Economics in Beijing, requires a lot of hard work. statement: background, why you’re 3,500 yuan a month after the said 30 students at the school are “Studying Chinese is hard,” said interested in China, and what you increase. receiving support. the 24-year-old. “I remember that intend to do after you leave China.” Shao Jiani, who is in charge of

“There’s an academic committee when I started to learn Chinese, I Shao said: “Students should try to recruitment and management at our university responsible for didn’t know what it was. It was so demonstrate as much China-related for the scholarship program at reviewing the documents. They hard at the beginning. There are 100 experience as possible.” the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said the school was aware of the change but had not received any details.

“I believe more information will come after the new semester begins in March,” she said.

Sun Yuhong, deputy director of the Center for China and Globalization, a think tank in Beijing, welcomed the increase.

“The CCG has been calling for an increase in the financial support standard for some time, but we didn’t expect the change to come so soon,” she said.

“The increase will definitely attract and encourage more international students and young scholars to study or carry out research in China, which will in turn promote the development of many fields of study in China.” everyone was in the same boat, so I just filled out the application and sent it in.

If you ask me why I was accepted, I would say maybe it was luck. I don’t have a clue how they determine eligibility for the scholarship.

I had passed the fifth level of the Chinese proficiency test more than a year before applying. I also included my acting resume with my credits and links to online videos showing my Chinese ability and acting experience in both Hollywood and China. make decisions on the basis of the applicants’ academic performance, the ranking of their previous universities and their language proficiency,” Shao said.

She said students who apply for courses taught in Chinese should score more than 180 out of 300 in the fifth level of the Chinese language proficiency test, known as HSK 5.

Those who apply for courses taught in English should score at least 86 in the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or six in the International English Language Testing System, she said.

When I arrived at the BFA, some of the teachers had seen me on TV and were excited to meet me. I do not know if my past work and reputation as an anchorman in Sichuan province helped me to receive the scholarship, but I have a feeling that it did.

If I have any advice for future applicants, it is: attach as much information about your relevant education and experience as you can. Sit back and cross your fingers and say a prayer.

Continue your life as if you never applied, and if you are then notified that you have received a scholarship, jump with excitement and treat your new yuanzhang (director) to dinner.