CSC Scholarship Documents Checklist for Pakistani Applicants 2026 — HEC + Direct Route
The most common reason CSC scholarship applications fail after submission is not weak grades or a poor research proposal. It is missing or incorrectly formatted documents — a scanned copy where an ori...
The most common reason CSC scholarship applications fail after submission is not weak grades or a poor research proposal. It is missing or incorrectly formatted documents — a scanned copy where an original was required, a form filled in English where the portal asked for both languages, a physical examination conducted at a non-approved hospital.
The CSC portal closes your application the moment it is submitted. You cannot go back. Documents that are absent or wrong at submission can disqualify an otherwise strong application, and the processing timeline leaves no room to recover if you discover a problem late.
This checklist separates the documents by route (HEC nomination vs. direct university) and marks which items are required versus strongly recommended. Prepare everything on this list before you open the portal.
The Two Routes — Why the Document List Differs
If you are applying through HEC (Pakistan's designated nominating agency, Agency Number 5861), your documents go through HEC first before reaching the CSC portal. HEC has its own required documents on top of CSC's list, and your Pakistani degree attestation must go through HEC before submission.
If you are applying directly to a Chinese university (using that university's agency number, not HEC's 5861), you submit directly to the CSC portal with no HEC intermediary. The Pakistan-specific HEC requirements don't apply — but you lose the institutional support HEC provides.
Both routes use the same CSC online application portal at studyinchina.csc.edu.cn. The core document list is the same. The differences are noted throughout.
Core CSC Documents — Required for Both Routes
CSC Application Form Generated by the CSC portal after you fill in your information online. Print, sign, and upload as a scanned PDF. Do not sign before printing — the portal generates the form with your submitted data and the signature goes on the printed version. Check all details match your passport before signing.
Valid Passport Must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended programme start date. Scan the photo/bio page and all pages with previous visas or stamps. Passports close to expiry should be renewed before application. The passport number on your application must match your passport exactly — any mismatch triggers a verification hold.
Highest Academic Degree Certificate (Notarized Copy) For Master's applicants: your bachelor's degree certificate. For PhD applicants: your master's or MPhil degree certificate. Must be notarized — a regular photocopy is not accepted. Notarization for Pakistani documents: visit a government notary public with the original and they will certify a true copy. The notarization stamp must be visible and legible in the scan. If your degree hasn't been issued yet (you're in your final semester), you may use an official enrollment certificate plus a letter from your university confirming expected graduation — contact the university you're applying to for their specific policy.
Academic Transcripts (Notarized Copy) Official transcripts for all degrees. Same notarization requirement as the degree certificate. If your transcript is in Urdu or another language other than English or Chinese, a certified English translation must accompany it. Most Pakistani university transcripts are already in English — check yours.
Language Proficiency Certificate For English-taught programmes: IELTS, TOEFL, or a university-recognized English proficiency certificate. Most Chinese universities with English-taught programmes accept MOI (Medium of Instruction) certificates from Pakistani universities. If your university taught entirely in English, your registrar can issue an MOI letter — see the [article on studying abroad without IELTS](/guides/study-abroad-without-ielts-2026) for the correct format. For Chinese-taught programmes: HSK certificate. Minimum HSK Level 3 for bachelor's, Level 4 for master's and PhD. If you don't have an HSK certificate yet, check whether your target university accepts applications without one pending later submission — some do for programmes that include a Chinese language preparation year.
Physical Examination Record for Foreigners (Original) This is not optional and it cannot be backdated. The form must be completed by a physician at a hospital approved by the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. In Islamabad, Poly Clinic Hospital is approved. Contact the Chinese Embassy for the current approved hospital list before booking your appointment — approved facilities change periodically. The examination checks for HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and other communicable diseases. It must be completed within 6 months of the application date and must be the original document, not a copy. Schedule this appointment early — peak application periods (January–March) cause appointment backlogs at approved hospitals.
Study Plan (for Master's applicants) or Research Proposal (for PhD applicants) Minimum 800 words for a study plan. Minimum 1,500 words for a research proposal. Must be written in English (or Chinese if applying to a Chinese-taught programme, in which case Chinese is preferred). The document should describe: your academic background and why it's relevant, your proposed research direction, your methodology (for PhD), your expected outcomes, and why you chose this specific university and supervisor. AI-generated content is increasingly detected by Chinese university admissions offices. Write this yourself. Specificity is the signal of a genuine document — general statements about "contributing to the field" are recognisable as filler.
Recommendation Letters — Two Required Must come from faculty members holding the rank of Associate Professor or above. Written on official university letterhead. Signed and stamped. Sealed in an envelope with the recommender's signature across the seal — do not open the envelope yourself after the recommender seals it. Content should include: your name and the degree level being recommended for, the recommender's assessment of your academic ability and research potential, the recommender's contact information and institutional affiliation. Letters from supervisors who know your research work are stronger than letters from professors who only knew you as a student in their course.
Additional Documents for PhD Applicants
Research Proposal (separate from Study Plan) PhD applicants submit a research proposal in addition to the study plan. Minimum 1,500 words. Should include: the research problem, existing literature gap, proposed methodology, expected results, timeline. It should be specific to the research you intend to do, not a general statement of academic interest.
Supervisor Acceptance Letter (strongly recommended, effectively required) Although listed as optional on the CSC portal, a supervisor acceptance letter from a professor at your target Chinese university significantly increases your selection probability. For PhD applications through the direct university route, this letter is the primary factor distinguishing shortlisted from rejected applications. See [how to email Chinese professors for the CSC scholarship](/guides/how-to-email-professor-csc-scholarship-2026) for the approach that actually gets responses.
Additional Documents for HEC Route Applicants
HAT or USAT Score Certificate HEC requires a minimum score of 50 on the HAT (Higher Academic Test) for Master's and PhD applicants, or USAT (Undergraduate Studies Aptitude Test) for bachelor's applicants. This is a Pakistan-specific requirement that does not apply to direct university applicants. If you haven't taken HAT, contact HEC for the next test date — it is a prerequisite for HEC nomination.
HEC-Attested Degree and Transcripts Documents submitted through HEC must be HEC-attested (confirming the degree is from an HEC-recognised institution) and MOFA-attested (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). The standard HEC attestation takes 40–60 working days. Start this process at least 3 months before the HEC deadline, which is typically in January. See the [full HEC & MOFA attestation guide](/guides/hec-attestation-mofa-process-pakistan-2026) for the complete process.
HEC Online Portal Registration HEC has its own online application portal where you register your details, upload documents, and receive a HEC registration number. This number is referenced in your CSC application. You must complete HEC registration before the HEC deadline — typically January — regardless of the CSC portal deadline in March.
Document Formatting Requirements
Scans: All uploaded scans must be clear, flat (no bent corners), and completely legible. The Chinese Embassy's own checklist states scans should be minimum 300 DPI. Mobile camera photos of documents are commonly rejected. Use a flatbed scanner or a scanning app that produces clean, high-contrast results. If using your phone, check each scan on a computer screen at full size before uploading — small text must be readable.
File format: PDF is preferred. If uploading JPGs, keep file sizes under the portal's stated limit (typically 5MB per document). Do not password-protect any files.
Translation: Documents in languages other than English or Chinese must be accompanied by a certified English translation. Most Pakistani academic documents are already in English. CNIC and Pakistani national documents may need translation if submitted — check the specific requirement.
Passport photos: Must meet Chinese standard photo requirements: 35mm x 45mm, white background, taken within the last 6 months, no glasses (Chinese photo standards typically prohibit glasses in formal identification photos). A Pakistani biometric photo format is generally acceptable.
Common Document Mistakes — The Ones That Get Applications Rejected
Physical examination at a non-approved hospital. The form must come from a Chinese Embassy-approved facility. Approved facilities are listed on the Chinese Embassy Pakistan website. Completing the exam elsewhere, even at a major hospital, produces an unacceptable document.
Recommendation letters not sealed and signed across the seal. If you collect the letter in an open envelope and seal it yourself, the form of submission is wrong. The recommender must seal and sign.
Degree certificate with a name that doesn't match your passport. Pakistani degree certificates sometimes use a different name format (full name vs. name without patronymic, or with different transliteration of the same name). If there's a discrepancy, get a letter from your university registrar explaining that both names refer to the same person and include it with your application.
Transcripts showing in-progress courses. If you're in your final semester, some universities accept a partial transcript with a completion letter. Others require a full transcript. Confirm with your target university before submitting.
Study plan that is clearly copied from a template. Admissions reviewers see hundreds of study plans each cycle. Generic structure, identical phrasing, and no connection to the specific university or professor's research are immediate flags.
Forgetting to sign the printed CSC application form. The portal generates the form, you print it, sign it, scan it. An unsigned form is incomplete.
Pre-Submission Checklist
Use this as a final check before clicking submit:
☐ CSC application form — printed, signed, scanned ☐ Passport — valid, bio page scanned clearly ☐ Degree certificate — notarized copy ☐ Transcripts — notarized, English language ☐ Language proficiency — IELTS/TOEFL/HSK/MOI letter ☐ Physical examination — original, approved hospital, within 6 months ☐ Study plan or research proposal — written, proofread, specific ☐ Two recommendation letters — sealed, signed across seal ☐ Supervisor acceptance letter (if obtained) — professor signature and stamp ☐ Two passport photos — correct format ☐ HEC registration number (HEC route only) ☐ HAT/USAT score certificate (HEC route only) ☐ HEC-attested and MOFA-attested documents (HEC route only) ☐ All scans checked for legibility at full size ☐ All file names are clear and logical (not "scan001.pdf") ☐ Application agency number confirmed — HEC: 5861, or your target university's own number
After Submission — What Comes Next
After submitting your CSC application, you receive a confirmation with an application number. For HEC route applicants, HEC reviews your application before forwarding to CSC — you will be notified of your HEC selection outcome separately.
For direct university applicants, your application is reviewed by the university's international office. Some universities conduct interviews (typically video calls) for PhD applicants. Results are notified by the CSC portal and directly by the university, usually in May–June.
If your application is selected, CSC issues an Admission Notice and JW form (required for your student visa). If you are waitlisted, some universities notify applicants of alternate positions if initial selectees decline.
Keep your CSC application number. You will need it for all subsequent communications with the university and the Chinese Embassy.
Sources: CSC official scholarship portal studyinchina.csc.edu.cn · HEC Chinese Government Scholarship requirements hec.gov.pk · Chinese Embassy Pakistan student visa approved hospital list · DAAD Scholarship CSC acceptance letter guide November 2025 · CSC Guide Official documents checklist
_CSC document requirements and HEC procedures change each application cycle. Verify current requirements at campuschina.org and hec.gov.pk before applying. This checklist reflects the 2026 intake requirements as of February 2026._