School leavers interested in learning Mandarin are being invited to apply for the 2027–28 Tianjin Scholarship – an immersive nine-month programme designed to equip young Scots with linguistic and intercultural skills.

Delivered through a partnership between the University of Strathclyde’s Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS), the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission (TMEC), and Tianjin Normal University, the initiative is the only school-leaver scholarship of its kind in Europe. Across 13 previous cohorts, over 1,100 young Scots have taken part.

Running from September 2027 to June 2028, the scholarship differs from a traditional gap year. Immersed at Tianjin Normal University, scholars attend classes, participate in bilateral events, and document their experiences through monthly blogs or vlogs before joining the CISS alumni network.

For past participants, the year often serves as a vital academic and career springboard. Former scholar Grace Paterson, who later attended Nankai University, said: “I spent what may very possibly be the best year of my life living in Tianjin, China, with the most fantastic group of people, studying one of the most interesting languages in the world and spending every day exceeding my wildest expectations of what I thought I would be doing at 18.”

Ana Scougall, a 2017–18 scholar, said: “The great thing about living in China while learning Chinese is that studying doesn’t have to be sitting behind a desk for hours; going out and talking to Chinese people, meeting Chinese friends helped me so much.”

Funding and support

The scholarship covers full tuition fees, initial UK visa costs, arrival airport transfers, apartment-style shared university accommodation, and a monthly food allowance, alongside dedicated pastoral care from contacts in Scotland and China.

Families contribute towards return flights, gap year insurance, textbooks, and Chinese residence permit, registration, and health check fees (initial flight and visa costs typically total around £1,000, with an optional £100 per month recommended for socialising). To ensure accessibility, a CISS equity fund covers outgoing flights for eligible pupils, including young carers, those entitled to Free School Meals, and residents in SIMD 1 and 2 postcodes.

Eligibility and how to apply

Any current S6 pupil at a Scottish state school from a non-Chinese national, non-native Chinese-speaking background can apply (pupils with Chinese heritage who do not speak Mandarin at home are eligible if they do not hold a Chinese passport or travel document). While SCQF Level 3 Mandarin is desirable, selectors prioritise a strong commitment to language learning, adaptability, leadership, and cultural openness. CISS can also provide letters supporting one-year university deferrals.

Applications close on Saturday, 31 October and require a 600-word personal statement plus two references (one from a headteacher and one non-school-based).

Shortlisted candidates will be notified in mid-November ahead of interviews at the University of Strathclyde from 1 to 4 December 2026, with final outcomes confirmed by the end of December.

For application details and to apply visit here.