Outstanding third-grade senior high school students who are learning Russian language in ordinary senior high schools in Henan province will be selected to study in Russia through the Russian government scholarship channel and receive subsidies from the China Scholarship Council, according to a statement released by the provincial education department on its official WeChat account on Wednesday.

To promote cultural exchanges between China and Russia, encourage more high school students to learn the Russian language and train various professionals for China-Russia cooperation, the council will launch a support program, the statement said.

The selected students will continue their undergraduate studies in Russia for 60 to 72 months, based on admission criteria in Russia.

Students studying abroad will enjoy government scholarships provided by Russia and the China Scholarship Council. They will provide scholarships, subsidies and round trip fees.

Candidates shall be senior students from domestic ordinary senior high schools at the age of over 18, according to the statement.

They should have excellent academic performance, especially in Russian language studies. Psychological quality, independent living ability and good communication skills are also needed.

Students in this program can apply for a higher level degree in Russia after completing their undergraduate studies, or they can choose to return to China for employment.