Zhang Qian

zhqcindy@163.com

COMING from a needy family in a small village, Huang Piaoming did not think attending university was a life choice he could make at the age of 18. But now, thanks to a project that encourages young people who are working in Shenzhen to go to university, Huang is graduating from Peking University.

Huang was invited to give a speech on becoming one of the first batch of students in 2011 sponsored by the Shenzhen Communist Youth League at a news conference Friday to announce this year’s sponsor plan.

“Since my family had financial problems when I was 18, I gave up the idea of taking gaokao and joined the army that year,” said Huang. Two years later, Huang moved to Shenzhen and began working as a security guard and a salesperson.

In June 2011, Huang read that the Communist Youth League in the city was going to sponsor eligible youth to study at universities. “When I read the news, I decided to continue my studies and I studied hard to pass the selection exam,” said Huang.

He passed the selection exam and was accepted as a diploma student at Tianjin University that year. After graduation, Huang applied to join the project again and entered Peking University as an undergraduate student in 2014.

This year, the youth league, in cooperation with several other government departments, announced its plan to sponsor another 1,300 to 1,500 youths to study for university degrees.

A candidate must work in Shenzhen and be 18 to 35 years old with a high-school certificate to be eligible. People who are interested can submit their application at www.yuanmengjihua.com by Aug. 31. A selection exam will be arranged.

Like Huang, 14,695 youths in Shenzhen have received sponsorship to study at universities around China since 2011, when the project was first enacted, according to the youth league.

In particular, 6,263 students won full scholarships and another 8,432 received scholarships covering 50 percent of their fees over the past six years. The city has spent 20.52 million yuan (US$3.08 million) on the project, and raised 3.06 million yuan from social organizations, according to the youth league.

There are currently 11 universities, including Peking University and Renmin University of China, that have joined the project, providing 88 diploma and undergraduate degree programs.