Reply an email from a potential professor? I'm applying to a PhD program. I contacted one professor and told him that I would like to join in his research team. He replied to me as below. Is this a positive response? How could I reply to this email?


  Thanks for the e-mail inquiring about the position of the Ph.D. candidate. I am very happy if you can join our laboratory and work with us. The enrollment to the doctoral course at Univ X is basically free if you pass the entrance examination, but I guess you have no problem because you have already passed the master's program at Univ Z. I think you need a scholarship for studying, don't you? Currently, Univ X has some scholarship positions. You can apply for these positions. However, these positions will start
  Fall 2021.
This is a positive response in that you can apply to take the entrance examination and you can also apply for a scholarship.

There is no automatic position granted or stated for you, so you have to follow the enrollment process for entry in Fall 2021.

You don't have to reply to this except perhaps to say "thank you for the information, I will (or will not) be applying for admission for the fall 2021.

Up to you if you will apply.