ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship 2025-2026

Deadline: January 31, 2026

Applications are open for the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship 2025-2026. According to an agreement between the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS/UNESCO) for the advancement of science in developing countries, up to 40 students/scholars from developing countries will be sponsored to study in China for doctoral degrees for up to 4 years.

CAS-ANSO Scholarship (previously known as ANSO Scholarship for Young Talents) was formally launched in 2019 with the goal of training and cultivating young scientists from all over the world. CAS-ANSO Scholarship has two categories: degree program and non-degree program. The degree program supports 100 to 200 Master’s students and 300 PhD students every year to pursue postgraduate education at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) and institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) around China.

A sub-category of CAS-ANSO Scholarship (Degree Program): the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship was officially launched in year 2022. Echoing the priority of TWAS/UNESCO, special (not exclusive) consideration will be given to two target groups: Least Development Countries (LDCs) and women.

Benefits

• Tuition waiver
• Monthly stipend: 6,000 or 7,000 CNY/month (depending on whether the awardee has passed the qualification test arranged by the University), up to 48 months
• Health insurance
• Application fee waiver
• International travel allowance from awardee’s home country to China (one trip per awarded candidate)
• One-time visa

Eligibility

• Eligible applicants should NOT hold Chinese citizenship;
• Eligible applicants must be nationals of eligible developing countries in the South (Developing Countries in the South | TWAS)
• Eligible applicants should be proficient in English or Chinese;
• For PhD program applicants: you should be born after January 1, 1990­­ (inclusive);
• Eligible applicants should meet the admission criteria for international students of USTC/UCAS;
• Eligible applicants should NOT take up other assignments during the period of his/her scholarship.
• If the applicant is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at any university/institution in China, s/he will NOT be eligible for the PhD program of this scholarship. Otherwise, s/he will be disqualified from admission and the situation will be reported to the current university/institution

You are NOT allowed to apply for the ANSO Scholarship in both USTC and UCAS simultaneously, otherwise you will be disqualified from admission.

Application

Deadline for Applicants and Referees: January 31, 2026 (Beijing Time)

• Application Materials
  • For USTC applicants, refer to Application Guideline for Graduate Applicants to USTC (here)
  • For UCAS applicants, refer to the Call for Doctoral Programs for International Students (here)
• Application Portal: Fill and submit your application in the USTC/UCAS admission system as requested before the deadline.
  • To USTC admission system portal: here
  • To UCAS admission system portal: here

For more information, visit ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship.