CAS-TWAS President’s PhD Fellowship Programme in China

According to an agreement between the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) for the advancement of science in developing countries, up to 200 students/scholars from all over the world will be sponsored to study in China for doctoral degrees for up to 4 years.

This CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship Programme provides students/scholars that are non-Chinese citizens an opportunity to pursue doctoral degrees at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) or Institutes of CAS around China.

Under the terms of the CAS-TWAS agreement, travel from their home countries to China will be provided to the fellowship awardees in order to begin the fellowship in China (one trip only per student/scholar). TWAS will select 80 awardees from developing countries to support their international travel, while CAS will support the other 120. Visa fee will also be covered (once only per awardee) as a lump sum of USD 65 after all the awardees are on site in China. Any awardee on site in China, the host country, at the time of application will NOT be eligible for any travel or visa reimbursement.

Thanks to generous contribution of CAS, fellowship awardees will receive a monthly stipend (to cover accommodation and other living expenses, local travel expenses and health insurance) of RMB 7,000 or RMB 8,000 from CAS through UCAS/USTC, depending on whether he/she has passed the qualification test arranged by UCAS/USTC for all doctoral candidates after admission. All awardees will also be provided tuition and application fee waivers.

Any fellowship awardee who fails the qualification test twice will face the consequences including:

• Termination of his/her fellowship;
• Discontinuity of his/her doctoral study at CAS institutions;
• Being provided with a certificate of attendance for the period of study undertaken in China but not a formal doctoral degree.

All the procedures will adhere to UCAS/USTC regulations and rules.

The funding duration of the fellowship is up to 4 years, divided into:

1. Maximum 1 year study of courses and participation in centralized training at UCAS/USTC, including 4 months compulsory courses in Chinese Language and Chinese Culture;
2. Practical research and completion of degree thesis at colleges and schools of UCAS/USTC or CAS institutes.

General conditions for applicants:

Applicants must:

• Be maximum age of 35 years on 31 December 2017;
• Not take up other assignments during the period of his/her fellowship;
• Not hold Chinese citizenship;
• Applicants for doctoral study should also:
• Meet the admission criteria for international students of UCAS/USTC (criteria of UCAS/criteria of USTC).
• Hold a master degree before the beginning of the fall semester: 1 September, 2017.
• Provide evidence that he/she will return to their home country on completion of their studies in China according to CAS-TWAS agreement.
• Provide proof of knowledge of English or Chinese language.

Please note: 

• Applicants currently pursuing doctoral degrees at any university/institution in China are NOT eligible for this fellowship.
• Applicants CANNOT apply for both UCAS and USTC simultaneously.
• Applicants can ONLY apply to ONE supervisor from ONE institute/school at either UCAS or USTC.

Official Link

Deadline: 31st March, 2017