CAS-ANSO Scholarship: Empowering Young Scientists Worldwide

The Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO), in partnership with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), administers the CAS-ANSO Scholarship to support outstanding international young researchers pursuing postgraduate education in China.

Launched in 2019, the scholarship aims to train and foster scientific talent globally by offering fully supported master’s and PhD positions at top Chinese institutions, particularly at University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), and institutes under CAS.

In recent years, a dedicated sub-category, the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship, has been introduced to extend support to scholars engaged in climate research and to prioritize candidates from least developed countries (LDCs) and women.

 What the Scholarship Covers

The CAS-ANSO Scholarship (Degree Program) offers comprehensive support to awardees, generally including:

• Full tuition
• Living stipend
• Accommodation
• Travel subsidies (for eligible candidates)
• Health insurance
• Research and study allowances

For the TWAS/UNESCO PhD sub-category, CAS covers core items (tuition, stipend, accommodation, etc.), while TWAS/UNESCO may partially support additional allowances or travel support based on its funding policies.

All awardees must undergo centralized training in Chinese language and culture, complete required coursework, participate in research projects, and submit a thesis at USTC/UCAS or CAS institutes.

If any beneficiary fails annual assessments, the scholarship may be terminated or converted to an attendance certificate instead of a full degree.

 Eligibility Criteria

To qualify:

• The applicant must not be a Chinese citizen
• Proficiency in English or Chinese is required
• Age limits: for master’s programs, born on or after 1 January 1996; for PhD programs, born on or after 1 January 1991
• Must meet the admission criteria for international students at USTC/UCAS or relevant CAS institutes
• Must not hold other assignments during the scholarship period
• If currently pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree at any Chinese institution, the applicant is not eligible for the corresponding CAS-ANSO scholarship level

Additionally, candidates are not allowed to apply simultaneously to CAS-ANSO via both USTC and UCAS; doing so leads to disqualification.

 Application Timeline & Procedure

• Application opens: 15 October 2025
• Deadline for applicants and referees: 31 January 2026 (Beijing Time)

How to apply:

1. Use the USTC or UCAS graduate admission system and select the “CAS-ANSO Scholarship” option.
2. For those pursuing the TWAS/UNESCO PhD track, check the relevant box in the application system.
3. Submit all required documents, including transcripts, proposals, recommendation letters, etc., before the deadline.

Contact offices at USTC, UCAS, and the ANSO secretariat provide application support and guidance.

Why the CAS-ANSO Scholarship Matters

• It builds global scientific capacity, especially for researchers from the Global South.
• It fosters international research collaboration with leading Chinese institutions.
• The TWAS/UNESCO sub-category adds focus on climate research, inclusion of LDCs, and gender equity.
• Participants benefit from strong infrastructure, research networks, access to scholarships, and mentorship.