The ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship is a prestigious scholarship program designed to support the education and training of young scientists from developing countries. The program is a joint initiative of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It is aimed to support students from developing countries who wish to pursue a PhD degree in some Chinese universities.

The scholarship covers tuition fees, application fees, and health insurance for the duration of the program, which typically lasts for three to four years. Scholars also receive a monthly stipend to cover living expenses. In addition, the scholarship provides round-trip airfare, and visa application fees. Furthermore, Scholars will also receive mentorship and networking opportunities, which allow them to connect with leading scientists and researchers from around the world.

This scholarship is open to students from developing countries who have a strong background in natural sciences and a passion for research. The program is very selective and only a few scholarships are awarded each year. However, for those who are successful, the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship can be a transformative experience that opens up a world of opportunities for further study and research in natural sciences. It’s a great opportunity for students who wish to study in China and advance their careers.

Program Details

• Host Institution: University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) in China.
• Field of Study: Full list below.
• Number of awards: Up to 50 .
• Duration: The normal duration of the program.
• Eligible countries: Please find the full list below.

ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship Benefits

This scholarship is a fully funded program that provide selected applicants the following coverage:

1. Tuition waiver
2. 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
3. Health insurance
4. Application fee waiver
5. International travel allowance from awardee’s home country to China (one trip per awarded candidate)
6. One-time visa.

Eligible Countries

The ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship is open to citizens of the following countries : Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Rep., Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Dem. Rep Congo, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Rep.,

Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Equatorial, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine (West Bank and Gaza Strip),

Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Türkiye, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Eligible Field of Study

Below is the list of eligible fields of study for the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship.

1. Agricultural Sciences
2. Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology
3. Biological Systems and Organisms
4. Medical and Health sciences incl. Neurosciences
5. Chemical Sciences
6. Engineering Sciences
7. Astronomy, Space and Earth Sciences
8. Mathematical Sciences
9. Physics
10. Social and Economic Sciences.

ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship Eligibility

To be considered for this university scholarship program, applicants should/must:

• should NOT hold Chinese citizenship;
• be nationals of eligible developing countries in the South (Full list above)
• be proficient in English or Chinese;
• be born after 1st January 1989 (inclusive);
• meet the admission criteria for international students of USTC/UCAS;
• 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, she/he is NOT eligible for this scholarship program. Otherwise, s/he will be disqualified from admission and the situation will be reported to the current university/institution.

Similar opportunities

1. Bourse Sophie Germain en France pour Étudiants Étrangers;
2. Bourse ANSO pour Étudiants Étrangers;
3. Emile-Boutmy Scholarship at Sciences Po for international students.

How to Apply for the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship

Interested applicants who would like to apply for this Asia scholarships, must Click on the apply button below and follow the instructions to submit their applications.

• To apply for USTC, please : click here
• To apply for UCAS, please : click here.

File and submit your application in the USTC/UCAS admission system as requested before the deadline.

Application Materials

1. For USTC applicants, please refer to Application Guideline on this page
2. For UCAS applicants, please refer to information on this page.

The application deadline is February 15, 2024. For more detail on the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.