ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship for Developing Countries 2025: (Deadline 15 February, 2025)

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.

The Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO) is a non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in 2018. Founding members include the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and 36 other scientific institutions, universities, and international organizations worldwide. ANSO aims to improve regional and global capacity in science and technology, human livelihoods and wellbeing, and to promote broader S&T cooperation and communication.

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. Up to 40 PhD students from developing countries will be selected by TWAS/UNESCO into this category every year.

CAS, the leading founding member of ANSO, is the major sponsor of CAS-ANSO Scholarship. TWAS and UNESCO, both founding members of ANSO, provide part of the funding for ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship awardees. ANSO welcomes all members and parties who are interested in creating a more diversified scholarship program together.

About The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)

TWAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists from the developing world, under the leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and Nobel laureate. They shared a belief that developing nations, by building strength in science and engineering, could build the knowledge and skill to address such challenges as hunger, disease and poverty. From the start, the Academy had essential support from Italian scientists and political leaders. The Third World Academy of Sciences, as it was first known, was inaugurated officially in 1985 during a ceremony attended by UN Secretary-… continue reading

ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship

• 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

NOTE

• For ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship awardees, the above item 1 to item 4 will be sponsored by CAS; item 5 and item 6 will be sponsored by TWAS/UNESCO. For other CAS-ANSO Scholarship awardees, all the items above will be covered by CAS. 
• The allowance/reimbursement standards and procedure for item 5 and item 6 should comply with the rules of the sponsor.
• Any scholarship awardee on site in China, the host country, at the time of application will NOT be eligible for any travel subsidy.

All awardees are required to finish centralized training in Chinese language, Chinese culture and all required credits as well as practical research and completion of degree thesis at colleges and schools of USTC/UCAS or CAS institutes.

Any PhD awardee who fails the qualification test or annual assessment will face the consequences including:

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

All the awardees are required to abide by Chinese laws and USTC/UCAS regulations and rules.

Requirements for ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship Qualification

Applicants must:

• 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 1st January 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.

How to Apply

1. Application Materials

• For USTC applicants, please refer to Application Guideline for Graduate Applicants to USTC (here)
• For UCAS applicants, please refer to the Call for 2024 Doctoral Programs for International Students (here)

2. Application Portal

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

When applying:

• Firstly, choose “the CAS-ANSO Scholarship” in your application.
• Secondly, if you want to be considered a potential candidate for the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship, check the box as instructed in the application system.

Please choose BOTH Young Talents AND then ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO Scholarship when applying.

• To USTC admission system portal: here
• To UCAS admission system portal: here

For more details, visit OFFICIAL LINK & APPLY

Application Deadline: 15 February, 2025