Program Overview

Introduction to the CAS-TWAS President's Fellowship Programme

The CAS-TWAS President's Fellowship Programme is a collaborative effort between the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) aimed at supporting the advancement of science in developing countries. This program offers up to 200 students/scholars from around the world the 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 located throughout China.

General Conditions for Applicants

To be eligible for the CAS-TWAS President's Fellowship Programme, applicants must meet the following criteria:

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

Fellowship Details

• 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.
• 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 they have 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.

Application Procedure

To apply for the CAS-TWAS President's Fellowship Programme, applicants should follow these steps:

1. Check Eligibility Criteria: Verify that you meet all the eligibility criteria specified.
2. Find an Eligible Host Supervisor: Identify a supervisor affiliated with colleges and schools of UCAS/USTC or CAS institutes who agrees to accept you.
3. File Your Fellowship Application Form: Use the online application system to submit your application.
4. Prepare Supporting Documentation: Gather all required documents, including admission application forms, supervisor's comment page, reference letters, and other documents as specified.

Supporting Documentation

The following documents are required:

• Admission Application Form for International Students
• Supervisor's Comment Page
• Reference Letters: Two referees (not the host supervisor) should upload their scanned reference letters to the online application system and send the original hard copies to the UCAS/USTC fellowship office.
• Other documents:
  • Notarized photocopy of the certificate of university degrees held
  • Proof of knowledge of English and/or Chinese
  • Notarized photocopy of transcripts of both undergraduate and post-graduate education
  • Complete CV with a brief introduction of research experience
  • Detailed research proposal
  • Photocopy of your passport which has at least 2 years validity
  • Photocopies of all the title pages and abstracts of maximum 5 published academic papers
  • Foreigner Physical Examination Form

Important Notes

• 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.

About CAS, UCAS, USTC, and TWAS

• CAS (Chinese Academy of Sciences): A national academic institution in China focusing on natural sciences, technological sciences, and high-tech innovation.
• UCAS (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences): A research-intensive university with over 40,000 postgraduate students, supported by more than 100 institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
• USTC (University of Science and Technology of China): A comprehensive university including science, engineering, management, and humanity science, oriented to frontier science and high technology.
• TWAS (The World Academy of Sciences): An autonomous international organization founded to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in the South.