ANSO + Chinese Academy of Sciences + TWAS + UNESCO
Full funding: tuition fees, free dormitory accommodation, a monthly stipend of CNY 6,000-7,000 (for up to 48 months), health insurance, an application fee waiver, and a one-time international flight plus visa costs.
Open to citizens of countries on TWAS's list of "developing countries in the South" — Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are officially on this list (among 138 countries). Applicants must not hold Chinese citizenship, must be born after 1 January 1991, hold a master's degree, and be proficient in English or Chinese.
Developing countries
Submit an online application through ONLY ONE admission system - either USTC or UCAS (applying to both at once is not allowed); within the "Young Talents" programme, select the "ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO Scholarship" option.
Annual
Closes annually at the end of January (for the 2026 cycle: 31 January, Beijing time - already passed). The exact date for the next, 2027, cycle has not yet been announced by TWAS/ANSO.
U.S. Department of State
Full scholarship: tuition, monthly living stipend, international and domestic airfare, and J-1 Exchange Visitor health insurance. The program enables recipients to earn a Master's degree in the U.S. or conduct research under the Open Study/Research Award.
Turkish Government (YTB)
Full funding: tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend (approximately TRY 4,500 for Bachelor's, TRY 6,500 for Master's, TRY 9,000 for PhD students), health insurance, a one-year Turkish-language course, and round-trip airfare.
UK Government (FCDO)
Full scholarship: university tuition fees, a monthly living allowance (rate varies by city), return flights to and from the UK, visa costs, and additional grants (e.g. for research). Available only for one-year master's programmes.