CAS-ANSO Scholarship – 2025 Guidebook

Berkay Şayir
10 December 2024

CAS-ANSO Scholarship (Degree Program)

2025 Call for Applications

Part I: Introduction

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.

Part II: Coverage

1.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.

2.The allowance/reimbursement standards and procedure for item 5 and item 6 should comply with the rules of the sponsor.

3.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 awardee who fails annual assessments will face the consequences including:

•Termination of his/her scholarship;

•Discontinuity of his/her study;

•Being provided with a certificate of attendance for the period of study undertaken in China but not a formal degree.

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

Part III: Eligibility

·Eligible applicants should NOT hold Chinese citizenship;

·Eligible applicants should be proficient in English or Chinese;

·For Master’s program applicants: you should be born after 1st January 1995 (inclusive);

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 you are currently pursuing a master’s degree at any university/institution in China, you are NOT eligible for the master’s program of this scholarship. If you are currently pursuing a doctoral degree at any university/institution in China, you are NOT eligible for the PhD program of this scholarship. Otherwise, you will be disqualified from admission and the situation will be reported to your current university/institution.

[NOTE]·You are NOT allowed to apply for the CAS-ANSO Scholarship in both USTC and UCAS simultaneously, otherwise you will be disqualified from admission.

Part IV: Application Procedure

The 2025 CAS-ANSO Scholarship is open for application on 20th October 2024 (The exact dates might be slightly different for USTC and UCAS, please check their websites for details). Deadline for Applicants and Referees: 15 February 2025 (Beijing Time)

1. Application Materials

For USTC applicants, please refer to the Application Guideline for Graduate Applicants to USTC

For UCAS applicants, please refer to the Call for 2025 Doctoral Programs for International Students and the Call for 2025 Master’s Programs for International Students
2. Application PortalFile 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. To USTC admission system portal: To UCAS admission system portal: