China aims to upgrade young overseas scientists with funding programs

China is making efforts to upgrade its campaign to support young scientists across the globe.

This marks a major move to extend the timeline for a major funding programme for a second time, with a vision to support U.S.-based researchers facing budget limitations.

The National Natural Science Foundation has officially issued an additional call for the skilled young students earlier this year.

However, this program has benefited various students since its launch in 2021. It has awarded individual grants of 1 million to 3 million yuans to thousands of individuals residing in China and internationally under the age of 40.

It is compulsory for the applicants to have at least three years of postdoctoral experience and commit to a full-time position at a Chinese institution.

NFSC issued a statement on its website on July 30, stating, “The additional round this year aimed to improve China’s talent funding system, better use science grants to attract and support researchers, and bring more outstanding young researchers from overseas to work in China.”

The eminent Chinese universities such as Peking and Zhejiang have invited overseas researchers to apply through their respective campuses.

Keeping in line with the university policies, past students have been granted with faculty appointments and research grants.

It is pertinent to note that the future of U.S. research funding remains uncertain in line with the budget 2026 constraints. It is expected that there will be a significant drop for NSF funding to around US $7 billion, a 23 percent drop from 2025.

In addition, the Trump administration made a request in May, for a drastic 57 percent cut and consequently reducing the NSF’s budget to just US $3.9 billion. The final decisions are yet to be made this year.