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Study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences: Scholarships

Universities
Oct 6, 2026
Pale-yellow building on the UCAS Yuquanlu campus with 国科大 UCAS lettering on the roof, trees in front and blue sky

To study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences is to sign up for something slightly odd: a university that is, first of all, a graduate school wired into more than a hundred research institutes. That raises the obvious doubt. Where do you actually study, who pays, and is the teaching in English? UCAS began in 1978 as China’s first graduate school. Today it holds Double First-Class status in chemistry and in materials science. Most international students come for a funded master’s or PhD. Below: how the institute system works, the three main scholarships for the 2026 intake, real fees, and the steps to apply.

Quick Links Before You Study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Why Study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences?

A graduate school first

The history explains the shape. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) took its first graduate students in 1951. In 1978 it opened its Graduate School, the first in China. That school was renamed UCAS in 2012, and undergraduates only arrived in 2014 (UCAS, n.d.-a). So the balance is lopsided. UCAS lists 68,096 graduate students against 1,858 undergraduates. Of its 1,837 international students, 1,281 are doctoral candidates (UCAS, 2026b). In other words, this is a place for research degrees.

Double First-Class status, without 985 or 211

UCAS was never part of Project 985 or 211. Even so, the 2022 Double First-Class list names it for chemistry and for materials science and engineering (Ministry of Education et al., 2022). Its own site also claims fifth place among global universities in the 2026 Nature Index, a research-output table (UCAS, 2026a). That is a self-reported figure, so read it as a signal, not a verdict. Our guide to China’s 985 and 211 universities explains why a school can sit outside those lists and still lead. For the broader league tables, see top universities in China.

A sister school to USTC

CAS runs two universities. The other is the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, which is strong at undergraduate level. The two share the same scholarship schemes. One catch, though: for the CAS-ANSO Scholarship you may apply to USTC or UCAS, never both in the same year.

How UCAS Works With CAS Research Institutes

One university, over a hundred “training units”

Here is the part most guides skip. UCAS teaches through its own schools and through CAS institutes, observatories and centres, which it calls training units. Its 2025 figures list 56 UCAS schools and colleges plus 114 CAS institutes. There are four campuses in Beijing and five education centres elsewhere (UCAS, 2026b). So you do not just “go to UCAS”. Rather, you join an institute — say, a physics or botany institute — and UCAS awards the degree.

Coursework in Beijing, research at the institute

In practice, the degree splits in two. Scholarship holders first complete centralised study — credits, Chinese language and Chinese culture — at UCAS. After that, the research and thesis happen at the host school or institute (UCAS, 2025b). That institute may sit far from Beijing. If so, it usually helps with housing there, and you pay what it charges. Worth asking about early, honestly.

Why the supervisor matters so much

A supervisor is not strictly required before you apply. Still, UCAS encourages applicants to contact one, and a signed Supervisor’s Acceptance Form can go in with the application (UCAS, 2025a). Money flows through the lab, too. Part of several stipends is paid by the supervisor or the institute. So the professor shapes your daily life far more than the campus does.

English-Taught Programmes and Language Rules

What you can study in English

UCAS covers twelve broad disciplines, from science and engineering to economics, law and history. Its international majors list runs from astronomy and genomics to statistics and nanoscience (UCAS, n.d.-b). English-taught master’s programmes appear on that admissions site. Many PhD labs work in English as well. However, the language depends on the programme and the supervisor, so confirm it in writing. A master’s usually takes three years; a PhD, three to four.

Language proof

  • English: a valid IELTS or TOEFL result, or other proof of English. Native speakers are exempt. The 2026 call sets no minimum score.
  • Chinese-taught programmes: HSK 5 with at least 180 points.
  • Degrees: a bachelor’s-equivalent for master’s study; a master’s-equivalent for a PhD.

Scholarships to Study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Three schemes carried the 2026 intake. All three waive tuition and the application fee. Beyond that, they differ more than you might expect.

2026 schemeMaster’s stipendPhD stipendAge ruleHousing
CAS-ANSO Scholarship3,000 CNY/month, up to 36 months6,000 or 7,000 CNY/month, up to 48 monthsBorn on or after 1 Jan 1996 (master’s) / 1 Jan 1991 (PhD)Not listed
Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)3,500 CNY/month5,000 CNY/monthUp to 35 (master’s) / 40 (PhD)Free on the Beijing campus, or a subsidy
UCAS Scholarship (full)At least 3,000 CNY/monthAt least 3,500 CNY/monthSame as CAS-ANSOBasic housing
Sources: UCAS (2025b, 2025c, 2025d).

CAS-ANSO Scholarship

ANSO is an international science alliance founded in 2018, with CAS as its lead member. Its degree scholarship funds 100 to 200 master’s students and 300 PhD students a year across USTC, UCAS and CAS institutes. Any non-Chinese citizen may apply. On top of tuition, insurance and a stipend, it pays one trip to China and a one-time visa or residence-permit allowance (UCAS, 2025b). Notice what is missing, though: accommodation. Budget for it.

Chinese Government Scholarship

UCAS recruits CSC scholars directly, as agency number 80001. Of the PhD stipend, 1,500 CNY comes from the supervisor or institute; for master’s students it is 500 CNY. Off-campus students may claim up to 700 CNY a month (master’s) or 1,000 CNY (PhD) for housing. Funding lasts 36 months, and a PhD may extend by up to 12 (UCAS, 2025c). You file in two systems: the CSC portal and the UCAS one. Our wider guide to scholarships in China covers the embassy route too.

UCAS Scholarship for International Students

This is the university’s own award. The full version pays UCAS’s share of the stipend — 2,000 CNY for master’s and 2,500 CNY for PhD students — and the lab tops it up. There is also a partial version: tuition, insurance and the application fee only. Neither extends beyond 36 months (UCAS, 2025d).

What happened to the CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship?

Older guides still name this PhD fellowship. Yet UCAS’s list of 2026 calls shows no separate one. Meanwhile, TWAS now promotes the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship, a strand of CAS-ANSO launched in 2022. It selects up to 40 PhD students from developing countries each year, with ten places favouring climate research (TWAS, 2025). To be considered, tick its box in the CAS-ANSO application. If a site still advertises the old fellowship, check with UCAS before you rely on it.

Tuition and Fees at UCAS (2026 Intake)

  • Master’s tuition: 30,000 CNY a year.
  • PhD tuition: 40,000 CNY a year in science and engineering; 34,000 CNY in liberal arts.
  • Application fee: 600 CNY, non-refundable; waived for all three scholarships.
  • Campus housing: 30 CNY a day in a shared room; 60 CNY a day for a single.
  • Medical insurance: 800 CNY a year.

These figures come from the 2026 call (UCAS, 2025a). Rooms are limited, and anyone who misses the booking must find housing off campus. Meals, travel and extra training costs are yours.

How to Apply to Study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

  1. Pick a field and an institute. Then email potential supervisors with your CV and a short research idea.
  2. Gather documents. Passport (valid one more year), CV, degree certificates, transcripts, language proof, up to five published papers, a motivation letter and two reference letters from professors or associate professors.
  3. Apply online at is.ucas.ac.cn. The 2026 window ran from 15 October 2025 to 15 April 2026. All three scholarships, however, closed on 31 January 2026.
  4. Sit the entrance exam. It is mainly an interview. Some institutes add a written test.
  5. Get the visa. Take the admission letter and JW201 or JW202 form to a Chinese embassy or consulate. Our China student visa guide walks through it.

Those dates belong to the 2026 cycle. If the pattern holds, calls for 2027 should open around mid-October 2026 — but check the notice page rather than trusting this guess.

Living in Beijing as a UCAS Student

Four campuses, one far out

The main campus is Yanqihu, by Yanqi Lake in Huairou District, on Beijing’s northern edge. It is by far the largest. The other three — Yuquanlu, Zhongguancun and Olympic Village — sit inside the city. Which one you live on depends on your school, and later on your institute.

City life on a stipend

Beijing is not cheap, so a 3,000 CNY stipend goes further on campus than in a city flat. Weekends, on the other hand, are easy to fill: museums, hutongs, the Great Wall. Our Beijing city guide has the details.

Practical Tips

  • Write to supervisors before December. The scholarship deadline is 31 January, and labs fill up.
  • Choose one scholarship route per university. Applying to CAS-ANSO at both USTC and UCAS disqualifies you.
  • Ask where you will live in year two. An institute outside Beijing means a move.
  • Check the stipend split. Part may come from your supervisor, so ask how it is paid.
  • Keep referees outside UCAS. Your prospective supervisor may not write your reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in English?

Yes, at graduate level. English-taught master’s programmes are listed on the admissions site, and many PhD labs work in English. Confirm the language with your programme and supervisor.

How much is tuition at UCAS?

For 2026: 30,000 CNY a year for a master’s, and 40,000 CNY a year for a science or engineering PhD. All three main scholarships waive it.

Do I need a supervisor before applying?

No, it is not mandatory. Still, an acceptance form from a supervisor makes the application stronger, and institutes may forward unmatched files to potential supervisors.

Is the CAS-TWAS President’s Fellowship still open?

UCAS listed no separate call for 2026. The TWAS route now appears to run through the ANSO-CAS-TWAS/UNESCO PhD Scholarship inside the CAS-ANSO application.

Is UCAS a 985 or 211 university?

Neither. It is a Double First-Class university, named in 2022 for chemistry and for materials science and engineering.

Conclusion: Should You Study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences?

If you want a research degree and a lab of real scale, the case to study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences is strong. The funding is unusually generous, and the institute network is huge. If you want a classic campus experience, by contrast, the split between Beijing and an institute may feel odd. Either way, the order of work is the same. Find the lab, then the supervisor, then the scholarship — and do it well before the end of January.

References