China seeks to enhance overseas young scientists through financial support initiatives
The Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Overseas) is a significant funding program launched by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in 2021, aimed at supporting outstanding young researchers under the age of 40, including those based in the U.S. facing budget limitations.
This program offers individual grants of 1 million to 3 million yuan (approx. US$140,000 to US$418,000) over three years to eligible applicants who have at least three years of postdoctoral experience abroad and commit to a full-time position at a Chinese research institution.
The program is open to students residing in China and internationally, with key eligibility requirements including a scientist born after January 1, 1985, a PhD degree, and at least 36 consecutive months of postdoctoral work outside China in recognized institutions. Applicants must also demonstrate scientific achievements and potential for academic leadership.
The NSFC's program has been actively benefiting students since its launch in 2021, with past students under the program being granted faculty appointments and research grants at renowned Chinese universities such as Peking and Zhejiang. These universities actively participate by inviting overseas researchers to apply through their campuses.
The program is particularly important given the uncertain U.S. research funding and expected cuts by the National Science Foundation. In May 2021, the Trump administration proposed a drastic 57 percent cut to the NSF's budget, reducing it to US $3.9 billion. The future of U.S. research funding is uncertain due to budget constraints in 2026, with a predicted drop in NSF funding to around US $7 billion, a 23 percent decrease from 2025.
In response, China is extending the timeline for a major funding program for the second time to support young scientists worldwide. The NSFC intends to use science grants to attract and support more outstanding young researchers from overseas, aiming to improve China’s talent funding system by better using these grants to lure and support overseas researchers to work full-time in China.
The NSFC recently issued an additional call for applications in 2025, offering a valuable opportunity for young scientists, including those in the U.S. facing budget constraints, to relocate to or collaborate with Chinese institutions as part of China’s strengthened effort to attract global scientific talent.
- The Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Overseas) launched by the National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2021 offers significant opportunities for young scientists worldwide, such as those based in the US, facing budget limitations in their research.
- The NSFC's program, which provides individual grants of 1 million to 3 million yuan (approx. US$140,000 to US$418,000) over three years, is particularly attractive to young researchers due to the uncertain U.S. research funding and expected cuts by the National Science Foundation.
- China aims to use science grants to attract and support more outstanding young researchers from overseas, with a goal of improving China’s talent funding system by better using these grants to lure and support overseas researchers to work full-time in China, as demonstrated by the extended timeline for this major funding program.
- Young scientists in the U.S. facing budget limitations, as well as those seeking new opportunities in education-and-self-development and finance, may find the recent additional call for applications in 2025 by the NSFC valuable for their relocation to or collaboration with Chinese institutions, as part of China’s strengthened effort to attract global scientific talent.
