Undergrad Fellowships 2026 Announced by USTC China for International Students

The University of Science and Technology of China, consistently ranked among the nation’s most elite institutions, is now accepting applications from international students for its fully funded undergraduate fellowship program starting fall 2026.

Located in Hefei, a rapidly growing tech hub in Anhui Province, USTC offers something rare in the Chinese higher education landscape: a direct pipeline for foreign nationals to study at a university known for producing Nobel laureates and leading researchers, with financial support that can cover everything from tuition to monthly living costs.

What’s Actually Covered: The Money Breakdown

The USTC Fellowship operates on a two-tier funding structure, and applicants can apply for either one or both levels simultaneously. USTC makes the final call on which tier you receive based on a comprehensive evaluation of your profile.

• Level A covers full tuition, comprehensive medical insurance, a monthly stipend of 2,500 RMB, and an accommodation subsidy, all funded directly by USTC.
• Level B covers full tuition only, also funded by USTC.

One important restriction: recipients of any other Chinese government scholarship or funding for the 2026-2027 academic year are not eligible for this fellowship. Each admitted student can hold only one scholarship at a time.

Who Can Apply: Eligibility Without the Fine-Print Headache

This fellowship targets non-Chinese passport holders under 30 who have a strong academic record and proven Chinese language proficiency. Here is exactly what you need to qualify:

• You must be a non-Chinese citizen holding a valid passport and be in good physical and mental health.
• You must have passed the new HSK Level 5 or higher. Native Chinese speakers or those who studied at a Chinese-medium high school can request an HSK exemption.
• You must hold a high school diploma, or its Chinese equivalent, by July 2026. Students graduating in 2026 can submit a pre-graduation certificate at the application stage.
• You must be under 30 years of age as of September 1, 2026.
• Emigrants from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan must have obtained their foreign citizenship before April 30, 2022, and must have lived abroad for at least two years between April 30, 2022, and April 30, 2026, with a minimum of nine months per year counting as one full year.
• Applicants born abroad to one or both Chinese-citizen parents must provide proof of parental permanent residency in a foreign country at the time of the applicant’s birth, proof of completed renunciation of Chinese nationality, or a PRC Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.
• All conditions outlined in Document No. 12 (2020) of the Ministry of Education of the PRC must also be met.

How to Apply: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

The entire application runs through USTC’s online portal https://ic.ustc.edu.cn/en/v7info.php?Nav_x=17, and staying organized is half the battle. Start by creating your account on the USTC Application System, then select the fellowship level you want to target, Level A, Level B, or both. From there, fill in your personal and academic information and upload every required document before the deadline.

Your document checklist includes the completed USTC Application Form for International Students, a passport photocopy including any Chinese visa or residence permit pages, notarized copies of your high school diploma and transcripts (or a pre-graduation certificate if you graduate in 2026), your HSK Level 5 certificate and score report, a completed Foreigner Physical Examination Form, and an original recommendation letter from your high school in Chinese or English. If you are under 18 by September 1, 2026, you must also submit a Guardian Statement naming a guardian based in Hefei for the duration of your studies. Applicants with SAT, IB, A-Level, ACT, or AST scores can submit those as well, provided the test was taken within the last two years. Any document not in Chinese or English must include a notarized translation. Keep in mind that none of your submitted materials will be returned regardless of the outcome, so send copies rather than irreplaceable originals.

After you submit, do not go silent. Monitor the email address linked to your application account closely, as USTC uses it to send follow-up documentation requests, interview invitations, and admission decisions.

The Clock Is Ticking: Final Deadline

Applications for this USTC undergrad fellowship will remain open till March 31, 2026.