USTC Fellowship for Undergraduates 2026 in China

The University of Science and Technology of China closed its 2026/2027 undergraduate fellowship window on 31 March, after opening it back in mid-November 2025, a roughly four-and-a-half-month application period, which is longer than most fully funded scholarships give applicants and worth knowing about if you’re planning ahead for the next round.

USTC is one of China’s most research-intensive universities, based in Hefei, and this fellowship is its main channel for bringing non-Chinese undergraduates into its Bachelor’s programmes with real financial backing behind them, not just a tuition discount.

This guide covers what the fellowship actually funds under each of its two levels, the full eligibility picture including the parts most guides skip like the rules for applicants of Chinese heritage born abroad every document you’ll need assembled before you start the online system, and exactly when to expect the next application window to open so you’re not scrambling in November trying to catch a deadline you didn’t know was already running.

USTC Fellowship for Undergraduates Summary

What the USTC Fellowship Involves

USTC runs this fellowship to bring talented international students into its undergraduate programmes across a wide range of academic fields, and it does this through two separate funding tiers rather than a single fixed package.

Level A is the more comprehensive tier, built to remove essentially every financial barrier to studying at USTC. Tuition, housing, insurance, and monthly living costs are all covered. Level B is narrower, covering tuition only.

You do not need to choose between the two scholarship levels when you apply. USTC allows you to apply for one level or both simultaneously, and the university decides whether to award you a Level A scholarship, a Level B scholarship, or no scholarship after evaluating your application. Because the university awards only one scholarship to each applicant, applying for both levels maximises your chances rather than allowing you to receive both awards.

What Makes You Eligible for This Fellowship

• You must be a non-Chinese citizen holding a valid passport
• You must be in good physical and mental health
• You must have passed the new HSK Level 5 or above, unless your native language is Chinese or you can prove you studied at a high school where Chinese was the language of instruction, in which case you can apply for an HSK exemption
• You must hold, or be on track to obtain, a high school diploma equivalent by July 2026 — if you’re still finishing school, you submit a Pre-graduation Certificate confirming you’ll complete it in time
• You must be under 30 years old as of 1 September 2026
• You must not currently hold, or be receiving, any other Chinese government or institutional scholarship for the 2026/2027 academic year
• You must meet the specific requirements the Chinese Ministry of Education sets for international student applicants generally

There’s an additional, less obvious eligibility branch that applies specifically to emigrants from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan applying as international students, and to applicants born abroad to Chinese-citizen parents. If either applies to you, USTC requires proof you obtained your current foreign citizenship by a fixed cutoff date, evidence of a minimum period living abroad, and in some cases proof of formal renunciation of Chinese nationality or a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card. This is a genuinely separate documentation track from the standard international applicant path, so if you fall into this category, check USTC’s official eligibility page closely rather than assuming the standard document list covers you.

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What Each Funding Level Actually Covers

• Level A — full tuition fee waiver, comprehensive medical insurance, an accommodation subsidy, and a monthly stipend of 2,500 RMB, paid for the duration of your degree
• Level B — a full tuition fee waiver only, with no stipend, insurance, or accommodation support attached

The gap between the two levels is substantial. Level A is close to a complete cost-of-living scholarship, while Level B leaves you responsible for housing, insurance, and everyday expenses yourself. Since USTC is not the applicant makes the final call on which level you receive, even if you only apply for Level A, it’s worth budgeting as though Level B is a realistic outcome, and treating Level A as the best-case scenario rather than the expected one.

Required Documents

• Completed Application Form for International Students (Undergraduate Program)
• Photocopy of your valid passport
• Your high school graduation certificate, or a Pre-graduation Certificate if you’re completing school in 2026
• Academic transcripts
• Your HSK Level 5 certificate and transcripts, or documented proof of exemption
• A completed Foreigner Physical Examination Form
• A recommendation letter from your senior high school, in Chinese or English
• A Guardian Statement, if you’ll be under 18 by 1 September 2026, note that USTC requires your guardian to be based in Hefei for the duration of your studies, with a stable, demonstrable source of income
• Additional supporting documents if you fall under the emigrant or Chinese-heritage applicant categories described above
• Optional standardised test scores, SAT, IB, GCE A-Level, ACT, or AST, which aren’t mandatory but can strengthen a competitive application

Every document needs to be in Chinese or English, or accompanied by a notarised translation if it isn’t originally in one of those languages. Notarisation takes time in most countries, so this is worth starting early rather than in the final weeks before the window closes.

What the Application Process Requires

1. Create your account on the USTC online application system once the window opens
2. Complete the application form carefully and accurately — inconsistencies between your form entries and your uploaded documents are a common cause of delay at the review stage
3. Upload every required document, translated and notarised where needed
4. Select which fellowship level you’re applying for — Level A, Level B, or both
5. Submit your completed application before the deadline
6. Keep checking the email address linked to your application account regularly afterwards, since USTC contacts shortlisted applicants for interviews and any additional documentation through email rather than any other channel

What the Deadline and Application Timeline Look Like

• Application opening: 14 November 2025
• Application deadline: 31 March 2026 — this window is now closed
• Selection process: USTC evaluates applications on academic record, language proficiency, recommendation letters, and overall profile, deciding centrally which level, if any, to award
• Next expected cycle: If USTC follows its usual annual pattern, the 2027/2028 undergraduate fellowship window is likely to open around mid-November 2026, running through to a deadline near the end of March 2027 — confirm the exact dates on USTC’s official International College page once the new cycle is formally announced

What to Do Before the Next Cycle Opens

• Start your HSK Level 5 preparation now if you haven’t already, since language testing and certification take real lead time and can’t be rushed in the final weeks before a deadline
• Begin gathering and, where needed, notarising your academic documents well ahead of the November opening, particularly if translation is required
• Draft your recommendation letter request to your school early, giving your recommender enough time to write a strong, specific letter rather than a rushed generic one
• If you’re an emigrant applicant or of Chinese heritage born abroad, read USTC’s specific documentation requirements for your category now, since this document set takes longer to assemble than the standard international applicant list
• Set a reminder to check USTC’s International College website in October, ahead of the expected November opening, so you’re ready to apply on day one rather than partway through the window

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the USTC Fellowship for Undergraduates still open for 2026/2027?

No. The application window ran from 14 November 2025 to 31 March 2026 and is now closed. Based on USTC’s usual pattern, the next cycle is expected to open around mid-November 2026.

Can I choose which funding level I receive?

Not entirely. You can apply for Level A, Level B, or both, but USTC makes the final decision on which level to award based on its own evaluation of your application.

Do I need to already speak Chinese to apply?

You need HSK Level 5 or above, or documented proof of exemption if your native language is Chinese or you studied at a Chinese-medium high school. There’s no exemption simply for strong English proficiency alone.

Can I apply if I’m also receiving another Chinese scholarship?

No. USTC excludes applicants who are already recipients of another Chinese government or institutional scholarship or fund for the same academic year.

What happens if I’m under 18 when I apply?

You’ll need to submit a Guardian Statement, and your guardian must be based in Hefei for the duration of your studies with a stable, demonstrable source of income. This is a firm requirement, not a formality.

Disclaimer: All fellowship details, dates, and figures in this post were verified from official USTC sources as of July 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the USTC International College website before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the University of Science and Technology of China.

Official Application Portal