Applications are now open for the 2026 UNESCO China Fellowship. This fully funded fellowship, offered jointly by UNESCO and the People's Republic of China , is known as the UNESCO-China Joint Fellowship Programme. Twenty-seven fellowships are available for students and researchers. The UNESCO China Fellowship Programme aims to enable participants to pursue a Master's or PhD degree at a Chinese university or to conduct individual research under the supervision of expert mentors in China. There is no application fee , and applications are welcome from candidates in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and the Arab States. The academic period begins in September 2026. This is a fully funded scholarship in China , offered by UNESCO and the Chinese government. Further details are below.
Details about the UNESCO Fellowship in China for 2026
- Host country : China
- Academic level : Master's, PhD, Research
- Number of scholarships : 27
- Advantages: Fully funded
- Deadline: January 23, 2026
Financial advantages
The fellowship includes the following:
- tuition fees
- monthly living allowance
- University housing
- Medical insurance
- International Air Travel Tickets
- Additional monthly allowance
Fellowship duration
- Research program : one year
- Master's degree : two years
- PhD : 5 years
Available study programs
Visit the official website of the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to view the proposed fields of study at selected Chinese universities.
Eligibility criteria
- The UNESCO Fellowship in China is open to people from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, Europe and the Arab States. (List of countries is given below).
- Applicants for the public scholarship program must have a high school diploma and be no older than 45 years of age.
- Applicants for the Senior Researcher Program must have a master's degree or equivalent academic position and be under 50 years of age.
- Proficiency in English is required.
- Applicants for the Master's program must hold a Bachelor's degree and be no older than 35 years of age.
- Applicants for the PhD program must have a master's degree and be no older than 40 years of age.
Countries eligible for UNESCO/China fellowship
Africa : Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Asia Pacific : Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran), Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (United States of America), Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Niue, Palau, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, East Timor, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
Arab countries : Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, State of Palestine, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Yemen.
Latin America and the Caribbean : Argentina, Belize, Bolivia (a Plurinational State), Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Venezuela (Republic of Bolivia).
Europe : Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, and Ukraine.
How to apply for the UNESCO Fellowship in China for 2025?
Applicants should carefully read the application guidelines and then contact their country's National Commission for UNESCO to complete the application process. You can submit your application electronically, as well as in person at your country's National Commission for UNESCO. The official website link is below.