NSFC Young Scientists Fund Class A

NSFC Young Scientists Fund Class A

Supports high-tier Chinese investigators pursuing nationally recognized excellence in science.

The NSFC Young Scientists Fund Class A is the most prestigious individual talent grant administered by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Known until December 2024 as the Distinguished Young Scholars Fund (Jieqing, 杰青), it was renamed Class A effective January 2025 as part of NSFC's restructuring of its three-tier talent-program hierarchy. The award targets outstanding early-career scientists at Chinese universities or research institutions and is widely regarded as China's flagship recognition for scientific talent below the academician level.

The standard award is CNY 4,000,000 over five years; researchers in mathematics and management sciences receive CNY 2,800,000 over the same period. A 2024 reform introduced a follow-on mechanism: the top 20% of completed Class A projects are eligible for a second five-year grant of CNY 8,000,000, adding a performance-based continuation track. The approval rate for this program was 7.1% in 2024, making it among the most competitive grants in the Chinese research system. Applications must be submitted through the PI's host Chinese institution and cannot be filed directly by individuals.

The 2026 cycle follows the concentrated-reception calendar with institutional submission deadlines in mid-March 2026. Assessment panels evaluate scientific significance, research innovation, and the principal investigator's track record. Because the program explicitly targets researchers at Chinese institutions and requires the host institution to act as legal applicant, overseas-based researchers are not eligible without a formal Chinese host affiliation. Winning Class A status provides both the direct-cost research budget and reputational capital that typically accelerates access to subsequent NSFC Key Program and Major Research Plan competitions.