NSFC Young Scientists Fund (Class C)

NSFC Young Scientists Fund (Class C)

Supports early-career Chinese researchers entering their first independent science careers.

The NSFC Young Scientists Fund Class C is the National Natural Science Foundation of China's career-entry grant for early-stage researchers who have not previously held any NSFC funding. Effective January 2025, NSFC renamed its talent-program hierarchy: what was previously called the Young Scientists Fund is now designated Class C, distinguishing it from the higher-tier Class B (formerly Excellent Young Scientists) and Class A (formerly Distinguished Young Scholars/Jieqing). The program sits within NSFC's annual concentrated-reception window, the same submission period used for General Program and Key Program applications, and covers basic research across all scientific disciplines managed by NSFC's eight science departments.

Each award provides CNY 300,000 in direct research costs over a three-year project period. Eligibility carries a strict age ceiling: male applicants must be no older than 35 and female applicants no older than 40 at the time of application. The principal investigator must not have previously received any NSFC grant, confirming first-award status. Applications cannot be submitted by individuals directly; they must be routed through the applicant's host Chinese research institution or university, which sponsors and formally submits the proposal on the PI's behalf.

The 2026 application cycle follows NSFC's established concentrated-reception calendar, with institutional submission typically closing in mid-March. The overall NSFC approval rate reached 13% in 2024, and competition at the Class C tier is intense given the sharp growth in application volume relative to budget. Successful applicants gain a three-year direct-cost budget for basic research, institutional affiliation recognition, and eligibility to apply for subsequent mid-career NSFC programs after the grant concludes.