Shanghai Pujiang Talent Plan

Shanghai Pujiang Talent Plan

Supports Shanghai returnee scholars through Pujiang programmes for reintegration into local research ecosystems.

The Shanghai Pujiang Talent Plan, administered by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, is an annual returnee-research grant designed to attract Chinese scholars who have studied or worked abroad to relocate and work full-time at Shanghai institutions. The 2026 cycle supports both applied research and development and social-sciences research, spanning fields including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, medical technology, and advanced materials. The program is a recruitment instrument as much as a research grant, tying funding to a commitment to base one's career in Shanghai.

Awards come in two tracks. Type A, the R&D track, provides CNY 300,000 over 24 months and requires a PhD plus at least two years abroad. Type C, the social-sciences track, provides CNY 150,000 and requires a PhD, or a master's degree paired with a senior title, plus at least one year abroad. Applicants must be a Chinese national, including from Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan, and must be under the age of 45. Recipients commit to working full-time in China for at least nine months per year, and applications are submitted through a Shanghai-registered host institution.

The Pujiang plan rewards demonstrable overseas training translated into a concrete research agenda at a Shanghai host. Strong applicants confirm their host institution's Shanghai registration, document their qualifying time abroad, and present a relocation and research plan consistent with the full-time residency requirement. Because eligibility hinges on nationality, age, and abroad-experience thresholds, candidates should verify each gate before applying through their sponsoring institution.