The National Natural Science Foundation of China has launched a new round of the 2025 Excellent Young Scholars Fund (Overseas). Shanghai University of Electric Power is inviting outstanding young scholars worldwide to join its mission of advancing China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.

Focusing on a new power system with new energy at its core, the university is building a distinctive discipline framework and evolving into a high-level local institution with strong energy and power characteristics.

At SUEP, young talent will have the opportunity to contribute to national strategic projects in smart grids and new energy, connect with trillion-yuan industrial application scenarios in the Yangtze River Delta, and tap into the innovation resources of Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area.

The fund seeks to attract promising overseas scholars with notable achievements in natural sciences or engineering. It enables recipients to choose their own research direction, conduct innovative studies, and grow into leading figures at the forefront of global science and technology.

SUEP offers a well-structured talent development system, robust support measures, and a first-class platform to help young scientists thrive. Successful applicants will receive competitive salaries, generous housing or relocation allowances, and performance bonuses for teaching and research achievements, in addition to national and local talent incentives. Research funding ranges from 1 million to 3 million yuan ($137,000 to $411,000), with additional resources available for specialized platform needs.

Eligibility

• Born on or after Jan 1, 1985.
• Hold a doctoral degree.
• Specialize in natural sciences, engineering, or related fields.
• Applicants must have held a formal teaching or research position at an overseas university, research institute, or corporate R&D center for at least 36 consecutive months after earning their doctoral degree (before Sept 15, 2025). Applicants with exceptional achievements and a doctoral degree earned abroad may qualify for a reduction in the required work experience (excluding those who earned the degree through joint programs with Chinese institutions). For applicants holding a paid position in the Chinese mainland while working overseas, the period of their domestic employment will not be counted toward their overseas work experience.
• Applicants must have recognized research or technological achievements and show strong potential to become a leading or outstanding talent in their field.
• Applicants should not have taken up full-time employment in China, except for those who have been working in China since Jan 1, 2024. Upon funding approval, applicants should resign from their overseas positions and commit to full-time work in China for at least three years.

Application limits

Applicants may only take part in one national talent program at the same level and are not permitted to apply for a lower-level program.

Those who applied for the 2025 Excellent Young Scholars Fund (Overseas) in the first half but were ineligible due to timing, and now meet the updated criteria, may reapply in the new round. Other applicants may not submit duplicate applications.

Anyone who has already applied for another national talent program at the same level in 2025 is not eligible to apply for this round.

For details, please refer to the project guidelines on the National Natural Science Foundation of China website.

Contact

Email subject line: "Name + 2025 Excellent Young Scholars Fund (New Round)".

Source: Official WeChat account of Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone