How to apply for ACYLS: national focal points, the AUN Secretariat and agency number 0025
Sources checked · Unofficial summary
Send your ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship (ACYLS) application to the ACYLS national focal point in your home country before the deadline. If you are faculty or staff at an ASEAN university applying through the ASEAN University Network (AUN) or an AUN Thematic Network, send it to the AUN Secretariat instead. Both channels lead into the same three-step process, which runs through the Chinese Government Scholarship Information System (CGSIS).
Everything below comes from the Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, published by the China Scholarship Council on campuschina.org. Where that page does not state something, this article says so rather than filling the gap from another programme's rules.
Who receives your application
The guidebook sets out two routes, and which one applies depends on who you are:
| If you are... | Submit to |
|---|---|
| An applicant in an ASEAN Member State | The ACYLS national focal point of your home country |
| Faculty or staff from an ASEAN university applying through AUN or AUN Thematic Networks | The AUN Secretariat |
The national focal points review qualifications and provide a list of recommended recipients to the Joint Committee of the ACYLS, which decides the final recommendation list. The China Scholarship Council processes only applications recommended by the Joint Committee; applicants not included in that list will not be considered. CSC also reserves the right to make necessary adjustments to an applicant's host university.
The focal points named on the official page are government bodies and units, listed under the heading "As of 2026":
| Country | Body named as focal point |
|---|---|
| Brunei Darussalam | International Affairs Unit, Ministry of Education Brunei Darussalam |
| Cambodia | Cultural Relations and Scholarship Department, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Kingdom of Cambodia |
| Indonesia | Working Group of Regional, Multilateral, and Darmasiswa |
| Lao PDR | Department of External Relations, Ministry of Education and Sport, Lao PDR |
| Malaysia | Regional Cooperation Unit, International Relations Division, Ministry of Higher Education |
| Myanmar | Ministry of Science and Technology |
| Philippines | International Affairs Staff, Commission on Higher Education, Philippines |
| Singapore | The page names four officers with mfa.gov.sg addresses and names no unit |
| Thailand | Ministry of Education (SOM-ED), Bureau of International Cooperation |
| Viet Nam | International Education Division (IED), International Cooperation Department (ICD), Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) |
Two things to note about that list. It covers ten countries, with no entry for Timor-Leste. And this page deliberately omits the officers' names and their personal email addresses and phone numbers — the official guidebook page carries the full contact list, and that is where you should read current contacts, since addresses and officers change between cycles.
When applications open
The guidebook says applications generally open from January to March every year. It does not give a closing date: for the application deadline in any given year, it tells applicants to consult their ACYLS national focal point or the AUN Secretariat directly. Treat the January–March window as the guidebook's general description of the cycle, not as the dates for your year.
The three steps
Step 1 — Complete the online application. Visit CGSIS by going to http://www.campuschina.org and clicking "Scholarship Application for Students" to log in. Online submission is compulsory for every applicant: you complete the application information and upload all necessary supporting documents.
Step 2 — Prepare and send the documents. Prepare your documents according to the List of Application Documents and upload them into the online system. You also submit hard copies of the application form and relevant documents to your ACYLS national focal point or the AUN Secretariat as required, before the deadline.
Step 3 — Recommendation and CSC processing. The national focal points and the AUN Secretariat review qualifications and give a recommended list to the Joint Committee. CSC processes only what the Joint Committee recommends.
Documents you need
The guidebook's List of Application Documents is:
- Application Form for Chinese Government Scholarship (in English)
- A copy of the home page of your valid ordinary passport
- Notarized highest diploma — documents in languages other than Chinese or English must be attached with notarized Chinese or English translations
- Academic report — same translation rule applies
- A study plan or research proposal in Chinese or English: a minimum of 500 words for non-degree students, 800 words for graduate students
- Two recommendation letters in Chinese or English — applicants for graduate programmes or short-term research scholar programmes must submit one from the candidate's current employer and one from the candidate's university professor
- Valid documents of your legal guardians in China — only required for applicants under 18
- Certificates of English language proficiency: IELTS with minimum 6.0, TOEFL 80 or above, or other internationally accepted certificates at an equivalent level
- Foreigner Physical Examination Form, in English — only required if you plan to stay in China for more than six months. It can be downloaded from http://www.campuschina.org. The examination must cover all items on the form; incomplete forms, or forms missing the attending physician's signature, the hospital's official stamp, or a sealed photograph of the applicant, are considered invalid. The result is valid for only six months, so plan the timing carefully
- A resume or CV covering education and work experience after high school, uploaded to "Other Supporting Documents" in CGSIS
- Non-criminal record report issued by the local public security authority, usually issued within six months prior to the submission date
Setting up the online form correctly
CGSIS will not route your application if two fields are wrong, so set them before anything else.
- Register an account through [CREATE AN ACCOUNT] at http://www.campuschina.org, then log in.
- Fill in Personal Details completely, verify and save, then click "Finish" to return to the previous page.
- Choose Program Category Type A.
- Input Agency Number 0025.
The guidebook states that program category and agency number are directly matched and both are mandatory, and that the matched agency name appears automatically once you enter the number correctly. It repeats the warning in its notes: an application with an incorrect agency number will not be processed, because application processing authorities will not receive your online application if either field is incorrect.
After that, move to "Language Proficiency and Study Plan", upload your supporting documents, and click "Submit". Check each part carefully first. Note the sequence rules: once submitted, you cannot amend Personal Details or Application Information. Before the application is processed by the processing authorities, you can click "Withdraw" and edit; after revoking, you must submit a second time, or the application will not be processed. Once processing starts, the application cannot be revoked. Then click "Print the Application Form" and download it.
For the "Preferences of Institutes" field, Type A applicants get universities matched automatically according to their chosen student category and preferred teaching language. To check available majors, the guidebook points to http://www.campuschina.org/universities/index.html, and notes that the "Catalog of Discipline Field, First-level Discipline, Specialty" is available from "Help" so you can identify how discipline and major relate.
The guidebook adds three practical notes: use Firefox or Internet Explorer 11.0; if you use Internet Explorer, turn off "compatibility view mode" before editing; and fill in all application information in Chinese or English.
One point worth stating plainly, because it is often the reason people end up on the wrong site. The guidebook says the China Scholarship Council never entrusts any individual or intermediary agent to process Chinese Government Scholarship applications, and asks applicants to submit directly through official dispatching authorities to avoid being deceived. It gives http://www.campuschina.org/ as the only official CSC website publishing Study in China information. This site accepts no applications and is not affiliated with the CSC, Campus China, or any university.
Questions people ask
Does the country list still stand as written?
The list above reflects the section headed "As of 2026" on the official guidebook page. Because focal point contacts are updated between cycles, read the current officers and emails from that page rather than from any summary.
Do I apply to the CSC directly?
No. The guidebook routes every applicant through a national focal point or the AUN Secretariat, and says CSC processes only applications recommended by the Joint Committee of the ACYLS.
What happens if I enter the wrong program category or agency number?
The guidebook states that application processing authorities will not receive your application, and repeats in its notes that an application with an incorrect agency number will not be processed. For ACYLS, use Type A and 0025.
Sources
- Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (Campus China)
- CSC Study in China, China Scholarship Council
- University and programme search, China Scholarship Council
Checked 10 October 2026. This page is an unofficial summary, is not published by the China Scholarship Council, Campus China or any of the institutions named above, and if it differs from the official notice, the official notice prevails.