Scholarships for ASEAN nationals to study in China: ACYLS and the AUN Program
Sources checked · Unofficial summary
Two routes named in the official Campus China documents are set aside for nationals of ASEAN member states: the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship (ACYLS) and the AUN Program listed in the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship. ACYLS applications go either to your country's ACYLS national focal point or, for faculty and staff applying through the ASEAN University Network (AUN) and AUN Thematic Networks, to the AUN Secretariat; the AUN Program route goes to the AUN Secretariat. The Chinese Government Scholarship guide gives only that one table row about the AUN Program.
What each one is, according to the official pages
The ACYLS description comes from the Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship, published by the China Scholarship Council on Campus China. It describes ACYLS as an initiative responding to the call of the Leaders of the People's Republic of China and ASEAN Member States to increase people-to-people exchanges and strengthen educational cooperation. Funding comes mainly through the ASEAN-China Cooperation Fund (ACCF), according to the same guidebook.
The AUN Program appears inside the "Designated Scholarship Programs" table in section I (III) of the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship. That guide lists it with target group "Students and scholars from ASEAN member states", supporting category "Postgraduates", application receiving agency "AUN Secretariat" and website "www.aunsec.org". Beyond that row, the guide says nothing further about the AUN Program.
Where the application actually goes
The two routes use different entry points, so check which one matches your situation before you prepare documents.
| ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship | AUN Program (Chinese Government Scholarship) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where to apply | The ACYLS national focal point of your home country | AUN Secretariat |
| Exception stated in the document | Faculty and staff from ASEAN universities applying through AUN and AUN Thematic Networks submit to the AUN Secretariat | None stated |
| Supporting categories named | Master or PhD degrees, short-term research programs, training courses | Postgraduates |
| Website named in the document | None for the focal points; see the AUN Secretariat page | www.aunsec.org |
The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship says that for the Designated Scholarship Programs generally, an applicant files an application with the international organizations and institutions concerned. That is consistent with the AUN Program row pointing to the AUN Secretariat.
Opening period and deadlines
The ACYLS guidebook says the application generally opens from January to March every year. It does not give an application deadline date; for the deadline of the current year, applicants are told to consult the ACYLS national focal points or the AUN Secretariat directly. The guidebook's focal point list is headed "As of 2026".
The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship carries no publication date and no academic year, and it states no application period for the AUN Program. Because the documents give no deadline for either route, the practical step is to ask the office that receives your application.
Who can apply for ACYLS
The guidebook sets out eligibility criteria. An applicant must be a citizen of an ASEAN Member State — the guidebook names Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. Other criteria:
- Sound physical and mental health.
- Proficiency in English, stated as an IELTS score of at least 6.0 or a TOEFL score of at least 80.
- Holder of an undergraduate degree and under the age of 45 for a master's degree.
- Holder of a graduate or master's degree and under the age of 45 for a PhD degree.
- Holder of at least an undergraduate degree for the short-term research program.
- At least one year of work experience in government agencies, public or private institutions, universities, think-tanks or similar social agencies, preferably in work related to foreign and international affairs (especially ASEAN and China-ASEAN affairs), work or study in the PRC, or academic work on China or ASEAN-related affairs.
- Not a concurrent awardee of a Chinese government scholarship.
- Meeting other admission requirements of the Chinese universities applied to.
The Chinese Government Scholarship guide does not set out eligibility criteria for the AUN Program beyond naming its target group and supporting category.
Length of study and language
ACYLS supports study length by category. Master's students: 2–3 academic years, with the scholarship covering the same period. Doctoral students: 3–4 academic years. Research scholars: 4–5 months. Recipients must complete their studies within that duration. Instruction language for ACYLS is English; candidates are advised to register for English-taught programs and must meet the language requirements of the programs applied to.
The guidebook also says ACYLS provides a full scholarship covering all program-related expenses, including tuition waiver and other school fees, accommodation, round-trip international air fare, comprehensive medical insurance and stipends. It also mentions support for participating in training courses in the PRC, but it gives no length of schooling figure for that category.
The Chinese Government Scholarship guide gives no figures for length of study, instruction language or award coverage for the AUN Program.
Questions people ask
Can I apply to both routes at the same time?
ACYLS eligibility requires that you are not a concurrent awardee of a Chinese government scholarship. The AUN Program row does not address holding another award, and the Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship does not state a rule about simultaneous applications to different programs. If the answer matters for your case, ask the office receiving your application.
Does the AUN Program cover undergraduate study?
No. The Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship lists the supporting category for the AUN Program as postgraduates only. Undergraduates appear in the rows for the EU Program, the PIF Program and the WMO Program, but not in the AUN Program row.
Is there a published deadline I should meet?
Neither document gives one. The ACYLS guidebook gives a general January-to-March opening window and points applicants to the national focal points or the AUN Secretariat for the current year's deadline. The Chinese Government Scholarship guide states no dates at all for the AUN Program.
Are the programme terms I read for one route valid for the other?
Treat them as separate. The figures here come from two different official documents, and each applies only to the programme it names. Nothing in either document transfers one programme's categories, lengths, language rules or eligibility criteria to the other.
Sources
- Guidebook to the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
Checked October 10, 2026.
This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by the China Scholarship Council, Campus China, the ASEAN University Network or any university, and the official notice prevails if they differ.