On Sept. 29, 2026, China is offering the world’s brightest young scientists generous 15-year research grants for free exploration, as the country accelerates its drive to become a global science powerhouse.

Dou Xiankang, director of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the country’s top funder of basic research, told a recent academic forum that the agency was selecting a group of the brightest researchers under 35 for long-term financial backing. Once this group of exceptionally brilliant young people was identified, their sole performance metric over a 15-year period would be “whether they are in the laboratory”, Dou said on September 19.

He said there would be no short-term performance reviews during this period. Those selected would be assessed on only one criterion: physical presence in the lab. “We do not mind if there is no short-term success; we just need you to settle down and stay in the laboratory,” Dou said. He revealed that 44 scientists had been chosen this year, nine of whom were from overseas, alongside more than 30 from within China.

In November 2023, the funding body announced that the brightest young scientists would receive a significant long-term boost, with the government offering up to 28 million yuan (US$4.17 million) over 15 years to support their work. In May this year, the NSFC announced a substantial expansion of its Young Scientists Fund, projecting an increase of 12,000 grants – a jump of more than 50 per cent – aimed at providing a steady stream of outstanding reserve talent for basic research.

The 15-year backing would involve increasingly intensive support, Dou added. Funding will double after the first five years and double again after the next five. “This is a new initiative undertaken by the NSFC this year,” he noted.

In addition, the NSFC is ramping up its campaign to lure top young scientists from abroad by extending a major funding programme for a second round – a move that could be aimed partly at US-based researchers facing budget constraints.

In late July, the funder issued an additional call for applications for the Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Overseas), following its initial round earlier this year. Since its launch in 2021, the programme has awarded individual grants of between 1 million to 3 million yuan to thousands of scientists under 40, both born in China and overseas.