Program Cai Yuanpei 2026

Established in 2009,"Cai Yuanpei" (Ts’ai Yüan-P’ei) funding scheme jointly set up for France, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (MAEDI) and the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research (MENESR) and for China, by the Ministry of Education through the China Scholarship Council, intended to support the mobility of researchers. 

Currently three Franco-Chinese calls are open: PHC Cai Yuanpei,   Découverte, Doctorant.

PHC Cai Yuanpei

Cai Yuanpei - Découverte

Cai Yuanpei - Doctorant

PHC Cai Yuanpei 

Terms and conditions: 

• the call for applications is open to full researchers from research laboratories attached to higher education organizations and research institutions;
• Two types of projects can be submitted: 
  • Cai Yuanpei - Project: supporting the mobility around a scientific project of the “bilateral research team”.
  • Cai Yuanpei - PhD: focused of advances on a subject of study through the supervision of one or more co-directed or co-tutored theses. 
• Companies can participate in the project, as long as they are associated with an academic partner;
• all research fields are eligible.
• Among the selection criteria: the integration of young researchers and PhD students in the project. 

Mission and Funding:

• Funding is granted on an annual basis, for two consecutive years.
• Funding support from France covers stay (€60-125/day) and travels (reimbursement on actual expenses up to a limit of €1300 per France-China round-trip) allowances of involved researchers.

See further eligibility criteria and the call for applications on the Campus France website (in French)

Cai Yuanpei – Découverte

Terms and conditions: 

• There are specific calls open for: 
  • full researchers from research laboratories attached to higher education organizations and research institutions for cooperation in science and technology or cooperation in the humanities and social sciences,
  • teaching staff, departments and university representatives responsible for international relations in higher education establishments for University cooperation. 
• all research fields are eligible;
• applications are evaluated on an ongoing basis;
• applications must be sent at least 2 months before the start date of the assignment;
• among the selection criteria: the integration of young researchers and PhD students in the project. 

Mission and Funding:

• There is no maximum amount granted, and a participant may apply for several missions during the year.
• Funding is granted on an annual basis.
• The funding granted covers only the cost of mobility from France to China for the participant in the program.

See further applications deatils on the French embassy website (in French)

Cai Yuanpei - Doctorant 

Terms and conditions: 

• open to French PhD candidates enrolled in a PhD program with a French research organization;
• all research fields are eligible with priority themes being: 
       - Climate change and carbon neutrality,​​​​​
       - Environment and biodiversity,
       - Ageing (health), 
       - Theoretical chemistry.
• applications are evaluated on an ongoing basis;
• applications must be sent at least 2 months before the start date of the assignment.

Mission and Funding:

• Funding is granted for stays of 4 to 12 weeks and covers stay (€ 150/day) and travels (reimbursement on actual expenses up to a limit of €1390 per France-China round-trip) allowances of involved PhD candidate.
• Funding is granted on an annual basis.

See further applications deatils on the French embassy website (in French)