China Scholarship Council-Yale World Scholars Program
Yale University has a longstanding relationship and deep history of collaboration with China. In 2006, Yale and the Chinese Ministry of Education forged their first major educational partnership in the biosciences, the China Scholarship Council (CSC) – Yale World Scholars Program in Biomedical Sciences. This program recruits top graduates from five premiere institutions in China for enrollment in Yale’s Combined Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), with funding from both the CSC and Yale. The CSC-Yale World Scholars program offers students the same outstanding research training available to all BBS students, and also provides additional specialized professional development programs. The overall goal is to prepare the Scholars to become the next generation of scientific leaders in China, after completion of their graduate and postdoctoral training.
"Ever since I got here, I knew Yale would be one of the best things that ever happened to me: great research environment, supportive faculty members, and beautiful campus. At Yale, no matter what kind of problems you have, you will be able to find people to help you to find the solution. I guess it’s all because the whole university is devoted to offer the students the best it can. One year’s study here turned me into a totally different person. From learning from people in the same department to interacting with people with various majors, I gradually learned to balance life and work, enjoying being a ‘nerd’ in the lab, and being a social girl outside. My favorite part is to walk in the campus and think about lab or daily life. All these thoughts make me peaceful and grateful about what Yale or life has offered to me."
Crystal Wang
CSC–Yale World Scholars Program
Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Track
The five partner institutions in China are Fudan University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Zhejiang University. These universities nominate four highly qualified graduating students for admission to BBS and the Yale Graduate School, and up to eight will be admitted as CSC-Yale Scholars each year. Thirteen Scholars from these universities are currently enrolled in Yale.
Please note that applicants from these and other Chinese institutions may apply directly to the BBS Program. As stated elsewhere on this site, however, funding for international applicants is very limited, and only a very small percentage of international applicants receive offers of admission.
Specialized Training
The CSC-Yale World Scholars receive special mentoring and guidance during their studies at Yale. Senior faculty in the BBS program will coordinate a series of professional development programs for the Scholars. For example, Scholars will meet with senior members of the Yale administration, including deans, vice presidents, and provosts, to learn about the operations of leading a research university. They will meet with senior faculty to gain insights on how to run a successful research lab. They will receive training in scientific writing and oral presentations and assistance in preparing for their qualifying exams. They will also receive guidance in preparing their CVs and cover letters when they apply for postdoctoral positions upon graduating from Yale. In addition, they will benefit from continued contact with their undergraduate university and a network of mentors in China and at Yale. In sum, the CSC-Yale World Scholars will be introduced to the critical practices, strategies, and conventions necessary to become future leaders in biomedical research.
High level representatives from the 5 Chinese institutions visit the Yale School of Medicine. From left to right: Ling Sun, Professor and Deputy Director of the Fudan-Yale Center for Education Cooperation; Qiu-dan Sun, Professor and Director of International Cooperation at Peking University; Ding Yi, Professor of Biology at Tsinghua University; He Huang, Associate Dean of Medicine at Zhejiang University; Yi Rao, Dean of the School of Life Sciences at Peking University; Ken Wang, Dean of Huazhong University of Science and Technology; and Guangzhi Xia, Deputy Director of the Office for International Cooperation and Exchange at Tsinghua University.
Admissions Process
Each institution above will select and nominate four students for the CSC-Yale World Scholars Program. The CSC will then notify the BBS Program of the students’ nominations. The students apply to any Track of the BBS Program via the Yale Graduate School’s online application, and should mention in their personal statements that they have been nominated for consideration as a CSC-Yale World Scholar.
Although the BBS application deadline is December 4, 2009, nominees for the CSC-Yale World Scholars program need to submit their application no later than November 2, 2009. Faculty from the BBS Program will travel to China in early December to interview applicants, and the November 2 deadline will provide admissions committees with sufficient time to review application materials before the interviews.
Interviews will take place in China in December. Applicants will be contacted by email to schedule the interview times. After the interviews have been completed, the BBS admissions committees will select up to eight nominees from the pool of 20 applicants and will recommend to the Graduate School that they be offered admission. These Scholars will be the best candidates in the judgment of the Yale admissions committees and will not necessarily be evenly distributed among the five Chinese universities. The Dean of the Graduate School makes all final admissions decisions, which will be communicated to the students, the CSC and the Chinese universities in writing.
Representatives from Yale and the five partner institutions in China meet at the home of Linda Lorimer (front row, center), Vice President of Yale.
The eight students admitted to Yale will then proceed to apply for a two-year CSC fellowship via an online application, available at http://apply.csc.edu.cn. The CSC will officially announce the selection results to relevant Chinese universities and grantees in official documents. The terms of the CSC fellowship include an obligation to return to China for at least two years following the completion of Ph.D. and postdoctoral training.
