Chinese Postdoctoral Science Foundation is a national research fund for postdoctoral researchers, which aims to encourage outstanding postdoctoral researchers with great development potential to carry out innovation researches and to develop a high-level innovative postdoctoral talent team. Finance of Chinese Postdoctoral Science Foundation is mainly funded by the central financial allocation. By 2018, the amount of subsidy has totaled to RMB 4.56 billion, supporting more than 80,000 postdoctoral researchers.

    At present, the China Postdoctoral Science Fund mainly provides support for five programs: General Program, Special Program, Publishing Program, Postdoctoral Development Program in Western China, and National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents.

    General Program: Postdoctoral researchers receive start-up or supplementary funds for independent research.

    Special Program: Supports outstanding postdoctoral researchers to improve their research and innovation capabilities.

    Publishing Program: Supports postdoctoral researchers in publishing their outstanding academic achievements.

    Postdoctoral Development Program in Western China: Supports postdoctoral researchers in western China as a part of the national strategy of Development of Western China.

    National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents: aims at selecting and funding talented PhD candidates or newly graduated PhD holders worldwide to carry out postdoctoral research in China for the purpose of promoting the cultivation of world-class innovative talents.