Apply for a PhD in China Through JUSTCOOL: Fudan, SJTU and Tongji, Apply by 14 November

JUSTCOOL is a joint PhD admission in China for Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University. Applications run from 28 September to 14 November 2026. It takes final-year bachelor's students in mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology, and it offers a full scholarship.

HEC has listed the programme on its announcements page. HEC says it is only advertising the opportunity. You apply directly to JUSTCOOL, not through HEC.

We read HEC's announcement and the JUSTCOOL website on 7 October 2026. This guide covers who can apply, what to upload, and the exam and interview dates.

Applications close at midnight Beijing time on 14 November 2026

The application window opened at 10:00 on Monday, 28 September 2026 and closes at 24:00 on Saturday, 14 November 2026, Beijing time. Beijing is three hours ahead of Pakistan, so the deadline is 9:00 pm on 14 November in Pakistan.

Do not wait for the last week. The portal needs a passport page, transcripts and two signed recommendation letters, and professors take time to sign.

Only four subjects are open, and seats are limited

JUSTCOOL offers PhD places in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. The programme plans to enrol no more than 90 students in 2027, with 20 to 40 at each of the three universities. HEC describes it as a five year doctoral programme taught in English.

You choose only your subject when you apply. You pick the university after you pass the interview. The written exam has two papers in your subject, such as mathematical analysis and algebra, or quantum mechanics and electrodynamics.

The JUSTCOOL site lists the syllabus for each subject, and it is wide. A student who plans to sit it should start revising now. We have not seen any past papers.

Who can apply from Pakistan

You must be a non-Chinese citizen with a valid passport. You must study mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology, and you must finish your bachelor's degree between June 2026 and July 2027. You must also rank in the top 20 per cent of your undergraduate programme.

1. You hold a Pakistani passport that stays valid until at least 1 March 2028.
2. You are an undergraduate majoring in mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology.
3. You get your bachelor's degree between June 2026 and July 2027.
4. You rank in the top 20 per cent of your major at your home university.
5. You meet one English language condition, listed below.
6. You want a long term research career in your subject.

For English, JUSTCOOL accepts one of these: you studied your whole undergraduate programme in English, or you scored at least IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 90, Duolingo English Test 110 or PTE Academic 61 within two years before the deadline. If you need to book a test, see what the IELTS test costs in Pakistan before you pick one.

The top 20 per cent rule shuts out many students. Ask your department for a rank or percentile letter early, because JUSTCOOL's list of documents does not name one.

Documents to upload on the portal

You complete the form at the JUSTCOOL website and upload a passport page, degree or expected graduation certificate, transcripts, two recommendation letters, proof of English, a non-criminal record certificate and a foreigner physical examination form. Other proof of ability is optional.

• The passport information page.
• Your degree certificate, or an original certificate of expected graduation from your university.
• Complete transcripts of your highest level of study.
• Two original recommendation letters from professors in your subject, signed.
• Proof of English and your scores.
• A certificate of non-criminal record.
• A foreigner physical examination form, valid for six months.
• Optional: awards, published papers and other proof of ability.

Documents not in English or Chinese need a notarised translation. If you graduate outside China, you must also provide a degree authentication report from the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, but only before enrolment. For the criminal record certificate, our guide to getting a police character certificate online shows the Pakistani route. We did not check whether JUSTCOOL accepts that exact certificate, so email them before you rely on it.

How the exam and interview work

JUSTCOOL reviews applications first, then shortlists candidates for a closed-book written exam on 12 December 2026. It is tentatively online. Passing candidates are interviewed online in January 2027. Those who pass choose a university, then get a preliminary offer to accept within one week.

The exam has two subject papers. Each lasts 2.5 hours, split into two sessions, and is marked out of 100. JUSTCOOL says it will tell shortlisted candidates the results through the application system or by email.

Admitted students get formal admission notices in February 2027 and register in spring or fall 2027. If you want other routes to a degree in China, our note on the Chinese Government Scholarship through HEC covers the HEC channel, and the guide to the China visa from Pakistan covers travel papers.

What the scholarship covers is not spelled out

JUSTCOOL's funding page says only "Full Scholarship Support". HEC's announcement says nothing about stipend, tuition or housing amounts. Do not assume figures from other Chinese scholarships. Ask JUSTCOOL for the written terms before you accept.

HEC also says it carries no financial liability for this opportunity. The selection and the scholarship are decided by the universities, not by HEC. You can contact them at admission@justcoolphd.cn.

Common questions

What is the JUSTCOOL PhD programme?

It is a joint PhD admission run by Fudan University, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University, for international students in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.

What is the last date to apply for JUSTCOOL?

Applications close at 24:00 Beijing time on Saturday, 14 November 2026. That is 9:00 pm in Pakistan.

Can I apply with my bachelor's degree still in progress?

Yes, if you will receive it between June 2026 and July 2027. Recent graduates submit an original certificate of expected graduation from their university.

Do I have to apply through HEC?

No. HEC only advertises it. You apply directly through the JUSTCOOL portal and send questions to the programme.

Is the exam in Pakistan?

The written exam on 12 December 2026 is tentatively online and remote. JUSTCOOL's notice does not name a venue in any country.

Is IELTS compulsory?

No. If your whole undergraduate programme was taught in English, that meets the rule. Otherwise you need IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 90, Duolingo 110 or PTE 61.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

We last checked on 7 October 2026. The dates, eligibility, documents and selection steps come from the JUSTCOOL admissions page at justcoolphd.cn. The programme description and HEC's role come from HEC's JUSTCOOL announcement on hec.gov.pk. We did not open the application portal or find the scholarship amounts. HEC's page lists no date for the announcement, so we cannot say when it first appeared.