Joe Tsai Basketball Scholarship opens 2027 application process

The application portal for the 2027 cohort of the Joe Tsai Basketball Scholarship officially opened on July 29.

The eponymous scholarship, established by the co-founder and chairman of Alibaba Group with official support from the Chinese Basketball Association, identifies promising young basketball players from across China and provides comprehensive funding—including tuition and boarding fees—for them to attend college-preparatory high schools in the United States.

Since its official launch in 2019, the scholarship has supported 34 student-athletes across six cohorts during their studies and athletic careers in the US. Among them, 11 have received full NCAA scholarship offers and eight have been selected for Chinese national youth basketball teams or training camps. Standout alumni include Wang Fuqu, Huai Sinan and Huai Sifeng, whose progress underscores the potential and promise of youth basketball in China.

The 2027 class is now open to eligible young basketball talent from the Chinese mainland, as well as the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

—Be a citizen of the People's Republic of China (including permanent residents of the Hong Kong and Macao SARs) with valid student enrollment status.

—Be between the ages of 13 and 15, inclusive (born between September 1, 2011 and August 31, 2013).

—Demonstrate a solid academic foundation and English proficiency.

—Have a strong passion for basketball, with at least two years of systematic training and participation in junior high school league or U-series competitions.

Up to 10 students will be selected for the 2027 class, with no more than five male and five female recipients of the scholarship. The official application window runs until Oct 10. All interested candidates must submit their application materials through the official online portal at www.joetsaibbs.com within the designated period.