College students in China can enjoy a gap year after graduation, under a 100,000 yuan ($15,800) research fund to enable them to tour and better understand China.

The program Understanding China is supported by Channel Young, a fashion magazine affiliated to Shanghai Media Group. It targets university students graduating this summer, who are willing to spend one year traveling to different parts of China. Their research should focus on one social phenomenon.

Road shows on the program have been held in universities in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong's provincial capital Guangzhou since April, and Channel Young has received hundreds of applicants. The program also welcomes foreign students to participate to provide different views about China.

Students' proposals will be judged by a panel of culture experts and sociology professors. Three students will be selected and each granted 100,000 yuan of research funding.