Southwest China's Guizhou Province has launched a scholarship program for students from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The scholarship, to be offered twice a year from the 2013 autumn semester, is aimed at attracting more students from the ASEAN to study at Chinese colleges or universities, according to sources with the provincial educational authorities.

ASEAN students who are already in Guizhou or are willing to come for higher education or to attend linguistic or professional programs lasting one year or more can apply for the grant, which is up to 20,000 yuan (3,279 U.S. dollars), the sources said.

About 600 overseas students from the ASEAN are currently studying in Guizhou.