The National Social Science Fund, referred to as the National Social Science Fund for short, was established with the approval of the State Council, 1986, and is managed by the National Office of Philosophy and Social Sciences.

The National Social Science Fund includes Marxism, Scientific Socialism, Party History, Party Building, Philosophy, Theoretical Economics, Applied Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Law, International Studies, China History, World History, Archaeology, Ethnology, Religious Studies, China Literature, Foreign Literature, Linguistics, Journalism and Communication, Library Science, Information and Documentation, Demography, Statistics and Physical Education. Art and military science, three independent disciplines, have formed six kinds of project funding systems, including major projects, annual projects, specially commissioned projects, post-funded projects, western projects and China academic translation projects.

The National Social Science Fund also pays attention to training young social science researchers and social science research in remote ethnic areas.