Abstract:Taking the Changjiang Scholars and the Distinguished Young Scholars of National Science Fund over the years as research objects, this paper analyzes the phenomenon of applying for the talents programs at the upper age limit and its policy implications. The study finds that, firstly, such phenomenon is quite prominent in both talents programs. Secondly, the proportion of applicants who applied at the upper age limit has an upward trend, which closely relates to the aging trend in the talents programs. Furthermore, it also finds that the above-mentioned proportions are relatively high among the following groups of applicants:those who come from Double First-Class universities, those who come from western regions, and those who are in the fields of engineering technology or life and medicine. The research suggests that China should implement differentiated talent policies for researchers in different disciplines and different age groups.