HOUSTON, June 6 -- Twenty-six Chinese students from colleges in eight southern U.S. states received an annual Chinese government award here on Saturday.

At an awarding-ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in Houston, Consul General Li Qiangmin handed out the 2014 National Scholarship for Outstanding Self-Financed Chinese Students Abroad.

The recipients came from more than 10 colleges in southern U.S. states, and their majors cover physics, chemistry, biology, epidemiology, molecular medicine and electronic engineering.

The National Scholarship for Outstanding Self-Financed Chinese Students Abroad is set up by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to honor overseas Chinese students with outstanding academic accomplishments.

Established in 2003, this award was developed to encourage research excellence and to recognize the achievements among Chinese students abroad. The award includes a 6,000 U.S. dollar prize and a CSC-issued certificate.

Currently, a total of more than 4,000 overseas Chinese students have become the recipients of the award, including 500 ones who receive the award this year.