Abstract: Nitrogen (N)-doped porous carbons are potential alternatives to precious metal catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathodes of proton exchange membrane fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Template-assisted synthesis has been used extensively as a robust and versatile method in the preparation of such carbon catalysts, where the ORR activity has been found to be dependent on various structural parameters, such as the concentrations and molecular configurations of the dopants, and the porosity, surface accessibility and electrical conductivity of the carbon materials. In this review, we summarize recent progress in this area of research focusing on the design, preparation and engineering of N-doped porous carbons, as well as their ORR catalytic activity. Future trends in the development of N-doped porous carbons are also pointed out.