Aiming at providing more research opportunities for and contributing to the career development of researchers at different academic stages, the Research Fund for International Scientists (hereinafter referred to as the RFIS) is set up by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) to support international scientists with foreign citizenship who are ready to conduct basic research in China’s mainland. The RFIS is open to all research areas within the NSFC’s funding scope, which include mathematics and physics, chemistry, life sciences, earth sciences, engineering and material sciences, information sciences, management sciences, health sciences, and interdisciplinary sciences. The RFIS will also enhance the long-term, sustainable academic collaboration and exchange between Chinese and international scientists. 

I. Types of Grant

The RFIS consists of three sub-types:

1. The Research Fund for International Young Scientists (RFIS-I)

2. The Research Fund for International Excellent Young Scientists (RFIS-II)

3. The Research Fund for International Senior Scientists(RFIS-III)

II. Project Duration

Projects are expected to start on January 1, 2023 and close on December 31, 2023 or on December 31, 2024.

III. Average Award Amount

For the RFIS-I, applicants can apply for up to 200,000 RMB per year (per project) .

For the RFIS-II, applicants can apply for up to 400,000 RMB per year (per project) .

For the RFIS-III, applicants can apply for up to 800,000 RMB per year (per project) .

All the funding is direct cost.

IV. Eligibility

The RFIS is aimed at international scientists who are ready to work at Chinese host institutions. The host institution must be based in China’s mainland and have registered at NSFC.

Specific requirements for each sub-type of the RFIS are as follows:

1. RFIS-I

(1) Doctoral degree obtained within the past 6 years (PhD must have been obtained after January 1, 2016);

(2) Experience of conducting basic research or postdoctoral research;

(3) Commitment of working for no less than 9 months each year (calendar year) at the host institution during the implementation of the project;

(4) Compliance with Chinese laws and NSFC’s relevant rules and regulations while conducting research in China.

2. RFIS-II

(1) Doctoral degree completed within the past 15 year (PhD must have been obtained after January 1, 2007);

(2) Senior academic title;

(3) Experience of conducting basic research projects as Principal Investigator (PI);

(4) Commitment of working for no less than 9 months each year (calendar year) at the host institution during the implementation of the project;

(5) Compliance with Chinese laws and NSFC’s relevant rules and regulations while conducting research in China.

3. RFIS-III

(1) Senior academic title;

(2) Outstanding academic achievements and significant international influence;

(3) Commitment of working for no less than 9 months per year (calendar year) at the host institution during the implementation of the project;

(4) Compliance with Chinese laws and NSFC’s relevant rules and regulations while conducting research in China.

V. Additional Requirements for Eligibility

1. The applicant who has(had) a RFIS project will not be granted in the same sub-type of RFIS. The applicant can only be granted for each sub type of the RFIS once

2. An applicant shall only apply for one RFIS in a year.

3. The grantee of an on-going RFIS project shall not apply for a new RFIS project.

4. If the applicant has submitted an application for any of the sub-types of the RFIS, the application shall not apply for the following programs in the same year:

Young Scientists Fund (YSF)

Excellent Young Scientists Fund (EYSF, including EYSF for scholars in Hong Kong and Macao)

National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (NSFDYS)

Science Fund for Creative Research Groups (SFCRG)

5. An applicant shall not apply for the RFIS-I if the applicant has been the PI of an on-going or completed project of the RFIS-II, the RFIS-III, the YSF, the EYSF, the NSFDYS and the SFCRG.

6. An applicant shall not apply for the RFIS-II if the applicant has been the PI of an on-going or completed project of the RFIS-III, the EYSF, the NSFDYS and the SFCRG.

7. An applicant shall not apply for the Research Fund for International Senior Scientists (RFIS-III) if the applicant has been the PI of an on-going or completed project of the NSFDYS and the SFCRG.

8. Other restrictions on the eligibility of applicants in the National Natural Science Fund Guide to Programs 2022.

VI. Proposal Submission

There are two steps to submit proposal:

Step 1: submission by the applicants

Applicants should submit their proposals online via NSFC’s Internet-based Science Information System (https://isisn.nsfc.gov.cn/pmpweb/login). The call opens from March 1 to March 20, 2022 (closes at 16:00 Beijing time). Applicants should complete online application form in English or in Chinese following this guidance and outlines for the Fund in the application form, and submit the application form in PDF form online. No hard copies are required. (After approved, the signed and sealed page of the application form should be attached to one hard copy of the Research Plan Report and submit it to NSFC together.)

Application path:

(1)   Log in to the NSFC’s Internet-based Science Information System(https://isisn.nsfc.gov.cn/pmpweb/login), select "RFIS Application", use the role of "RFIS" and click "Application and Acceptance" - "RFIS Application" in the menu bar to enter the application interface;

(2)   Click "New Proposal" to enter the page of Application(s) in Preparation. Then select the science department of the applied project: "Application for Scientific Departments (A-H)" or "Application for Department of Interdisciplinary Sciences (T)" to enter the application page.

Please note that:

1. The science departments include Department of Mathematics and Physics Sciences(A), Department of Chemistry Sciences(B), Department of Life Sciences(C), Department of Earth Sciences(D), Department of Engineering and Material Sciences(E), Department of Information Sciences(F), Department of Management Sciences(M), Department of Health Sciences(H), and Department of Interdisciplinary Sciences(T).

2. When selecting the application code, please select the secondary application code (4 digits); please refer to the "National Natural Science Fund Guide to Programs 2022" for the application code.

3. When filling in the application form, please accurately fill in the "research direction" and "key words".

4. For applicants of interdisciplinary science, please first select the division codes T01-T04, and then select at least two application codes from A-H according to the research content when filling in the application form.

5.The PI shall, in accordance with The National Natural Science Fund Guide to Programs 2022, The Regulation on the Financial Management of NSFC-funded Projects (//www.lipjust.com/publish/portal0/tab475/info81899.htm) and Instruction for Budget Table, carefully prepare the budget table based on the actual needs.

Applicant should also submit an e-copy of the agreement signed by the applicant and the host institution as a necessary supplementary document of the application form. The agreement should include (but not be limited to) the following items:

1.       The nationality and passport number of the applicant.The nationality of the applicant shown on the cover of the application form must be the same as that of the applicant in the agreement.

2.       The subsistence cost provided by the host institution which covers the funding period.

3.       Specification of the working time of the applicant at the host institution during the funding period.

4.       The agreement should be signed by the applicant and the legal representative of the host institution and officially sealed by the institution.

Before completing the online application form, all applicants should check that they comply with the eligibility requirements and ensure all necessary information is presented in the application. These requirements are strictly adhered to and applications without any of the necessary information mentioned in this guide will be rejected.

Step 2: submission by the host institution

The host institution should ensure the application complies with the provisions of NSFC’s Regulations on Host Institutions Management. It should be responsible for the authenticity, completeness and compliance of the proposals and submit the application documents in time to NSFC:

1.       All proposals and the necessary supplementary documents should be submitted to NSFC before the deadline. Late applications will be rejected.

2.       The host institution should verify each item of the electronic application package via NSFC’s Internet-based Science Information System.

3.       The host institution should provide a list of all the applications when submitting the applications to the NSFC’s Internet-based Science Information System. Incomplete documents will be rejected.

4.       The host institutions are required to upload the annual Letter of Commitment for Research Integrity of Host Institution for National Natural Science Fund Projects 2022 before submitting the project application. (Please refer to the Notice on Application and Conclusion of National Natural Science Found Projects in 2022.)

Contacts

Mr. Qu Haibo,  Ms. Sun Shuna

Division of Planning

Bureau of International Cooperation

National Natural Science Foundation of China

Email: fis@nsfc.gov.cn

Phone: +86-10-62325793/5454/7219/7001

Fax: +86-10-62327004

Information System Technical Support (Information Center):

+86-10-62317474