National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars

The National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars aims at speeding up the growth of young scientific talents, encouraging overseas Chinese scholars to work in China, and quickly ushering a big group of prominent academic pacemakers in the forefront of world science and technology. The Fund specially supports excellent young Chinese scientists under the age of 45, who work domestically or abroad but plan to return soon, in the fields of basic research and applied basic research.

Applicants are required to carefully fill out the application forms and submit relevant attachments according to the "Requirements and instructions for filling in applications for the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars". The academic committees or expert panels of the institutions should assess the applicants strictly according to the "Requirements", look through the applications carefully, give their recommendations and all of the attachments (including the cooperative agreements) to relevant NSFC scientific departments.

The deadline for application is March 31, the same year as that for General Program. Relevant NSFC scientific departments are responsible for handling applications.

Joint Research Fund for Overseas Chinese Young Scholars

In order to attract excellent overseas Chinese young scholars to work in China, NSFC establishes the Joint Research Fund for Overseas Chinese Young Scholars to sponsor outstanding scholars under the age of 45 who are doing research abroad, may carry out basic research and applied basic research in China for a certain period of time every year.

Applicants for this fund must have domestic coordinators or cooperative research institutions and sign cooperative agreements with them. They are required to carefully fill out the application form, prepare relevant attachments according to the "Requirements and instructions on filling in the Joint Research Fund for Overseas Chinese Young Scholars" and then submit them to their partners' institutions. The academic committees or expert panels of the institutions should assess the applicants strictly according to the "Requirements", look through the applications carefully, and give their recommendations and all of the attachments (including the cooperative agreements) to relevant NSFC scientific departments.

Applications for the Fund are evaluated once a year. The deadline is March 31 the same year as that for General Program. Relevant NSFC scientific departments are responsible for handling applications.

Joint Research Fund for Hong Kong and Macao Young Scholars

In order to encourage some of the excellent young scholars in Hong Kong and Macao to work in the inland, NSFC establishes the Joint Research Fund for Hong Kong and Macao Young Scholars to sponsor those excellent young scholars under the age of 45 who are doing research in Hong Kong or Macao, may carry out basic research and applied basic research in the inland for a certain period of time every year.

Applicants for this fund must have domestic coordinators or cooperative research institutions and sign cooperative agreements with them. They are required to fill out carefully the application forms, prepare relevant attachments according to the "Requirements and instructions on filling in the Joint Research Fund for Hong Kong and Macao Young Scholars" and then submit them to their partners' institutions. The academic committees or expert panels of the institutions should assess the applicants strictly according to the "Requirements", look through the applications carefully, and give their recommendations and all of the attachments (including the cooperative agreements) to relevant NSFC scientific departments.

Applications for the Fund are evaluated once a year. The deadline is March 31 the same year as that for General Program. Relevant NSFC scientific departments are responsible for handling applications.

Fund for Creative Research Groups

In order to provide steady support to frontier research on basic science and to foster and bring up researchers and research groups with innovative ability, NSFC launched a pilot program "the Fund for Creative Research Groups" in 2000. It funds research groups which carry out basic research or applied basic research in China focusing on key research orientations and which have prominent young scientists as pacemakers or backbone.

Candidates are recommended by relevant ministries, commissions and NSFC scientific departments, and free applications will not be accepted.