National Natural Science Fund

Among these programmes, the most significant for European actors are:

• General Programme: supporting researchers to conduct innovative explorative research on open topics within certain areas. The average funding per project is 500k-600k RMB.
• Young Scientist Fund: similar to the General Programme, but exclusively targeting young scientists. The average funding per project is 200k-250k RMB per project.
• Key Programme: medium-sized projects supporting prospective and frontier studies to achieve major breakthroughs in priority industries and technologies. The average funding per project is 2.5-3 million RMB.
• Major Research Plan: medium- and large-sized projects of strategic value to economic and social development in national priority areas, featuring a strong top-down design.
• International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Programmes: supporting joint research with top researchers and institutions world-wide. It is divided into three sub-groups of projects, one of which targets exclusively international young scientists.

Detailed factsheets for each of these five programmes are available below. A short introduction to the remaining programmes can be found on National Natural Science Fund ’s English website at this link.

The NSFC over the past decades has earned a strong reputation of fairness and rigor in the management of its programmes. This is reflected in the large and increasing number of applications received every year – over 194,000 in 2017, nearly a +30% increase compared to 2014. This translates into fiercer competition, as demonstrated by the decreasing approval rate in the same period – only 20.7% in 2017, down from 24.6% in 2015:

The total budget allocated to fund such a large number of projects has also been on the rise in the past few years, reaching 25.2 billion RMB (around 3.2 billion EUR) in 2017. The General Programme and the Young Scientist Fund are the largest beneficiaries every year (41.9% and 15.7% in 2017, respectively). A noteworthy increase in the past few years was registered in funds allocated to international (regional) cooperation and exchange programmes (866.8 million RMB in 2016, +55% on 2012), and to the international young scientists (45 million RMB in 2017, +186% in 2012).

 

Note: detailed figures on budget allocated in 2017 to the Major Research Plan and International Cooperation categories of projects are not available at the time of writing.

 

Projects funded by the NSFC have a high impact on the development and internationalisation of the Chinese innovation ecosystem, with thousands of invention patents granted and international papers published every year. For instance, a total of over 13,000 invention patents were granted and over 110,000 international papers were published only under the General Programme in 2016 (a full list of S&T achievements can be found in the National Natural Science Fund annual reports at this link). Chinese world-renowned scientists such as Tu Youyou and Zhao Zhongxian are also actively leading NSFC projects.

The NSFC’s strong reputation of fairness mainly derives from the transparent and standardised management mechanisms that the agency has developed throughout the past three decades. The agency’s fundamental principles and mechanisms are embedded within its Constitution, adopted in 2005 and revised in 2008 (available in English at this link). These are further detailed in the Regulations of the Natural Science Foundation of China, which stipulate in detail the mechanisms and procedures through which funds are granted and implemented; applications are evaluated; and projects supervised and administered (an English version of the Regulations is available at this link). Several additional ad hoc regulations were also published, regulating other aspects such as scientific results management; fund management; requests for re-examination; code of conduct and anti-conflict of interest for evaluators; management guidelines for universities and research institutions, etc.

In addition, specific regulations for each of the 14 National Natural Science Fund programmes were also formulated and published on NSFC’s website at this link.

Ad hoc Five-year Plans are also formulated for the Natural Science Fund. These provide indications on the key priority areas to be funded in each corresponding five-year period by the NSFC, as well as major pilot reforms or new mechanisms to be introduced.

Unlike most of the other funding pillars, guidelines on new programmes and projects to be funded by the NSFC are published on the NSFC website on an annual basis, every year in December. The latest annual project guidelines were published on the NSFC website on 29 December 2020: these introduce in detail what areas were funded under each specific programme in 2018, as well as the corresponding requirements that applicants must possess (available in Chinese at this link).

The programmes included in the NSFC annual guidelines follow a “centralised application” mechanism, namely all applications must be submitted by March of the following year. Applications must be submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) through the NSFC’s system, but must be pre-examined and pre-approved by the institution to which the PI is affiliated (“host institution”, or yituo danwei). * In reality, this means that applications must be completed by the PI way before the deadline indicated by NSFC, as host institutions often stipulate their own internal deadlines to which any affiliated PIs must abide to (please note that some host institutions may also have their own rules regarding the research budget to be claimed: e.g. some departments might expect PIs to choose projects which utilise the maximum amount of funding available or set their own limits on certain funding categories such as overseas travel). Hardcopy versions of the application materials will also need to be shipped to the line NSFC department within the deadline.

The programmes not listed in the NSFC annual guidelines do not follow the “centralised application” mechanism, but rather specific procedures which are outlined in individual tender guidelines published throughout the year. Major Research Plans usually belong to this category (see details in the factsheet below). These also specify the requirements that applicants must possess.

* Note: An official account must be created by the applicant PI on the NSFC’s Internet-based Science Information System through his/her host institution. The host institution will however be able to generate for the PI an username and activation link only if it has previously registered on the same system (if not, any PIs affiliated to this institution will not be able to create an account, and consequentially to submit any applications: instructions in Chinese for the registration of host institutions can be found here and here; registrations are usually open once per year). PIs who have successfully created an account on the ISISN can refer to the this official user handbook (in Chinese) on how to fill applications. The application form must be written in Chinese (with only one brief abstract in English), and be composed of different sections including an introduction to the chosen topic, an assessment of the research problem to be solved, methodology to be applied, innovative aspects of the research plan, timetable, opportunities for international exchanges, the PI’s history and suitability to lead the proposal, the facilities available at the proposed host institution, and a CV of the PI and co-applicants (if any).

 

The selection and evaluation process is standard, well-documented and relatively transparent. It applies to all categories of projects, and can be summarised as follows:

 

The first screening is an administrative process to check that eligibility requirements are met, and that paperwork is complete. Usually around 98% of applications pass this stage.

The experts who evaluate the proposals are randomly selected from the National S&T Experts Pool (see this link for more details) and do not know the identity of other experts taking part in the evaluation of the same proposals. Experts are also excluded to review applications from colleagues working in their same institution. This evaluation mechanism has contributed to the NSFC’s reputation as a just, fair and independent institution.

Evaluation criteria of proposals generally include:

• Scientific value; innovativeness; impact on society; feasibility of the proposal; and
• The PI’s research experience; composition and research conditions of the team; rationality of the requested funding.

The results of the National Natural Science Fund applications are usually conveyed by email in September of the same year. Top-ranked proposals generally receive the funding requested in the application process; low-ranked ones might be cut.

It is also noteworthy that the NSFC allows rejected applicants to submit a request for a re-examination of their proposals, although these cases are very limited and related to procedural issues, rather than disagreement with the scientific evaluation judgement of the evaluators (see this link for more details).

 

Most of NSFC programmes target China-based actors. China-based affiliates of European entities can apply, as long as they possess legal personality in mainland China and are registered on the NSFC’s internet system (see the note in the section “Annual project guidelines”). European researchers working in China (either in China-based affiliates of European entities or in Chinese institutions) can also apply as principal investigators (PIs). The General programme is one of those that present more opportunities for European actors.

General Programme

The General Programme (面上项目) is the largest receiver of NSFC budget, with 10.68 billion RMB (around 1.28 billion EUR) received in 2017 only. The programme supports researchers in conducting innovative and free-exploratory research on open topics within the priority areas indicated every year in the NSFC annual guidelines.

Priority areas and past figures

Priority areas and deadline for applications are indicated every year in December in the NSFC annual project guidelines (see section “Annual project guidelines above”). Proposals in 2018 could be submitted in the fields of mathematics; chemistry; life sciences; earth sciences; engineering and materials; information and communication sciences; management sciences; and medical sciences. Each of these fields included a detailed list of specific topics and areas to be funded (more details in this link).

In 2017, 18,136 projects were granted out of 80,921 applications received, corresponding to an approval rate of 22.4%. The average funding allocated per project amounted to 589k RMB (around 75.4k EUR).

The largest receivers of General Programmes in 2017 were mainly China’s 985 universities, with Shanghai Jiaotong University, Sun Yat-sen University, and Zhejiang University topping the list (with 573, 419, and 418 projects granted, respectively). Mainland China-based Hong Kong universities were also very active, led by the Shenzhen campuses of the City University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (19 and 14 projects granted, respectively).

Eligibility requirements for PIs

• Possess experience in implementing basic research projects or similar related activities
• Have a senior professional title or PhD degree. Alternatively, the applicant can be recommended by two researchers with senior professional titles and PhD degree in the same research field
• Full-time postgraduate students cannot apply; part-time postgraduate students can apply under approval of their supervisor and through their employer
• The application form should highlight the proposal’s scientific value, should feature clear objectives, and should be rational, specific, and feasible
• For each project, a maximum of two cooperation institutes are allowed in a consortium
• The duration of each project is generally 4 years

How to apply

Applications are submitted through the NSFC’s Internet-based Science Information System (ISISN). An official account should be created on the system in order to submit applications. Each PI should apply for an account number and password to his/her host institution, provided that the latter has previously registered on the same system. More information in the note in the section “Annual project guidelines”.

International participation

Among the list there also were several China-based international universities or structures, including:

• Institut Pasteur Shanghai (8 projects)
• New York University Shanghai (3 projects)
• Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool Universities (3 projects)
• Duke Kunshan Universities
• University of Nottingham Ningbo (1 project)
• China-US Hormel (Henan) Cancer Institute (1 project)

76 projects (0.4% of the total) were also led by foreign PIs.

Most of NSFC programmes target China-based actors. China-based affiliates of European entities can apply, as long as they possess legal personality in mainland China and are registered on the NSFC’s internet system (see the note in the section “Annual project guidelines”). European researchers working in China (either in China-based affiliates of European entities or in Chinese institutions) can also apply as principal investigators (PIs). The Young Scientist Fund is one of those that present more opportunities for European actors.

Young Scientist Fund

The Young Scientist Fund (青年科学基金项目) is the second largest receiver of NSFC’s annual budget, with 4 billion RMB (around 511 million EUR) received in 2017 only. The programme is similar to the General Programme – supporting innovative exploratory research on open topics within priority areas indicated by NSFC – but exclusively targets young PIs.

Priority areas and past figures

Priority areas and deadline for applications are indicated every year in December in the NSFC annual project guidelines (see section “Annual project guidelines above”). Proposals in 2018 could be submitted in the fields of mathematics; chemistry; life sciences; earth sciences; engineering and materials; information and communication sciences; management sciences; and medical sciences. Each of these fields included a detailed list of specific topics and areas to be funded (more details in this link).

In 2017, 17,523 projects were granted out of 78,195 applications received, corresponding to an approval rate of 22.4%. The average funding allocated per project amounted to 228k RMB (around 29k EUR).

The top receivers of the Young Scientist Fund in 2017 were mainly young researchers affiliated to China’s 985 universities, with Shanghai Jiaotong University, Sun Yat-sen University, and Huazhong University of Science and Technology topping the list (with 373, 368, and 304 projects granted, respectively).

Eligibility requirements for PIs

• Possess experience in conducting basic research
• Have a senior professional title or PhD degree. Alternatively, the applicant can be recommended by two researchers with senior professional titles or PhD degree in the same research field
• Male applicants should not have reached 35 years of age by 1 January of the year of application; or 40 years of age for female applicants
• Part-time PhD students can apply under approval of their supervisor and through their employer; part-time master’s degree students cannot apply
• PIs currently implementing other Young Scientist Fund projects cannot apply
• For each project, a maximum of two cooperation institutes are allowed in a consortium
• The duration of each project is generally 3 years

How to apply

Applications are submitted through the NSFC’s Internet-based Science Information System (ISISN). An official account should be created on the system in order to submit applications. Each PI should apply for an account number and password to his/her host institution, provided that the latter has previously registered on the same system. More information in the note in the section “Annual project guidelines”.

International participation

Among the list there also were several China-based international universities or structures, including:

• Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool Universities (5 projects)
• University of Nottingham Ningbo (4 projects)
• Institut Pasteur Shanghai (2 projects)
• New York University Shanghai (1 project)
• Wenzhou Kean University (1 project)
• And all mainland China campuses of Hong Kong universities

20 projects (0.1% of the total) were also led by young foreign PIs.

Most of NSFC programmes target China-based actors. China-based affiliates of European entities can apply, as long as they possess legal personality in mainland China and are registered on the NSFC’s internet system (see the note in the section “Annual project guidelines”). European researchers working in China (either in China-based affiliates of European entities or in Chinese institutions) can also apply as principal investigators (PIs). Key Programmes are more competitive and considered harder to obtain for European actors, although their great potential and previous instances of European participation were identified.

Key Programme

The Key Programme (重点项目) funds medium-sized projects supporting prospective and frontier studies to achieve major breakthroughs in new industries and technologies, within the areas indicated in the National Natural Science Fund annual project guidelines.

Priority areas and past figures

Priority areas and deadline for applications are indicated every year in December in the NSFC annual project guidelines (see section “Annual project guidelines above”). Proposals in 2018 could be submitted in the fields of mathematics; chemistry; life sciences; earth sciences; engineering and materials; information and communication sciences; management sciences; and medical sciences. Each of these fields included a detailed list of specific topics and areas to be funded (more details in this link).

In 2017, 667 projects were granted out of 3,012 applications received, corresponding to an approval rate of 22.1%. The average funding allocated per project amounted to 2.97 million RMB (around 380k EUR).

The largest receivers of Key Programmes in 2017 were mainly China’s 985 universities, with Peking University, Tsinghua University and Shanghai Jiaotong University topping the list.

Eligibility requirements for PIs

• Possess experience in implementing basic research projects
• Have a senior professional title
• Researchers in postdoctoral stations, full-time students, scientists not currently working in any institution, or scientists working in institutions different from those through which the application is submitted cannot apply as PIs
• The application form should highlight the proposal’s scientific value, should feature clear objectives, and should be rational, specific, and feasible
• Each project is usually implemented by one institution alone. Only in very limited cases a project can be implemented by maximum of two cooperation institutes in consortium
• The duration of each project is generally 5 years.

How to apply

Applications are submitted through the National Natural Science Fund ’s Internet-based Science Information System (ISISN). An official account should be created on the system in order to submit applications. Each PI should apply for an account number and password to his/her host institution, provided that the latter has previously registered on the same system. More information in the note in the section “Annual project guidelines”.

International participation

Among the list there also were several China-based international universities or structures, including:

• Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool Universities (1 project)
• Institut Pasteur Shanghai (1 project)
• Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen campus) (1 project)
• Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Shenzhen campus) (1 project)

Three projects were also led by foreign nationals ethnic Chinese PIs.

Most of NSFC programmes target China-based actors. China-based affiliates of European entities can apply, as long as they possess legal personality in mainland China and are registered on the National Natural Science Fund ’s internet system (see the note in the section “Annual project guidelines”). European researchers working in China (either in China-based affiliates of European entities or in Chinese institutions) can also apply as principal investigators (PIs). Major Research Plans are much more competitive and considered harder to obtain for European actors. They however feature potential for participation, and previous instances of European participation were identified.

Major Research Plan

The Major Research Plan (重大研究计划) consists of projects providing scientific support and realising breakthroughs in priority areas of strategic value to the country’s economic and social development. They are characterised by a strong top-down design.

Priority areas and past figures

Unlike the General Programme, the Young Scientist Fund and Key Programmes, only a limited amount of Major Research Plan projects are included in the National Natural Science Fund annual project guidelines (see the section “annual project guidelines” for more information) – only three in 2018 (namely: new optical fields’ control physics and application; generation and evolution mechanisms of turbulent structures; and research on basic theories and key technologies on integrated robots. More details at this link). The vast majority of calls are published individually throughout the year, in this specific section on the National Natural Science Fund ’s website.[1] Each Major Research Plan supports one or more of the following categories of projects:

• Fostering projects (培育项目): refer to proposals with evident innovativeness but which still have not developed the conditions necessary for realising major breakthroughs. Their duration usually last 3 years, and the average funding per project is 600k to 800k RMB. A maximum of two cooperation institutes can be allowed in a consortium.
• Key support projects (重点支持项目): refer to strongly innovative proposals at the frontiers of international science, with already assembled solid team and conditions for research, and which are expected to achieve major research results in the short-medium term. Their duration usually last 4 years, and the average funding per project is 2.5 to 4 million RMB. A maximum of two cooperation institutes can be allowed in a consortium
• Integration projects (集成项目): refer to proposals which, on the basis of previous funding projects, are expected to realise major breakthroughs and leapfrog development, allowing China’s research level to reach the world’s highest in the corresponding area. Their duration is not specified but usually last 3-5 years, and the average funding per project generally ranges from 4 to over 10 million RMB. A maximum of four cooperation institutes and 9 scientists can be allowed in a consortium.

In 2016, a total of 502 projects were funded under 39 different Major Research Plans, for a total of 714 million RMB (around 91.3 million EUR) allocated.

The largest beneficiaries of Major Research Plans in the same year were, again, China’s 985 universities, with Tsinghua University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and Fudan University topping the list (36, 20, and 19 projects granted, respectively). Due to well-defined and ambitious targets, as well as stricter requirements and criteria for final project acceptance, Major Research Plans appear slightly harder to obtain for China-based affiliates of European institutions.

[1] http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/publish/portal0/zdyjjh/. A total of 47 individual calls were published every month throughout 2017, with a peak publication period registered in July (25 calls). Areas covered included: robotics, high-performance computing; big data; space information networks; optical fields; engines turbulent combustion; carbon-based energy conversion; energy and atmospheric pollution; molecular biology; genetic crops; genetic information transmission, etc.

Eligibility requirements for PIs

• Possess experience in implementing basic research projects
• Have senior professional title
• Researchers in postdoctoral stations, full-time students, scientists not currently working in any institution, or scientists working in institutions different from those through which the application is submitted cannot apply as PIs
• Only one application to Major Research Plans can be submitted in the same year; applicants who were granted a Major Research Plan project in the year before the call of application is published are also excluded from applying (with the exception of “integration projects”)
• The application form should highlight the proposal’s objectives and key breakthroughs to be achieved, should feature cross-discipline research, and should clearly explain the contribution it would give to achieving the Major Research Plan’s objectives and in solving its core scientific question
• PIs who receive funding must promise to abide by relevant regulations with respect to data and material management and sharing
• In order to encourage cross-disciplinary research, PIs who receive funding must agree to attend an annual conference organised by National Natural Science Fund as well as other workshops and seminars.

Evaluation criteria

Depending on the specific Major Research Plan, slightly different criteria will be adopted during the evaluation of proposals, but these generally highly consider the following:

• Conformance with the objectives outlined in the call for application.
• Original innovation proposals focusing on new concepts, principles and methods.
• Proposals featuring cross-disciplinary research (e.g. medical sciences with information, mathematic and materials sciences), integration of theory and application, etc.
• Proposals featuring international cooperation activities.

How to apply

Applications are submitted through the NSFC’s Internet-based Science Information System (ISISN). An official account should be created on the system in order to submit applications. Each PI should apply for an account number and password to his/her host institution, provided that the latter has previously registered on the same system. More information in the note in the section “Annual project guidelines”.

International participation

The only successful cases in 2016 were registered for “Fostering Projects” by

• New York University Shanghai (1 project)
• Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen campus) (1 project)
• Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Shenzhen campus) (1 project)

Two projects were also led by foreign PIs from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and from the CAS Institute of Genetics and Development Biology.

The National Natural Science Fund also features one programme targetting exclusively international cooperation. Specifically, the International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Programme is designed to support joint research and exchanges between Chinese scientists and top researchers and institutions around the world. The Programme is divided into three main sub-programmes, each targeting different actors and serving different purposes.

Key International (Regional) Joint Research Project

The Key International (Regional) Joint Research Projects encourage and support innovative China-based researchers to conduct basic research in priority areas in cooperation with international research structures and scientists based abroad.

Such projects can be launched with any scientists not located in China and conducting basic research abroad, as long as their cooperation with the Chinese partner is perceived as being complementary and necessary, and grounded on already-established foundations for cooperation (for instance the two partners should have already jointly published academic papers, or should have been involved in mutual exchange or visiting programmes for some time). Relevant regulations particularly encourage cooperation involving large international research infrastructures. Two opportunities therefore exist for European actors:

• European researchers not based in China, to cooperate with a China-based entity;
• China-based affiliates of European research institutes, or EU-China joint research structures to apply as Chinese party, in cooperation with researchers based abroad. Legal personality in China is in this case required (only one of such cases however has been identified in recent years, being Institut Pasteur of Shanghai in 2017).

Calls for applications

New calls for applications are published every year in December in the  National Natural Science Fund annual project guidelines (see section “Annual project guidelines above”). A total of 127 priority fields were supported in 2018 annual calls (more details in this link), for a total of 100 projects and around 250 million RMB allocated (average of 2.5 million RMB per project).

Eligibility requirements

The Chinese party should possess at least one of the following requirements:

• Hold a senior technology position, and be a PI currently implementing (or has implemented) a National Natural Science Fund project with a duration of over 3 years; or
• Winner of the “1000 Talents Plan”, category of “long-term innovation talent” or “young talent”

Requirements for the foreign partner:

• Holds a position equivalent to the title of associate professor in his/her country
• Conducts scientific research under projects abroad, and leads independently a laboratory or major research projects

How to apply

In addition to filling the application form in Chinese on the Internet-based Science Information System (see section “Annual project guidelines above”), applicants must also submit the following materials:

• English application form (downloadable from this link)
• Partnership agreement, signed by both parties: it must cover (i) content and objectives of the research; (ii) list of PIs and other members of the research team from both parties; (iii) duration, method of implementation and plan of the research; (iv) intention of ownership, utilisation and transfer of IP rights (v) budget proposals and division of funds
• Certificates attesting that the foreign partner is implementing or applying to research projects abroad on relevant topics, or relevant papers published in the last 3 years
• A confirmation letter in English from the foreign partner’s host institution confirming the content of the application, and including the institution’s name, logo, location, and contact details.

More information (in Chinese) can be found in the Measures on the Management of Key International (Regional) Joint Research Projects at this link.

The National Natural Science Fund also features one programme targetting exclusively international cooperation. Specifically, the International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Programme is designed to support joint research and exchanges between Chinese scientists and top researchers and institutions around the world. The Programme is divided into three main sub-programmes, each targeting different actors and serving different purposes.

International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Programmes under framework agreements

Similarly to the Key International (Regional) Joint Research Projects, the International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Programmes under framework agreements is oriented to encouraging and supporting excellent Chinese scientists to conduct joint research in the partner’s country and facility, or to organise international conferences in China or abroad.

By December 2017, the National Natural Science Fund had framework agreements with 86 institutions in 44 countries worldwide, including with 17 EU Member States, the EU Commission’s Directorate-General for Research, the European Research Council, CERN, as well as international organisations based in Europe. A full list of agreements with European partners is included in the table below.

Under these framework agreements, the National Natural Science Fund will support expenses related to the Chinese scientist’ travel fees, or to logistical arrangements in China; the partner institution should cover expenses related to the Chinese scientist’ subsistence in the country.

New calls for applications are not published in the NSFC annual project guidelines, but are published throughout the year according to bilateral/multilateral agreements (at this specific page of the NSFC website). A one-year calendar indicating the milestones of each agreement’s application process is usually published at the beginning of any new year on NSFC website (the one for 2018 was published at this link).

This programme is directed exclusively to Chinese scientists. Eligibility requirements and methods of applications vary according to each specific agreement signed with the partner institution. European-based institutions should contact the relevant authorities in their country to see whether they are included in the joint cooperation and exchange programme.

More information can be found at all times on the National Natural Science Fund international cooperation bureau’s website (link), and in the NSFC annual guidelines (the latest annual guidelines for 2018 were published at this link).

	Country	Institution		Country	Institution
1	Ireland	The Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)	25	Netherlands	The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO)
2	Austria	Austrian Industrial Research Promotion Fund (FFF)	26	Norway	The Research Council of Norway (NRC)
3	Austria	Austrian Science Fund (FWF)	27	Poland	Foundation for Polish Science (PSF)
4	Belgium	Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS)	28	Portugal	Council for Scientific and Technological Research (JNICT)
5	Belgium	Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO)	29	Portugal	Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)
6	Czech Republic	Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (ASCR)	30	Slovenia	Slovenian Science Foundation (SSF)
7	Czech Republic	Czech Science Foundation (GACR)	31	Spain	Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)
8	Denmark	The Danish Research Councils (DRC)	32	Sweden	Swedish Toundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT)
9	Denmark	Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF)	33	Switzerland	Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
10	EU	European Research Council (ERC)	34	Ukraine	National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU)
11	EU	EU Commission DG-RTD	35	United Kingdom	The Royal Society (RS)
12	Europe	European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)	36	United Kingdom	The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, United Kingdom (EPSRC)
13	Finland	The Academy of Finland (AF)	37	United Kingdom	Biotechology and Biological Sciences Research Council, United Kingdom (BBSRC)
14	France	Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)	38	United Kingdom	The Natural Enviroment Research Council of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland（NERC）
15	France	Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique (CEA)	39	United Kingdom	The Medical Research Council of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland（MRC）
16	France	L’Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de France (INRA)	40	United Kingdom	The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE)
17	France	L’Institut Francais de Recherche pour l’Explotation de la Mer (IFREMER)	41	United Kingdom	The Economic and Social Research Council of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (RCUK)
18	France	Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)	42	United Kingdom	Science & Technology Facilities Council
19	Germany	Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)	43	United Kingdom	British Council
20	Greece	The National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF)	44	International Organisation	The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
21	Island	The Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS)	45	International Organisation	Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR)
22	Italy	National Research Council (CNR)	46	International Organisation	International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)
23	Italy	Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica “F.Sever” (INdAM)	47	International Organisation	United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
24	Italy	Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy (MAECI)	48	International Organisation	The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

The National Natural Science Fund also features one programme targetting exclusively international cooperation. Specifically, the International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Programme is designed to support joint research and exchanges between Chinese scientists and top researchers and institutions around the world. The Programme is divided into three main sub-programmes, each targeting different actors and serving different purposes.

 

Research Fellowship for International Young Scientists

The Research Fellowship for International Young Scientists is oriented to encouraging excellent international young scientists based abroad to come to mainland China to conduct basic research in natural sciences. The aim is to promote sustainable academic collaboration and exchanges between Chinese scholars and foreign young scientists.

Calls for applications

New calls for applications are published every year in the National Natural Science Fund annual project guidelines. An English version of the guidelines is also usually published (the last guidelines for 2018 were published at this link). Similarly to the General Programme and the Young Scientist Fund targeting China-based actors, the Research Fellowship for International Young Scientists also encourages applicants to conduct explorative research on open topics chosen freely. An average of 200k to 400k RMB is allocated for projects lasting 1 to 2 years.

Around 150 projects are to be funded in 2018, for a total of around 45 million RMB (average of 300k RMB per project).

Eligibility requirements

Candidates should possess the following requirements:

• Be less than 40 years of age by 1 January of the year of application
• Have a Ph.D. degree
• Have experience in conducting basic research or postdoctoral research
• Guarantee full-time work at the Chinese host institutions during the entire project duration
• Abide by Chinese laws and relevant National Natural Science Fund regulations while doing research in China.

How to apply

Applicants must first contact a host institution in China, and sign a written cooperation agreement. The host institution will then generate an official account number and password for the candidate to log-in on the ISISN system (see section “Annual project guidelines above”). An ad hoc application system in English was created to facilitate applications (available at this link). The application form can be submitted in English.

In addition to filling the research proposal, the following materials must also be submitted as part of the application materials:

• Signed agreement between the applicant and the host institution in China
• Notarised copy of the applicant’s PhD degree
• The first page of a maximum of five publications written by the applicant

Evaluation criteria

The evaluation process follows the same procedure as the other National Natural Science Fund programmes. Research proposals will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

• The applicant’s education background and his/her ability to conduct basic research
• The applicant’s career records and achievements in conducting basic research
• The originality, scientific value and expected outcomes of the proposed research
• The feasibility of the proposed research plan and rationality of the budget

Besides, it is commonly agreed that the more the research topic is in line with Chinese national or regional needs and values, the higher the chances of being approved will be.

Publication of results

A preliminary evaluation will be completed within 45 days after the submission deadline. Results of proposals which passed the preliminary evaluation are published online (the latest example in 2017 can be found at this link). The final approval notification to proposals which passed the second panel evaluation are usually published on National Natural Science Fund s website in September every year (the latest example in 2017 can be found at this link). Scientists interested to apply to this category of funds in the future are encouraged to contact winners of previous editions to obtain a deeper knowledge and application tips.

More information in English can be found in the Measures on the Management of the Research Fellowship for International Young Scientists at this link.

As one of the oldest funding source available in China, at the same time featuring the highest degree of participation, a large number of articles and blogs providing tips and recommendations on different aspects of the National Natural Science Fund application process can easily be found online or on unofficial Wechat accounts (a few links will be provided in the “Useful links section”). Inspiring articles written by current or former PIs or evaluation experts on how to enhance the quality and effectiveness of proposals are also frequently published on the National Natural Science Fund’s official publication, “Science Foundation in China” (A few examples in Chinese can be found at this link). Significant feedback from European experts with experience in National Natural Science Fund projects was also collected by the project team during consultations and workshops.

All the above can be summarised in a few key recommendations grouped under different aspects of the application process:

Research topic

• The candidate should possess solid research foundations on the proposed topic (online articles suggest at least 3 SCI papers on the subject). One’s own published papers should be cited in the application form.
• The more aligned the research proposal is with local or national needs, or the more international competitiveness it has, then the higher the chances of approval will be.
• Focus on three to five research results to achieve. Each of them should be clear, very well-defined, and measurable (e.g. patents filed; standard formulated; new technology developed, etc).
• As innovativeness and originality are important criteria on which proposals are evaluated, it is recommended to identify new research trends, methodologies or angles, and avoiding repetitions and duplications. Moreover, numerous areas and National Natural Science Fund departments feature very fierce competition, compared to others where only a limited number of applications are submitted every year and thus may feature higher success rates. The NSFC’s official database of granted projects is an efficient tool through which new trends and less competitive areas can be identified, thanks to its efficient browsing system allowing searches by programme, topic, or achievements realised (the National Natural Science Fund database of granted projects is available at this link).

Filling the National Natural Science Fund application proposal

• When filling information on the research team, make sure that the team composition is rational and suitable. For instance:
• Do not include renowned experts just because of their image if they are not strictly relevant to the proposed research topic
• It is better to not include any participant with current or previous work experience in government organisations
• If applying to the Young Scientist Fund, do not include the mentor professor or supervisor, otherwise the latter might be considered to be the real PI, and not the applying young scientist
• Highlight how each scientist in the team complements each other
• Gender-balanced teams are generally not considered essential, but indeed might represent a good asset
• Pay attention to budgetary calculations:
• Make sure the scope of each item included the budget proposal is in line with the official definition provided for it in the NSFC Fund Management Measures (link);
• Make sure that the amount of each item included in the budget proposal is in line with relevant expenditure standards and guidelines outlined by relevant national guidelines and regulations (for instance, travel and accommodation fees); other fees such as purchase of equipment or materials should be strictly in line with real market costs.
• The “personal resume” section in the application form should not include the applicant’s past funded projects, publications, patents and awards; these must be included in the “research results” section of the application form
• An attachment indicating a maximum of three experts that must be excluded from evaluating one’s proposal can be submitted (for instance experts with whom the applicant has a negative personal relationship). These experts will automatically be excluded by the National Natural Science Fund system.

Writing style

• Make sure to make good use of illustrations and graphics, as these are generally well-appreciated by evaluation experts
• Highlight four main questions: ‘what’ (research subject), ‘why’ (significance of the research, goals and key problems to be solved), ‘how’ (methodology), and ‘why me’ (research foundations, experience in the subject, and innovativeness of the proposed approach, etc).

• National Natural Science Fund website (Chinese)
• National Natural Science Fund website (English)
• National Natural Science Fund Bureau of International Cooperation (Chinese)
• National Natural Science Fund Bureau of International Cooperation (English)
• National Natural Science Fund official Wechat subscription account ID (Chinese): 国家自然科学基金委员会
• National Natural Science Fund commentary Wechat subscription account ID (Chinese, unofficial): 解说国自然