PHOTO: VCG

By CHEN Chunyou

In order to provide more research opportunities for foreign researchers and contribute to their career development at different academic stages, the Research Fund for International Scientists (RFIS) is set up by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) to support international scientists, who are ready to work at Chinese host institutions.

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 be conducive to enhancing the long-term, sustainable academic collaboration and exchange between Chinese and international scientists.

Three types of grants are included in this program, and all funding is for direct costs.

For the International Young Scientists, 200,000 RMB will be given per year, for the International Excellent Young Scientists, 400,000 RMB will be funded per year, and for the International Senior Scientists, 800,000 RMB will be available annually.

The applicants' affiliated universities and institutions must be based in China's mainland and have registered at NSFC.

Projects are expected to start on January 1, 2023, ending at slightly different dates depending on the types of projects. The one-year project will end on December 31, 2023, and the two-year project will end on December 31, 2024.

The call opens from March 1 to March 20, 2022.

The requirements of eligibility for each type of the RFIS vary. In order to ensure a successful application, applicants are expected to check The National Natural Science Fund Guide to Programs 2022, and follow the procedures to submit all the application documents in time to NSFC.