Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai

Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai

Supports Shanghai researchers through the Natural Science Foundation with basic research funding in scientific fields.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (上海市自然科学基金), part of the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan administered by the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission (STCSM), funds investigator-initiated basic research projects conducted at Shanghai-registered host institutions. The 2026 cycle follows an annual pattern consistent with the 2025 intake, which had a submission deadline of 25 February 2025 and project start date of 1 May 2025. Two tracks are offered: Type 1 General Projects at CNY 200,000 per project, and Type 2 Youth Projects at CNY 250,000 per project. All projects run for three years.

Applicants must apply through their employing Shanghai-registered host institution via the STCSM submission system at svc.stcsm.sh.gov.cn/project. Individual applications are not accepted. For the Youth track (Type 2), the Principal Investigator must be male and under 35 years of age, or female and under 38 years of age, as of 1 January of the application year. A Principal Investigator who is already leading an ongoing national or Shanghai municipal science and technology project cannot serve as PI again under this call. Eligible host institutions must be registered and operating in Shanghai.

The programme covers all natural science disciplines with no sectoral quota — research may span life sciences, physical sciences, materials, information technology, and engineering. For-profit companies are not eligible to serve as host institutions. The fund is designed for early-stage basic and applied research with a maximum TRL of approximately 4. Applicants targeting the Youth track should verify age cut-off dates for the specific 2026 call in the STCSM announcement, as exact birth-year cut-offs are set relative to 1 January of the submission year.