Aim

  1. The SSRC GRF is a national scheme that aims to facilitate the engagement of outstanding early-career Singaporean social science and humanities researchers who have been accepted for their doctoral or postdoctoral training at leading overseas research or academic institutions.
  2. The SSRC GRF aims to forge strong professional networks with promising early-career Singaporean social science and humanities researchers. This broadened network of Singaporean researchers based both locally and abroad facilitates a rich exchange of ideas between local and international scholars that strengthens Singapore’s research capabilities.
  3. The SSRC GRF also aims to assist in the development of promising overseas-based early-career researchers with the provision of a small research grant and an opportunity to be mentored by an experienced researcher in the local Autonomous Universities (AUs). This will broaden the potential pipeline of Singaporean researchers who may eventually take up appointments within the local research ecosystem.

 

Eligibility Criteria 

Applicants must fulfil the following eligibility criteria throughout their SSRC GRF tenure:

  1. Singapore citizens;
  2. Outstanding undergraduate academic record (at least a bachelor’s degree with second upper honours or equivalent);
  3. Hold a position either as a doctoral student or postdoctoral fellow (or equivalent) at a leading overseas academic or research institution;
    • Applicants holding a position equivalent to that of a postdoctoral fellow must provide supporting documents showing that their home university does not offer postdoctoral fellow positions and that their current position may be considered equivalent to that of a postdoctoral fellow;
    • Doctoral students or postdoctoral fellows who are employed by a local Autonomous University, including those on no-pay leave, are not eligible for the SSRC GRF; and
    • Awardees are required to inform their AU promptly once this eligibility criterion is no longer met, and awards will be closed, with no further expenditures allowed from the date of ineligibility; and
  4. Applicants must not be recipients of other scholarships from the Singapore Government including but not limited to the Singapore Teaching and Academic Research Talent Scheme (START) PhD Scholarships and Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards.

 

SUSS Requirement for Mentors

Awardees will be assigned a mentor who:

  1. is a full-time faculty member;
  2. is an experienced researcher in the proposed area of research, who can provide access to valuable academic and career guidance; and
  3. shall monitor and provide comments on the awardee’s performance and research progress at periodic intervals.

Please refer to the list of mentors below. 

You may approach other faculty who is not in the list by looking through our SUSS Faculty Listing. 

Terms of SSRC GRF

The terms of the SSRC GRF are as follows:

a) Each awardee is awarded only one (1) GRF offer at any point in time;

b) Each awardee is limited to a maximum of three (3) awards in total throughout their career (regardless of category);

c) Tenable for a period of at least one (1) year and a maximum of three (3) years;

d) Tenable for research in any social science and humanities discipline, although research on local issues of relevance is encouraged;

e) Each awardee may receive up to SGD20,000 per award. The award may be used for travel or other research-related expenses;

f) Awardees will be required to return to Singapore at least once during the tenure of award to participate in engagement activities within the host AU and with SSRC members.

g) The SSRC GRF is bond-free, and host AUs are under no obligation to hire GRF awardees as faculty members upon the conclusion of their GRF tenure.

h) Awardees must comply with reporting requirements stipulated by the host AU.


Schedule of Grant Call and Activities

Activity
Dates

 

Grant Call for SSRC GRF application opens

2 November 2026

Deadline for Submission of Proposals
(Application and proposal must have been reviewed by mentor and endorsed by School Dean by 3 Dec 2026)

4 December 2026
Conveyance of outcome of SSRC GRF callFebruary 2027

 

Application Procedures

Interested applicants are to read through the documents attached, complete the application form, including all supporting documents, and send their applications via email to [email protected] by 4 December 2026, 2359hr, Singapore Time (GMT+8).

Attached are the respective documents for the application:

  1.  Information Sheet
  2.  Application Form
  3.  Non-fundable Items

Contact Details

For information about the grant call, please email [email protected]