2026 NSFC-RGC (Hong Kong) Joint Research Program

2026 NSFC-RGC (Hong Kong) Joint Research Program

2026年度国家自然科学基金委员会与香港研究资助局联合科研基金合作研究项目

Dec. 2, 2025

Official Announcements in Chinese
NSFC-RGC Joint Research Program
NSFC-RGC Joint Research Key Program
NSFC-RGC Joint Research Young Researcher Program

Sponsor:

National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)
Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC)

Program Type:

This project focuses on supporting mainland and Hong Kong scientists and technicians to carry out in-depth, systematic and innovative research on research directions or discipline growth points with good foundations, promote discipline development, and promote breakthroughs in several important fields or scientific frontiers. There are three types:

1. Joint Research Program
2. Joint Research Key Program
3. Joint Research Young Researcher Program

Funding Area:

This program supports research in the field of all natural sciences. Prioritized areas include: information science, biological science, new materials science, marine and environmental science, medical science, and management science.

Funding Scale:

1. Joint Research Program: about 50 projects will be funded. NSFC will provide RMB 1,000,000 per project.  RGC will provide a similar amount of funding to HK PIs. 
2. Joint Research Key Program: about 10 projects will be funded. NSFC will provide RMB 3,000,000 per project.  RGC will provide a similar amount of funding to HK PIs.
3. Joint Research Young Researcher Program: about 10 projects will be funded. NSFC will provide RMB 800,000 per project.  RGC will provide a similar amount of funding to HK PIs. 

Project Period: four years, from January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2030.

Applicant Eligibility:

1. Applicants must be a senior professional title holder (i.e., Tenure-track Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Full Professor), and must be leading or had led a three-year or above termed NSFC funded program.
2. For “Young Researcher Program”, applicants should have obtained their doctoral degree within the past 12 years.
3. An applicant who is currently leading an international (regional) cooperative research project cannot apply as PI for this program.
4. Applicants shall not apply for or participate in the application of projects in both domestic and overseas identities at the same time.
5. Applicants employed by Hong Kong universities or institutions shall not apply for this project through mainland institutions.
6. Applicants can only apply for one international (regional) cooperative research project in the same year.
7. For “Joint Research Program” and “Joint Research Young Researcher Program”, they are NOT counted  as one of the two projects in total applied or led by the same PI. For “Joint Research Key Program”, it is counted as one of the two projects in total applied or led by the same PI.

Please refer to the official announcements for full details.

NSFC-RGC Joint Research Program

NSFC-RGC Joint Research Key Program

NSFC-RGC Joint Research Young Researcher Program

Important Dates:

xemeaino