Notice on Application for the 2026 "Pilot Program of Research Fund for Excellent International PhD Students-II"
August 24, 2026
In accordance with the relevant notice from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the university hereby launches the internal application process for the 2026 "Pilot Program of Research Fund for Excellent International PhD Students-II" (RFEIPS-II).
This program adopts a dual Principal Investigator (PI) scheme, under which an international PhD student and the doctoral supervisor jointly submit the project application. Eligible students and supervisors are encouraged to apply.
Detailed requirements are set forth in the attached: HUST Selection Plan for Recommending Applications to the 2026 NSFC Pilot Program of Research Fund for Excellent International PhD Students-II.
I. Key Application Requirements
Student PI:
1. Shall be an international PhD student formally enrolled at the university, including full-time degree candidates and joint-training degree candidates. From the time of submitting the project application onward, applicants shall conduct doctoral dissertation research at the university for no less than two academic years;
2. The bachelor's degree shall have been awarded no earlier than January 1, 2022;
3. The applicant's undergraduate institution shall have been ranked among the global top 200 in QS, THE, U.S. News, or ARWU at least once between the year of the applicant's undergraduate enrollment and September 22, 2026;
4. Shall have received a university-level or higher-level scholarship support;
5. The proposed research shall constitute the applicant's doctoral dissertation research topic and shall comply with the relevant NSFC application requirements.
Supervisor PI:
1. Shall be qualified as a doctoral supervisor at the university;
2. Shall have at least three consecutive years of overseas study or work experience;
3. Shall demonstrate corresponding research foundations and be able to provide necessary academic guidance, research platforms, and supporting conditions for the student.
II. Funding Duration and Amount
The total number of funded projects nationwide shall not exceed 20. The funding period ranges from two to three years, effective from January 1, 2027. The maximum direct funding is RMB 500,000 per project, with no indirect costs. The funding share allocated to the Student PI shall be no less than 60%, and the funding share allocated to the Supervisor PI shall not exceed 40%.
III. Application Limits
For Student PIs: In the same year, the total number of applications submitted to the RFEIPS-II Program, RFEIPS-I Program, and NSFC Basic Research Program for PhD Students shall not exceed one. The total number of grants received from these three programs as a project PI shall not exceed one.
For Supervisor PIs: A supervisor may participate in no more than two RFEIPS-II applications in the same year. Ongoing RFEIPS-II projects (excluding projects whose funding period expires in the year of application), together with newly participated RFEIPS-II applications in the same year, shall not exceed two in total.
IV. Important Timeline
1. Before August 30: Applicants shall prepare the Consent Letter by PhD Supervisor in China (Attachment 1), Achievement Information Form (Attachment 2), and defense PPT, and submit them to their respective departments (to the departmental faculty member in charge of routine liaison with the School of International Education).
Special Note：Required Attachments in NSFC Grants system:
(1) Certificate of Chinese Government Scholarship Support; the admission notice may be used.
(2) Recommendation of Host Institution stamped with the official seal of HUST.
(3) Consent Letter by PhD Supervisor in China signed by the supervisor.
(4) Complete Transcripts since Bachelor's Study.
(5) No more than five electronic copies of the applicant's published representative papers.
(6) Relevant review and certification documents where the proposed research involves scientific research ethics or science and technology security issues (such as biosafety, information security, etc.).
Applicants are kindly requested to prepare the aforementioned materials as early as possible to ensure a smooth submission.
2. Before September 1: Departments shall complete the qualification review and nomination of applicants from their respective colleges. Departments shall compile and submit the Achievement Information Forms and defense PPTs of nominated applicants to the School of International Education (see Contact Information for the email address). All prospective applicants and their supervisors are reminded that the proposed research must be based on the applicant's own doctoral dissertation research topic; using another person's research topic for the application is strictly prohibited.
3. September 7–9 (specific time to be notified separately): The School of International Education will organize an expert review meeting and simultaneously complete the Recommendation of Host Institution (Attachment 3). Applicants are requested to attend on time. Access to the NSFC Grants system (https://grants.nsfc.gov.cn/) will be granted to applicants based on the results of the expert review meeting.
4. September 15: Internal deadline. Applicants shall log in to the NSFC Grants system (https://grants.nsfc.gov.cn/) to upload the electronic application and all attachments; departments shall complete the online review.
5. September 15–21: Science Development Institute review and revision. The Science Development Institute will conduct an online material review and provide feedback; applicants shall revise and resubmit in a timely manner according to the comments.
6. September 22, 16:00: Final deadline for the NSFC system.
Special Reminder: It is strictly prohibited to use another person's research topic for application. The application content must be the applicant's own doctoral dissertation research topic.
V. Notes
1. The Student PI and Supervisor PI shall carefully prepare application materials in accordance with the proposal outline and relevant instructions in the NSFC system. Supervisors and Schools/Departments shall review and ensure the quality of the application content, as the quality of the proposal is an important basis for subsequent peer review and project selection.
2. Schools/Departments shall focus on verifying the Student PI's undergraduate institution global ranking, bachelor's degree award date, remaining doctoral dissertation research period, and scholarship support, as well as the Supervisor PI's doctoral-supervisor status, consecutive overseas study or work experience of three years or more, and applicable application-limit requirements.
3. Please pay special attention to the application-limit requirements. For Student PIs: the total number of applications to RFEIPS-II, RFEIPS-I, and NSFC Basic Research Program for PhD Students in the same year shall not exceed one. For Supervisor PIs: participation in RFEIPS-II applications in the same year is limited to two; ongoing RFEIPS-II projects (excluding those expiring in the year of application) and new RFEIPS-II applications in the same year shall not exceed two in total.
VI. Contact Information
Main Campus: Ms. Wu, Email: yuqingwu@hust.edu.cn
Tongji Campus: Ms. Zhou, Email: iris_hust@hust.edu.cn
Attachments:
附件1 导师同意函（Consent Letter by PhD Supervisor in China）.doc
附件2 成果信息汇总表 (Achievement Information Form（RFEIPS-II）).docx
附件3 依托单位推荐意见（Recommendation of Host Institution）.docx
关于推荐申请2026年度国际优秀学生来华读博科研专项（试点）项目的选拔方案HUST Selection Plan for Recommending Applications to the 2026 NSFC Pilot Program of Research Fund for Excellent International PhD Students-II.docx
School of International Education
关于申报2026年度"国际优秀学生来华读博科研专项
（试点）项目"的通知
根据国家自然科学基金委员会有关通知，现启动2026年度"国际优秀学生来华读博科研专项（试点）项目"（RFEIPS-II）校内申报工作。
本专项实行学生负责人和导师负责人"双负责人制"，由外籍博士研究生与其博士生导师共同提出申请，请各位符合条件的学生及导师积极申报。
具体要求详见附件《关于推荐申请2026年度"国际优秀学生来华读博科研专项（试点）项目"的选拔方案》。
一、重点申请条件
学生负责人：
1. 为我校正式录取的外籍博士研究生，包括全日制博士研究生及联合培养学位研究生；自提交申请起，在我校开展博士学位论文课题研究时间不少于2学年；
2. 本科学位取得时间不早于2022年1月1日；
3. 本科院校在申请人本科入学当年至2026年9月22日期间，至少一次在QS、THE、U.S. News或ARWU世界大学排名中进入全球前200名；
4. 已获得校级及以上层次奖学金资助；
5. 申请项目须为本人博士学位论文研究课题，并符合国家自然科学基金相关申报要求。
导师负责人：
1. 具有我校博士生导师资格；
2. 具有连续3年及以上国外学习或工作经历；
3. 具备相应科研基础，能够为学生提供必要的学术指导、科研平台和条件保障。
二、资助年限与额度
全国拟资助项目数量合计不超过20项，资助期限为2-3年，自2027年1月1日起执行。每项直接经费资助总额不超过50万元，不设间接经费。其中，学生负责人经费占比不得低于60%，导师负责人经费占比不得超过40%。
三、限项要求
学生负责人同年申请RFEIPS-II、RFEIPS-I及青年学生基础研究项目（博士研究生），合计限申请1项；作为项目负责人获得上述三个项目资助，合计限1项。
导师负责人同年参与本专项申请限2项；正在承担且当年未到期的本专项项目与同年新参与申请项目，合计限2项。
四、重要时间节点
1. 8月30日前，申请人准备导师同意函（附件1）、成果信息表（附件2）、答辩PPT发至各院系（院系负责日常对接国教院的老师）。
提示： 申请时系统必须提交的附件材料：
（1）申请人所获中国政府奖学金资助证明（Certificate of Chinese Government Scholarship Support），可用录取通知书；
（2）加盖依托单位公章的单位推荐意见（Recommendation of Host Institution）；
（3）由导师签名的导师同意函（Consent Letter by PhD Supervisor in China）；
（4）申请人自本科以来的完整学业成绩单（Complete Transcripts since Bachelor's Study）复印件；
（5）不超过5篇申请人公开发表的代表性论文电子版；
（6）涉及科研伦理及科技安全（如生物安全、信息安全等）的项目申请，须按要求上传相应审核证明材料。
请申请人尽早准备上述材料以便顺利填报。
2. 9月1日前：各院系完成本院申请人的资格审查和推荐工作。各院系汇总推荐申请人“成果信息表”和答辩PPT至国际教育学院（邮箱见联系方式）。 提醒所有拟申报学生及其导师，申报内容须基于申请人本人博士学位论文研究课题，严禁使用他人课题进行申报。
3. 9月7-9日（具体时间另行通知）：国际教育学院组织专家评审会，同步完成《依托单位推荐意见》（附件3）填报，请申请人按时参加。将根据专家评审会结果为申请人开通科学基金网络信息系统（https://grants.nsfc.gov.cn/）填报权限。
4. 9月15日：校内截止时间。申请人登录科学基金网络信息系统（https://grants.nsfc.gov.cn/）上传电子申请书及全部附件；各院系完成线上审核。
5. 9月15日-9月21日：科发院审核与修改。科发院开展线上材料审核并反馈修改意见；申请人按意见及时修改并重新提交。
6. 9月22日16:00：基金委系统最终截止。
特别提醒：严禁挪用他人课题进行申报，申报内容必须为本人博士学位论文课题。
五、注意事项
1. 请学生负责人及导师负责人根据基金委系统中的申请书撰写提纲及相关填报说明认真准备申请材料。导师和学院应对申请内容进行审核把关，申请书质量是后续通讯评审和项目遴选的重要基础。
2. 学院重点核验学生负责人的本科院校全球排名、本科学位取得时间、剩余博士学位论文研究期限、奖学金资助情况，并对导师负责人的博士生导师资格、连续3年及以上国外学习或工作经历和限项情况进行核验。
3. 请特别注意限项规定。学生负责人同年申请RFEIPS-II、RFEIPS-I及青年学生基础研究项目（博士研究生）合计限1项；导师负责人同年参与RFEIPS-II申请限2项，正在承担且当年未到期的本专项项目与同年新参与申请项目合计限2项。
六、联系方式
主校区：吴老师，Email：yuqingwu@hust.edu.cn
同济校区：周老师，Email：iris_hust@hust.edu.cn
附件：
1. 导师同意函模板
2. 成果信息表模板
3. 依托单位推荐意见模板
《关于推荐申请2026年度"国际优秀学生来华读博科研专项（试点）项目"的选拔方案》
国际教育学院
2026年8月24日
