Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowships For 2025. You should read this article if you are interested in doing postdoctoral research abroad. This article will provide a detailed explanation of the Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowships, their benefits, and the application process.
International students are eligible to apply for Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025-2026, which are fully funded scholarships. There will be a living allowance and a travel and research allowance included in the HFSP Fellowships. There may also be child allowances, parental leave allowances, and relocation allowances available to fellows depending on their specific situation.
A fellowship in the HFSP program supports proposals that involve frontier, potentially transformative research in the life sciences. Applicants with high-risk projects are particularly encouraged to apply. Projects should be interdisciplinary and challenge existing paradigms through novel approaches and techniques. From a scientific standpoint, their goal should be to solve a problem or break down a barrier to the field’s progress.
Postdoctoral fellowships funded by HFSP are designed to help early-career scientists expand their skills by studying in new countries and pursuing new research areas.
There are two types of fellowships available:
The Long-Term Fellowship program is for PhD candidates with a biological discipline who wish to broaden their expertise in the life sciences by proposing a project that is fundamentally different from their previous PhD or postdoctoral work.
A Cross-Disciplinary Fellowship (CDF) is open to applicants with PhDs in fields other than life sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, computer science, etc.).
Summary of Scholarships
- Level of Study: Postdoctoral
- Institution(s): Human Frontier Science Program
- Study At: List of Host Countries below
- Opportunity Focus Areas: Life sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Engineering or Computer sciences
- Deadline:
- Letter of Intent initiating by May 07, 2025 at 1 PM (Eastern Time US)
- In April, the registration portal will open.
- Please submit a Letter of Intent by May 15, 2025, at 1 PM (Eastern Time US).
- If a fellowship applicant’s Letter of Intent was selected for submission of a full proposal, he or she will be notified between mid-August and the end of August.
- Proposals must be submitted by ProposalCentral by 1 P.M. (Eastern Time US) on September 25, 2025.
Host Countries
| Country | Country | Country | Country |
|---|
| Australia | Austria | Belgium | Bulgaria |
| Canada | Croatia | Cyprus (EU part) | Czech Republic |
| Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France |
| Germany | Greece | Hungary | India |
| Ireland (Republic) | Israel | Italy | Japan |
| Korea (Republic of) | Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Malta | Netherlands | New Zealand | Poland |
| Portugal | Romania | Singapore | Slovakia |
| Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland |
| United Kingdom | United States |
Coverage of Scholarships
The Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowship will provide both a living allowance and an allowance for research and travel. As a result of their specific circumstances, fellows may also be eligible for child allowances, parental leave allowances, and relocation allowances.
HFSP Fellowship Eligibility Criteria
A candidate must meet all of the following requirements in order to be considered for a Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowship:
- Language Required: English
- Countries eligible: All world countries
- The applicant’s first postdoctoral studies or Ph.D. work must be done in a different country than the one where they did their previous Ph.D. work. Institutions that are not classified as national, such as EMBL, ICPT or ICGEB, as well as international and extraterritorial institutions, consider the host country as the place where the laboratory is located.
- A research doctorate (Ph.D.) or a doctoral-level degree equivalent to a Ph.D. with equivalent research experience (e.g. a research-based MD or medical Ph.D.) must be conferred prior to the start of the fellowship, but is not required at the time of proposal submission.
- An applicant must have at least one lead author submitting a full-length research paper to an international peer-reviewed journal or to a preprint server, and be accepted for publication, in press, or published.
- The only papers considered are those written in English. Articles in reviews and patents are not taken into account.
- While preparing an application, electronic copies of publications by the lead author must be uploaded. A candidate cannot upload them after submitting his or her application.
Application for Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowships?
Application instructions for Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowships are as follows:
(1) Intent letter (to be submitted by May 07, 2025)
The applicant must submit a ‘Letter of Intent’ (LOI) by clicking here, which must include the following information:
- The title of the proposal
- Proposed research plan keywords
- Here is a brief summary of the proposed research plan (this summary can serve as the abstract for the full application, as described below)
- Personal information
- CV
- PhD field and title
- Provide information about the proposed supervisor and institution for the host
- Previously published collaborations and publications with the host supervisor (if any) Confirmation that the host supervisor is aware of the application and supports it Publication list (preliminary, with option to update)
- (2) The Letter of Intent will be peer reviewed and the results communicated quickly.
- (3) A complete application (to be submitted by September 25, 2025)
It is important to note that you will be contacted if you are invited to progress to this second stage by HFSP.
A complete application must include the following information:
- The summary of previous work (same as the short summary of the letter of intent)
- The abstract of the proposed research project (the same as the short summary of the letter of intent)
- A detailed research plan for the proposed project
- A description of why the proposed project will be a significant change from previous efforts
- An explanation of why and how the proposed project is a frontier project
- A description of why the chosen host lab is a good match
- A description of how the applicant will benefit from being in the host lab (e.g. special infrastructure, mentorship, exposure to new techniques, etc.).
- A list of publications that has been updated
- Two letters of recommendation
- A recommendation letter from the host supervisor, explaining how the proposed research plan is a new direction for the host lab and a significant change from the applicant’s prior work (either during PhD or postdoctoral training); the host supervisor should also explain how and why their lab is particularly suited to supporting the aims and missions of HFSP to enable the most talented young researchers to work on a frontier research project that will shape their career journey; the host supervisor should also outline a mentorship plan for the applicant.
- The PDF files of publications by the lead author
FAQs About Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
Who is eligible to apply for the HFSP Postdoctoral Fellowships?
The fellowships are open to international applicants from all countries who have completed a PhD or equivalent research doctorate. Applicants must propose a research project in a country different from where they conducted their PhD studies.
What types of fellowships are available under HFSP?
There are two types:
- Long-Term Fellowships for applicants with a PhD in the life sciences.
- Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships (CDF) for applicants with PhDs in non-life science fields like physics, chemistry, or computer science.
What does the HFSP Fellowship cover?
The fellowship provides a living allowance, research and travel funds, and may also include child allowances, parental leave, and relocation support, depending on the fellow’s circumstances.
Conclusion
The Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025 offer an incredible opportunity for early-career researchers to explore interdisciplinary, frontier life science projects abroad. With generous financial support and a focus on innovative research, these fellowships empower scientists to pursue high-impact studies globally. If you’re passionate about transformative research, this program could be your ideal next step.
