Call for Proposals in July 2024

SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL (SSRC) GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP SCHEME (GRF)

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 doctoral or postdoctoral training at leading overseas research or academic institutions.

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 will facilitate a rich exchange of ideas between local and international scholars that strengthens Singapore’s research capabilities.

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).

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

1. Singapore citizens; 
2. Undergraduate academic record (at least a cum laude, bachelor’s degree with second upper honours or equivalent);
3. Applied or accepted for doctoral studies or postdoctoral training (or equivalent^#) at a leading overseas academic or research institution; and
4. Applicants are not recipients of other scholarships from the Singapore Government^.

TERMS

1. Tenable for a period of two years; 
2. Bond-free; 
3. Tenable for research in any social science and humanities discipline*. Research on  issues of local (Singapore) relevance is preferred; 
4. Two categories of award:
   - Up to SGD 10,000 per award for doctoral students and
   - Up to SGD 20,000 per award for postdoctoral fellows.
   The award may be used for travel or other research-related expenses; 
5. Awardees will be assigned a mentor at SMU based on their proposed area of research;
6. Awardees will be required to visit Singapore at least once during the tenure of award to participate in engagement activities (e.g., research seminars) within SMU and with SSRC members; 
7. SSRC GRF awardees may only accept one GRF offer from one host AU at any point in time;
8. SSRC GRF recipients may reapply for a second award after the term of their first award has been completed. However, an individual will be limited to a maximum of two awards in total throughout their career. All applications for the award will compete on an equal basis;
9. SSRC GRF applicants in the last year of their PhD programme may be offered conditional awards should they have an offer for a suitable postdoctoral position which they would assume upon graduation; and
10. SSRC GRF applicants who have applied but yet to secure a PhD programme or postdoctoral position may be offered in-principle awards. The fellowship will only be confirmed when applicants have secured a place in the pre-agreed PhD programme or postdoctoral position. Applicants should update on their application status and provide supporting documentation by the acceptance deadline. 

TIMELINE FOR THE CALL

The timeline for the 2024 SSRC GRF call is as follows:

SCHEDULE OF CALLS

There is one call per year.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please complete the application form (Sections 1 to 7). The applicant is encouraged to reach out to their preferred mentor and secure their agreement in writing before submitting their application to ssrc-grf@smu.edu.sg. The application form, information sheet and list of non-fundable items can be found in the links below:

1. Application Form
2. Information Sheet
3. List of Non-Fundable Items

CONTACT DETAILS

For more information about the call, please contact the following persons:

• SSRC Secretariat
  MOE_SSRC_Secretariat@moe.gov.sg
• Ms Jennifer Lim
  jenlim@smu.edu.sg        

^#Applicants must provide supporting documents to show that their home university does not offer postdoctoral fellow positions and their current position could be considered equivalent to that of a postdoctoral fellow.

*The Social Science and Humanities disciplines at SMU include Accountancy, Finance, Marketing, Strategy, Operations Management, Organisational Behaviours and Human Resources, Economics, Law, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Humanities.

^ GRF awardees will inform MOE through SMU once they receive other scholarship/s from the Singapore Government post-award, and the awards will be closed with effect from scholarship start date.