HFSP postdoctoral fellowships encourage early career scientists to broaden their research skills by moving into new areas of study while working in a new country. The program supports proposals for frontier, potentially transformative research in the life sciences. Applications for high-risk projects are particularly encouraged. The projects should be interdisciplinary in nature and should challenge existing paradigms by using novel approaches and techniques. Scientifically, they should address an important problem or a barrier to progress in the field.

Two different fellowships are available:

1. Long-Term Fellowships (LTF) are for applicants with a PhD on a biological topic who want to embark on a novel and frontier project focussing on the life sciences.

2. Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships (CDF) are for applicants who hold a doctoral degree from a non-biological discipline (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering or computer sciences) and who have not worked in the life sciences before.

There is only one competition per year for HFSP Fellowships. Applications for the 2025 HFSP Long-Term and Cross-Disciplinary Fellowships (to start in 2025). Applicants will be asked to submit a Letter of Intent from which the review committee will select the best proposals.

Stipend: Fellows are granted a living allowance as well as a research and travel allowance which differ depending on the host country. The complete overview of HFSP fellowship allowances are stated in the 2025 application guidelines.

Where: Varies (dependant on selected host country)

Length: Three years

Eligibility: A research doctorate (PhD) or a doctoral-level degree comparable to a PhD with equivalent experience in basic research (e.g. a research based MD or medical PhD) must be conferred by the start of the fellowship. The PhD must have been conferred when the fellowship is activated..

Applications Due: Opens March 14, 2024 / Submission of a Letter of Intent by 1 PM (Eastern Time US) by May 14, 2024