National Science Scholarship
A*STAR
📌 About the Program
The National Science Scholarship (PhD) is an elite, fully funded international doctoral development track offered directly by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. Engineered to develop top-tier, global research scientists for Singapore’s R&D ecosystem, the program places scholars into leading international universities and laboratories.
Full-term scholars undergo a mandatory one-year research attachment at an A*STAR research institute in Singapore before transitioning to their overseas PhD programs, ensuring they are fully integrated into professional production networks early on.
📅 Critical Timelines & Evaluation Cycles
The fellowship operates on two distinct, highly synchronized application windows annually:[Cycle 1 (Jan 1 – Apr 1)] ──► Interviews: Mid-April to May ──► Outcomes: Mid-June
[Cycle 2 (Jul 1 – Oct 1)] ──► Interviews: Mid-Oct to Nov ──► Outcomes: From Dec
- Current Active Window: Cycle 2 applications open July 1, 2026 and close October 1, 2026.
🛠️ Core Scientific Research Frontiers
Scholarships are directly bound to foundational and emerging growth domains across two major science councils:
🧬 Biomedical Research Council (BMRC)
- Antimicrobial Resistance, Bioinformatics, and Synthetic Biology.
- Food Science, Food Processing, Therapeutics, and MedTech.
- Human Potential, Clinical Sciences, Infectious Diseases, and Metabolic/Brain Health.
- Precision and Preventive Health modules.
💻 Science & Engineering Research Council (SERC)
- Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Advanced Compute.
- Quantum Technologies and Semiconductor Architectures.
- Smart, Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing, Energy, and Chemicals.
- Automated Hub Operations and Real-Time, Resilient, Optimized Supply Chains.
🎓 Strict Eligibility Criteria
Candidates can cross-reference eligibility pathways based on their current academic residency:
A. Full-Term Fellowships
- Nationality: Singaporean citizens or foreign nationals explicitly committing to obtaining Singaporean citizenship prior to or during their doctoral timeline. Non-Singaporeans must minimally possess Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) status before funding commences.
- Academic Standing: Must have attained a strong Class of Honours degree or equivalent. Undergraduate seniors in their last semester may apply tentatively pending final Bachelor’s degree score submission.
- University Alignment: Must be actively applying to or holding an offer from a top-tier overseas institution for a PhD program.
B. Mid-Term Fellowships
- Nationality: Must be a Singaporean citizen.
- Academic Standing: Enrolled in a premier overseas institution with at least 1 semester completed at the point of application, maintaining excellent academic standing and clear research potential.
- References: The current university supervisor must serve as at least one of the two mandatory academic referees.
- Note: Mid-term awardees are exempt from the initial 1-year A*STAR research attachment.
📥 Capital Injection & Full Coverage Perks
A*STAR provides extensive, cross-continental financial assistance for up to 5 years of study:
- Direct Fees: Full tuition and compulsory institutional fees covered (Mid-term awardees receive retrospective back-payments for Year 1 tuition and fees).
- Allowances: Monthly sustenance stipend (inclusive of Central Provident Fund [CPF] contributions where applicable) paired with an adjusted monthly overseas living allowance.
- Travel & Infrastructure: Annual return airfare tickets, plus dedicated allotments for settling-in, computers, thesis production, and international research conference participation.
- Language Training: Full funding for preparatory language program fees if the scholar is stationed in a non-anglophone research country.
⚖️ Service Commitment (The Bond Period)
Upon graduation, scholars are legally mandated to return to Singapore to contribute to A*STAR research institutes or approved strategic organizations:
- Standard Bond Duration: 4 Years for PhD programs completed in Anglophone countries.
- Non-Anglophone Discount: Reduced to a 3-Year service bond if the PhD was completed in a country where English is not the official language.