HFSP Research Grants 2027: Funding for International, Interdisciplinary Scientific Research
The Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) offers Research Grants to international teams of scientists conducting innovative basic research into fundamental biological problems. The programme supports ambitious scientific collaborations that combine expertise across disciplines and national borders to investigate questions that individual laboratories may not be able to answer independently.
These grants are particularly suited to researchers seeking to explore new scientific directions through interdisciplinary collaboration. Scientists working in biology and related fields such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, computational biology and nanoscience are encouraged to contribute their expertise to projects that advance understanding of living systems.
Unlike funding programmes focused on immediate commercial applications or clinical interventions, HFSP prioritises fundamental biological research that uses novel approaches to address important scientific questions.
About the HFSP Research Grants
HFSP Research Grants support international research teams developing innovative projects at the frontiers of life sciences. The programme encourages researchers to establish new collaborations, combine different scientific perspectives and pursue high-risk research with the potential to generate significant discoveries.
Teams are expected to propose new lines of investigation rather than simply extend their existing research programmes. Preliminary results are not required, and applicants should explain the scientific risks associated with their projects and how they would respond if their initial approaches do not succeed.
The grants provide funding for three years and are awarded to teams typically comprising two to four researchers. The funding amount depends on the composition of the research team.
Types of HFSP Research Grants
1. Research Grants – Early Career
The Early Career category supports teams of independent researchers who have recently established their own research groups.
All team members must hold a doctoral degree, such as a PhD, MD or equivalent, and must be able to direct their own independent research. Applicants must meet the programme’s career-stage requirements, including the applicable limits on time since obtaining their doctorate and establishing an independent position.
The grant is intended for researchers who have already achieved scientific independence and are ready to develop innovative research collaborations.
2. Research Grants – Program
The Program category supports international teams of independent researchers at different stages of their careers.
Early-career investigators are welcome to participate, provided the team meets the relevant eligibility requirements. The programme encourages researchers to combine complementary expertise and develop new research directions through international collaboration.
Both grant categories support three-year research projects. Applicants should consult the official guidelines to determine which category is appropriate for their team.
Research Areas Supported
HFSP is interested in fundamental biological questions that can benefit from interdisciplinary approaches. Relevant research may examine biological processes at the molecular, cellular, organismal or other levels of analysis.
Potential collaborations may bring together life scientists and specialists in areas such as:
- Biophysics and physics.
- Chemistry and molecular science.
- Computer science and computational biology.
- Mathematics, statistics and data analysis.
- Engineering and nanoscience.
- Other disciplines that offer new methods for investigating fundamental biological problems.
However, the involvement of these disciplines does not automatically make a project eligible. The proposed research must address a fundamental biological question and meet HFSP’s scientific scope.
Projects focused primarily on clinical treatment, pharmaceutical development, applied engineering, agricultural problems or purely descriptive data collection generally fall outside the programme’s funding priorities.
Who Can Apply?
HFSP Research Grants are intended for teams of independent research leaders rather than individual researchers applying alone.
Applicants should review the following requirements:
- International collaboration: Teams must satisfy HFSP’s international composition requirements, with intercontinental collaboration encouraged.
- Independent research leadership: Each team member must be able to direct their research and administer the funds allocated to their work.
- Doctoral qualifications: Team members are generally required to hold a PhD, MD or equivalent doctoral degree.
- Principal Applicant: The lead applicant must normally have their primary laboratory in an HFSP member country, subject to the programme’s specified exceptions.
- New collaboration: Teams should bring together complementary expertise and propose research that is significantly different from their ongoing work.
- Institutional requirements: Applicants must satisfy the rules governing participating institutions, team composition and concurrent applications.
Researchers from many countries can participate, although the Principal Applicant must meet the applicable country requirement. South Africa is among the HFSP member countries.
Grant Funding and Duration
HFSP Research Grants provide funding for three years, with the possibility of using funds during a fourth year under the applicable guidelines.
For the 2027 award cycle, the published annual funding amounts for the entire team are:
- Two-member team: USD 300,000 per year.
- Three-member team: USD 400,000 per year.
- Four or more members: USD 500,000 per year, subject to the programme’s team-composition rules.
These are team-level awards, not individual salaries. Eligible project costs may include salaries or stipends for research assistants, postdoctoral scientists, graduate students and technicians who are essential to the collaborative project. Restrictions apply to salary payments for principal applicants, co-applicants and other institutional personnel.
How to Apply
The HFSP Research Grant application process involves two stages.
Stage 1: Letter of Intent
The research team must submit a Letter of Intent through the official application platform. The Principal Applicant coordinates the submission and ensures that all co-applicants are included and approve their participation.
The letter should explain the scientific question, the novelty of the proposed research, the contribution of each discipline and why the project requires international collaboration.
Stage 2: Full Proposal
Teams whose Letters of Intent are successful are invited to submit a full research proposal. This stage requires a more detailed explanation of the proposed research, its scientific significance, methodology, collaboration and potential risks.
Application Deadline and Official Website
HFSP operates an annual grant competition, with deadlines that change between award cycles. The published timetable for the 2027 cycle included a Letter of Intent initiation deadline of 17 March 2026 and a submission deadline of 26 March 2026. The full-proposal deadline was scheduled for September 2026 for invited teams. These dates have passed as of October 2026.
Researchers interested in future funding rounds should monitor the official website for the next competition’s opening date, updated eligibility rules and application instructions.
APPLY ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Final Thoughts
HFSP Research Grants offer a significant opportunity for independent scientists to pursue ambitious, interdisciplinary research through international collaboration. The programme is particularly relevant to teams that want to investigate fundamental biological questions using approaches that extend beyond conventional disciplinary boundaries.
Researchers should begin planning early, identify collaborators with complementary expertise and ensure that their proposed project aligns with HFSP’s emphasis on scientific novelty, international cooperation and fundamental life sciences research.
Important: The 2027 application deadlines have passed. Check HFSP’s official website for announcements about the next award cycle before preparing an application.
