TWAS-TÜBİTAK Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme 2025 for Foreign Scholars from Developing Countries

Applications are now open for the 2025 TWAS-TÜBİTAK Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme. The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) and TWAS have established a fellowship programme for foreign scholars from developing countries who wish to pursue postdoctoral research in a field of the natural and related applied sciences in the departments and laboratories of public and private universities of Türkiye (Turkey) and TÜBİTAK Research Centers and Institutes.

The Fellowships are tenable at the departments and laboratories of public and private universities in Turkey for a minimum period of 6 months to a maximum period of 36 months. Eligible fields under the programme are the following:

a. Agricultural Sciences
b. Structural, Cell. & Molecular Biology
c. Biological Systems & Organisms
d. Medical & Health Sciences, including Neurosciences
e. Chemical Sciences
f. Engineering Sciences
g. Astronomy, Space & Earth Science
h. Mathematical Sciences
i. Physics
j. Computing and Information Technology.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Be permanent residents and nationals of a developing country in the South (https://twas.org/developing-countries-south).
• Candidates from Science and Technology Lagging countries (STLC) and women are especially encouraged to apply. For the list of STLC, please see https://twas.org/66-countries.
  NB. Developing countries that are not in the list are also eligible to apply.
• Must not hold any visa for temporary or permanent residency in Turkey or any developed country;
• Be employed in a developing country (other than the host country) and hold a research assignment there. Applicants must provide a Supporting Statement from the head/director of the applicant’s current employer according to the format of TÜBİTAK (see sample that can be downloaded below or from TÜBİTAK’s website link above). The supporting statement is to prove the candidate is employed there and that s/he will be given leave if awarded.
• Hold a PhD degree in natural and related applied sciences (in one of the fields specified above);
• Be a maximum age of 45 years on 31 December of the application year;
• Provide an official Acceptance Letter (see sample that can be downloaded below or from TÜBİTAK’s website) from an eligible department, institution or laboratory of a public or private university in Turkey, or TÜBİTAK Research Centers and Institutes.
• NB. Requests for acceptance must be directed to the chosen host institution(s) in Turkey, and NOT to TÜBİTAK. Without preliminary acceptance, the application will not be considered for selection. The acceptance letter must be signed by the highest authority of the chosen host institute. The highest authority of the host institution is in the case of universities, the rector or the authorized vice-chancellor, the director of the public research centers in Türkiye.
  The maximum number of academic advisors in Turkey can be 2 (two).
• Candidates who received their PhD from a university in Turkey are required to receive an acceptance letter from a university other than the one where they received their doctorate degree, and carry out their research with an academic advisor(s) other than their doctoral thesis advisor.
• Provide the Research proposal form  prepared in the format determined by TÜBİTAK (see sample that can be downloaded below or from TÜBİTAK’s website);
• Provide evidence of proficiency in English. If medium of education was not English: provide evidence of English knowledge, i.e. test results of national or international exams,  or a University-issued letter certifying the knowledge of the language. If medium of education was English, please write a brief statement indicating what type of education was in English, e.g. high school, BSc or MSc degrees, this statement must be signed and dated by the applicant. Please note that reference letters are not accepted as way of proving English competence;
• Not take up other assignments during the period of her/his fellowship;
• Be financially responsible for any accompanying family members;
• Not have previously received or been awarded a fellowship under this programme;
• Must return to her/his home country on completion of the fellowship;

Visit the Official Webpage of the TWAS-TÜBİTAK Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme

Deadline: 16 December 2024