International Fellowship for Outstanding Researchers Programme in Turkey

The International Fellowship for Outstanding Researchers Program aims to support qualified researchers with leading scientific and/or technological achievements and international work experience to conduct their research in leading university*, industrial** or public institutions to contribute in areas that are strategic value to Turkey.

The Scope of the Fellowship

The program is designed to include the following aspects of financial support:

• Scholarship for Project Leaders
• Family allowance for the Project Leader
• Initial research grant,
• Research grant,
• Scholarship for establishing a research team (scholarship for up to 5 doctoral students the project coordinator will include in the research team for conducting his/her research in Turkey)
• Project incentive bonus for researchers,
• Overhead for the host institution,
• Health insurance for the project leader and his/her family,
• Travel allowance for the project leader and his/her family.

The duration of the fellowship is to be between 24 to 36 months.

The project leader is allowed to spend up to 3 months per year abroad as a means of facilitating the transfer of knowledge from their previous institution. The project coordinator is required to notify TÜBİTAK at least one week prior to travel abroad. The financial support of the fellowship will continue during this time. The progress reports should elaborate on this timeframe of international mobility.

In case the project leaders find employment at the host institution on a permanent basis, all granted financial support items including scholarship shall continue for the project leaders and their family.

The evaluation is performed only based on the application documents that are uploaded to the application system. For this reason, the document for each condition must be uploaded to the system with explicit and specified content.

Following the notification of the grant decision, the Project Coordinator must submit the following documents to TÜBİTAK and start his/her research within 6 months at the latest.

In case the host institution is a university, the project coordinator must also give lecture at least one course in a term at the host institution.

Each applicant can only apply one Institution.

*University: Public and Foundation Universities (Minimum 60% of the quota earmarked for universities will be belong to Research Universities).

**Industrial institutions: Resident capital companies in Turkey.

Conditions of Application

The Project application must be submitted by researchers who have/will come to Turkey from abroad to conduct their research. As of the call deadline:

The researcher must not have resided in Turkey for more than 12 months in the last 3 years prior to the call deadline. Short-term visits and compulsory military service not exceeding fifteen days in total within one year are excluded from this period.

In addition, according to the status of an early stage or experienced researcher, the researcher must have satisfied one of the following expectations or qualifications.

Early Stage researchers:

Researchers at the beginning of their careers who have obtained a doctoral degree within the last 4 years and carried out his/her research postdoctoral research abroad.

For private sector applicants, at least 4 years of full-time research experience abroad after obtaining bachelor’s degree (a maximum of 2 years of master degree, a maximum 3 years of doctoral degree with thesis completed abroad will be taken under consideration in this context).

Experienced Researchers:

Researchers who have worked abroad 4 years or more at least as an Assistant Professor or researchers who have worked abroad minimum four years as a team leader or researchers who have carried out an independent academic research minimum four years.
For private sector applicants, at least 6 years full time research experience as a team leader abroad obtaining bachelor’s degree (a maximum of 2 years of master degree, a maximum 3 years of doctoral degree with thesis completed abroad will be taken under consideration in this context).

Early stage and experienced researchers are expected to provide any one of the following qualifications:

For Early Stage Researchers:

• The University where researcher carried out his/her postdoctoral research before coming to Turkey must be placed among the top 100 universities in the field-based rankings according to the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Ranking or THE (Times Higher Education) Rankings by subject in any year within the duration of 3 years prior to the call deadline.
• The project Coordinator is required to be placed in the “Highly Cited Researchers” published by Thomson Reuters in any year within the duration of 3 years prior to the call deadline.
• The company he/she worked at before coming to Turkey must be placed in the “Top 2500 Companies” according to the “Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard” published by the European Commission Joint Research Center in any year within the duration of 3 years prior to the call deadline.
• The institution he/she worked at before coming to Turkey must be placed among the “Top 250 Institutions” according to the “Scimago Institutions Ranking- Government” in any year within the duration of 3 years prior to the call deadline.

For Experienced Researchers:

• Experienced researcher is required to be placed in the “Highly Cited Researchers” published by Thomson Reuters in any year within the duration of 3 years prior to the call deadline.
• The University where researcher hold a position of at least Assistant Professor and/or carried out his/her postdoctoral research before coming to Turkey must be placed among the top 100 universities in the field-based rankings according to the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Ranking or THE (Times Higher Education) Rankings by subject in any year within the duration of 3 years prior to the call deadline.
• The company he/she worked at before coming to Turkey must be placed in the “Top 2500 Companies” according to the “Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard” published by the European Commission Joint Research Center in any year within the duration of 3 years prior to the call deadline.
• The institution he/she worked at before coming to Turkey must be placed among the “Top 250 Institutions” according to the “Scimago Institutions Ranking- Government” in any year within the duration of 3 years prior to the call deadline.

The application is to be made based on the most recent academic degree. The application will be returned without evaluation if it is determined that the most recent academic degree is not declared. If a similar condition is determined during the support phase, the provisions regarding the cancellation of the fellowship will be applied.

Required Documents

• Research project proposal form
• A motivation Letter, prepared by Project Leader and must include purpose for coming to Turkey, the research projects/plans and career plans after International Fellowship for Outstanding Researchers Programme
• Documents of residence abroad for researchers who live abroad during the application (e.g. tax certificate, rental agreement or monthly electricity bill)
• Entry and Exit Report Document for Turkey, received from the "e-devlet” portal for previous 3 years from the date of application for Turkish Citizen researchers.
• Original or certified copy of the diploma or graduation certificate for the most recent academic degree (certified English translation of a diploma in a language other than Turkish or English must be sent).
• A document showing full-time research experience abroad for researchers without a Ph.D. degree (e.g. a working certificate taken from the human resources unit indicating the position, hours per week and the duration of work.
• A statement of commitment to comply with ethical rules and to obtain legal permits, if necessary.
• An invitation letter signed by the rector or vice-rector if the host institution is a university, director if the host institution is a research infrastructure that has been qualified within the scope of the Law on Support of Research Infrastructures (Law No. 6550) and officially authorized representative if the host institution is a private sector or other public institution.
• Total Requested Budget Form
• Curriculum Vitae

Method of Application

Applications will be made online via e-bideb.tubitak.gov.tr between the dates stated in the call announcement.

Documents uploaded to the application system must be in Turkish or English. Documents prepared in other languages should have notary certified translation in Turkish or English.

It is sufficient to upload soft copy of documents to the application system. Applicants are not required to submit hard copy of documents to BİDEB.