A. - The SMF will not offer top-ups. However, SMF awardees may write to the SMF for approval for them to receive top-ups from other sources. SMF will decide on whether to allow its awardees to receive top-ups from other sources on a case-by-case basis.

Q2. Can non-Singaporeans apply?

A. - All nationalities are welcome to apply for the SMF awards.

Q3. Do the awards come with a bond or are there any strings attached? Will the SMF lay claim to intellectual property rights?

A. - The SMF awards are non-bonded. The SMF will not lay claim to IP rights but SMF award-holders are obliged to acknowledge in their research papers and publications that their research has been supported by the SMF. The SMF also reserves the right to publicize research works carried out by its award-holders. Please note that the university/research institute however, may reserve some rights to IP – please check with your prospective university/RI directly.

Q4. Are applicants who wish to pursue part-time study or part-time research work eligible for the SMF awards?

A. – The SMF awards are for full-time postgraduate study/research work only.

Q5. Can students/researchers/scholars already currently pursuing a postgraduate programme apply? If they are presently receiving a grant/salary from the university, will they have to give up the grant/salary?

A. - Current postgraduate students/PDFs may apply, but all applicants must declare if they are in receipt of any financial support/grants/awards/salary, e.g., a stipend from the university, the dollar amount they are receiving, and from which sponsoring organisation/university. The university/research institute will decide whether it will continue to offer financial support to successful applicants of the SMF awards.

Q6. Must the scientific advisor be a full-time staff at a Singapore university or research institute?

A. - The scientific advisor must be either a full-time or adjunct professor at a Singapore-based university or research institution.

Q7. Is the award subject to review?

A. - The scientific advisor of the PhDs and PDFs would be required to give the SMF a review annually. But at any time, if the applicant is not assessed to be progressing well by his scientific advisor, the award may be withdrawn.

Q8. Are SMF awardees allowed to work outside the university/research institute?

A. - Awardees are expected to work on their research proposals in the university or research institutes full-time. However, exceptions may be made in certain cases, e.g., medical doctors may be allowed to continue to practice. Award-holders may be allowed to take on teaching assistant positions at their respective university but will have to seek formal approval from the SMF, which will decide on a case-by-case basis.

Q9. What about annual leave, conference leave and so on?

A. – This will be in line with the standard practices of the respective university/research institute.

Q 10. Does the SMF support conferences for its scholars?

To encourage research excellence, we will fund scholars who succeed in being invited to present their research at prestigious confernces. Subject to the selection critreia, we will fund our PhDs and Post-docs for up to S$3000 and S$4000 respectively for the duration of their scholarship.

Q11. What about visa, employment permits etc for the award-holder and his/her spouse/family?

A. – The successful awardees will have to liaise with their respective university/research institute.