Hong Kong–Singapore Joint Call for Proposals

About the Grant

The Hong Kong–Singapore Joint Call for Proposals is jointly launched by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) and Agency for Science, Technology and Research Singapore (A*STAR) to promote and strengthen research collaboration between Singapore and Hong Kong through integrated joint research projects. 

This Call supports collaborative research in the following areas:

  1. Artificial Intelligence for Smart Cities of Tomorrow
  2. Science for Energy and Environmental Sustainability
  3. Translational Immunology and Emerging Diseases

Funding will be awarded in two phases:

Phase Duration Funding Support*
Phase 1 24 months Up to S$150,000 per project
Phase 2 36 months Up to S$300,000 per selected project

*Funding support for Singapore-based applicants is inclusive of indirect costs capped at 30%. Up to 10 projects may be supported in Phase 1, with up to 3 projects selected for Phase 2. All funded projects under Phase 1 are required to submit a progress report to facilitate the selection of projects for Phase 2 funding. 

Please refer to the Grant Call Guidelines document for more information. 

Eligibility Criteria

Singapore-based Applicants: 

  • Principal Investigators (PIs) are eligible to apply if their primary appointment is 75% or more in a local publicly funded research institution.
  • Applications must be endorsed by the applicant’s host institution, prior to submission.
  • Applicants must deliver their project in accordance with the A*STAR Grants Terms & Conditions (T&Cs) and Guidelines.

Applicants are required to comply with the applicable A*STAR Grants Terms & Conditions and Guidelines. 

The proposed project must be jointly developed by Singapore-based and Hong Kong-based research teams. The joint proposal must be written in English and must comply with instructions in the application form. Proposals received by A*STAR and not submitted to RGC (and vice versa) will be considered ineligible. 

Grant Call Timeline

Event Date
Call Launch 24 August 2026
Application Deadline 20 October 2026
Assessment of Application and Evaluation November 2026 – April 2027
Announcement of Outcomes May 2027
Expected Project Start Date 1 August 2027

Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted concurrently by both the Singapore-based and Hong Kong-based applicants to A*STAR and RGC respectively. The joint proposal submitted to A*STAR and RGC must be identical in content. 

Singapore-based applicants must submit the following through the A*STAR iGrants platform:

  • Completed Application Form
  • Budget Milestones and KPIs Template (for Singapore-based applicants)
  • Any relevant supporting documents as specified in the Application Form

Applicants are strongly encouraged to start their submission early to ensure timely completion. Applications received after the submission deadline will not be taken into consideration. 

Application Materials

Applicants should ensure that all required information, supporting documents and endorsements are provided at the point of submission. 

For Enquiries

For enquiries regarding this joint call: 

A*STAR (Singapore-based applicants)
Email: oga_bilats @a-star.edu.sg