The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS/UNESCO) offer up to 20 postdoctoral fellowships for researchers from developing countries to conduct 12 months of research at leading institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, working with a FAPESP-funded supervisor. The fellowship pays a monthly postdoctoral scholarship (currently R$ 12,570), an installation grant, visa-related expenses, and research tickets, in the natural, applied and social sciences.
Why it is notable: The process is supervisor-first and staged: supervisors submit expressions of interest by 1 November 2026, the supervisor list is published 1 December 2026, and only then do candidates contact supervisors and submit full proposals (by 1 April 2027) through the SAGe system. Missing the supervisor-matching stage means missing the call entirely.
Installation grant (one additional monthly fee, paid via the supervisor's account upon the fellow's arrival in São Paulo, against presentation of the boarding pass)
Reimbursement of the postdoctoral fellow's tickets (per FAPESP rules at www.fapesp.br/7771)
Visa-related expenses covered by UNESCO-TWAS (in accordance with UNESCO regulations and budget availability)
Maternity/paternity leave without interruption of payment (full rule at www.fapesp.br/8484)
Institutional support at arrival: a designated focal point for the fellow's first institutional/administrative procedures, guidance on work/research visas, CPF registration documents and opening a bank account (Banco do Brasil, used by FAPESP)
Eligibility criteria
Qualification Required
Doctoratefor Postdoc
This fellowship is offered for Postdoctoral research stays in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Who can apply
Permanent residents and natives of developing countries as listed by TWAS (Brazil excluded). Candidates must not hold a temporary or permanent residence visa in Brazil or any developed country; candidates already in Brazil are not eligible.
Experience
No experience required beyond the doctorate; the candidate's profile is analysed by FAPESP (academic trajectory, fit with the linked project, scientific contribution potential).
Language Certificate
No formal language certificate required. Oral and written proficiency in English sufficient to carry out the research project, proven by a formal statement from the fellowship supervisor.
Other Certificates
Complete PhD academic record (official document with stamp/signature or authenticity code; in English, with full course names, any failures/cancellations, and grading criteria); certificate of completion of the PhD degree (for contracting, after approval).
Age Limit
No Age Limit
Check your eligibility
Run all three quick checks before reviewing your chosen course's full entry requirements.
1
Country checker
TWAS-listed developing countries only, Brazil excluded; permanent resident AND native of the developing country; no temporary or permanent residence visa in…
2
Last degree checker
Choose your highest completed qualification to see which degree level may fit.
3
Course checker
Pick a course to see whether it falls inside this scholarship's scope.
Complete all three checks
Your combined result will appear here.
Based on published eligibility — always confirm on the official page before applying.
Application essentials
Requirements
Review each requirement before you begin the application.
01
Qualification
doctorate in natural, applied or social sciences, obtained within the last 7 years (maternity/paternity leave adjustments per FAPESP rule)
02
Documents
4-page English research project linked to the supervisor's ongoing FAPESP grant; complete PhD academic record (official, in English); supervisor CV summary; director's statement and institutional infrastructure info (SAGe models, in Portuguese); data management plan (2 pages); English-proficiency statement from the supervisor
03
References
not via referee letters — eligibility is carried by official acceptance from an eligible supervisor at a São Paulo host institution and by FAPESP's own profile analysis
04
Language
oral and written English proficiency sufficient for the research project, attested by formal statement from the fellowship supervisor (no certificate required)
05
Supervisor match
official acceptance by a supervisor at a São Paulo State host institution who is a PI or Co-PI of an ongoing FAPESP grant (supervisor list published 1 December 2026)
06
Fee
no application fee — completely free
Document checklist
01Research project of the fellowship candidate (in English, max 4 pages, closely linked to the supervisor's ongoing FAPESP grant)
02Summary of the linked research grant project (in English)
03Summary of the supervisor's CV (in English)
04Complete PhD academic record (official document with stamp/signature or authenticity code; in English; full course names, failures/cancellations, grading criteria or a university statement of criteria
05If the supervisor is not the PI of the linked ongoing grant: a signed statement from the responsible researcher agreeing to link the two proposals (in Portuguese)
06Statement by the Director of the host institution's headquarters (model in SAGe, in Portuguese)
07Institutional infrastructure information approved by the host institution (Annex II model in SAGe, in Portuguese)
08Data Management Plan (max 2 pages, in English, per www.fapesp.br/gestaodedados)
09Formal statement of the candidate's proficiency in English from the fellowship supervisor (in English)
10For contracting (approved proposals only): certificate of completion of the PhD; proof of leave or resignation from employment contracts during the stay (in English) — or a signed statement of no empl
Application fee
No fee — completely free (no fee is stated anywhere in the official call pages)
Visa, kept concise: Study visa type for this destination: Brazil — research/work visa (Temporary Visa, e.g. for research, teaching or academic extension); the specific visa category must be verified with the competent Brazilian consulate.
Application Procedure
10 steps — follow in order. Each stage prepares the next.
01
Understand the staged process
supervisors first (expression of interest by 2026-11-01), then candidates contact listed supervisors (from 2026-12-01), then the full proposal is submitted in SAGe by 2027-04-01.
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02
Watch for the supervisor list
the final list of eligible supervisors (with contact details and project summaries) is published on the call page on 1 December 2026 and disseminated by TWAS to research and higher-education institutions in developing co
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03
Contact potential supervisors directly and align on
the research project (to be closely linked to their ongoing FAPESP grant); obtain official acceptance from a supervisor of a host institution in São Paulo State.
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06
Results are published from August 2027
approved projects start from August 2027; the fellow must be fully dedicated to the project in São Paulo for the full 12 months.
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05
The supervisor submits the full proposal in SAGe via
New Initial Proposal > Other Funding Lines > Cooperation Agreements > UNESCO/TWAS — The World Academy of Science > Fellowships in the Country > Postdoctoral Fellowship > Call for Proposals 2026.
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04
Register in FAPESP's SAGe system (via ORCID
or full registration) so the supervisor can name the candidate in the 'Beneficiary' field.
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07
Research project of the fellowship candidate (in English
max 4 pages, closely linked to the supervisor's ongoing FAPESP grant)
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08
Summary of the linked research grant project
(in English)
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09
Summary of the supervisor's CV (in English)
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10
Complete PhD academic record (official document with
stamp/signature or authenticity code; in English; full course names, failures/cancellations, grading criteria or a university statement of criteria)
Application milestones
1 Apr 2027
Application deadline
2027
Intake year
Ready to apply?
Continue on the official host institution in the State of São Paulo platform.
What is the deadline for this call? A: Full proposals must be submitted in SAGe by 1 April 2027 (midnight Brasília Time). The supervisor expression-of-interest stage closed 1 November 2026, and the suWho is eligible to apply? A: Permanent residents and natives of TWAS-listed developing countries (Brazil excluded) who hold a doctorate in natural, applied or social sciences obtained within the last How much is the fellowship worth? A: The FAPESP postdoctoral scholarship rate (currently R$ 12,570/month), plus an installation grant, ticket reimbursement, and visa-related expenses covered by UNESCOHow long does the fellowship last? A: 12 months, non-extendable, with full dedication to the research project in the State of São Paulo. Approved projects start from August 2027.How do I find a supervisor? A: TWAS publishes the final list of eligible supervisors (with contacts and project summaries) on the call page on 1 December 2026 and disseminates it to institutions in deWho submits the application? A: The full proposal is submitted to FAPESP in SAGe by the supervisor (not the candidate), naming the candidate in the 'Beneficiary' field. The candidate must be registereIs there an age limit? A: No — the official programme page states age limit: None.Can I hold another job during the fellowship? A: No — the fellowship requires full, exclusive dedication in São Paulo State; other paid activities or competing academic commitments in Brazil or abroad
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Brazil · host institution in the State of São Paulo
