About
The OPF aims to provide doctoral candidates who are about to complete or have recently completed their studies an opportunity to engage in advanced training and/or research at an overseas university for one year.
Besides financial support, awardees will also receive academic mentorship.
Upon completion of the Fellowship, awardees will be considered to join SMU’s faculty as an Assistant Professor on the tenure track.
Eligibility & Selection Criteria
- Singapore citizens
- Doctoral candidates who have recently completed or are about to complete their studies in a discipline relevant to SMU
- Excellent academic record plus a high degree of proficiency and motivation for selected research area
- Have been accepted or have applied for a postdoctoral training at a leading overseas university in a research area that is aligned with SMU’s core areas of excellence
- A keen interest in an academic career at SMU
Supported Fields of Study
The following fields of study will be supported for OPF training:
- Accountancy
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Finance
- Geography
- History
- Information Systems
- Law
- Literature
- Marketing
- Operations Management
- Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Strategy & Organisation
Explore here to find out more about SMU's research strategies and areas of excellence.
Explore here to find out more about schools’ and College of Integrative Studies’ research areas.
Value of Fellowship
The Fellowship provides
- Monthly stipend
- Overseas maintenance allowance
- Return economy airfare
- Conference and fieldwork grants
- Overseas medical insurance
Fellows will also each be assigned a SMU faculty mentor throughout their post-doctoral training and have opportunities to participate in faculty development programmes.
The fellowship is tenable for one year. On an exception basis, a two-year programme may be supported.
Service Commitment
One year for every year of sponsorship.
Application Process
Application for Intake 2026 commences on 14 Nov 2025.
Only shortlisted applicants (those selected for March 2026 Final Interview) will be notified of the outcome of their applications.
Timeline for Intake 2026
- Application Submission - 14 November 2025 to 14 January 2026
- Interview by Respective Schools (shortlisted applicants only) - January to February 2026
- Final Interview by SMU Selection Panel (shortlisted applicants only) - Mid to End March 2026
- Start of Fellowship - July 2026 (depending on the programme)
Contact Information
For more details on START, please visit our START website.
Should you require further assistance, you may wish to contact our START Coordinator at: START_Coordinator@smu.edu.sg.
