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Academia Sinica is Taiwan’s national academy: a government-funded research institution that conducts research across mathematical and physical sciences, life sciences, and humanities and social sciences. Researchers usually meet it in one of three ways: as a place to do a postdoc, as the host of the Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP) for PhD study, or as a research institution to approach about fellowships and visits. This guide explains each route using the institution’s own pages, and separates it from the funder NSTC, which people often confuse with it.
What Academia Sinica is and who runs it
Academia Sinica’s own About page (as described on the official page on 8 November 2026) says it conducts research in mathematics and physical sciences, life sciences, and humanities and social sciences, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary work, basic science and international cooperation. It also runs libraries, archives and core facilities. Its research units are listed as 24 research institutes and 11 research centers, 35 units in all. The institutes are grouped by division: 8 in mathematics and physical sciences, 5 in life sciences and 11 in humanities and social sciences. There are also two cross-group centers and two cross-disciplinary programs.
The governance bodies listed on the site include the President, vice presidents, the Council, the Academy Affairs Meeting and the academicians. The main campus is in Nangang, Taipei, with a Southern Campus. Academia Sinica is a research performer and employer; it is not the main national funding agency. For Taiwan’s science funder and policy body, see NSTC (Taiwan): National Science and Technology Council.
Academia Sinica postdoc: the Postdoctoral Scholar Program
The Academia Sinica Postdoctoral Scholar Program appoints full-time postdoctoral scholars in three divisions: Mathematics and Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Humanities and Social Sciences. The details below come from the program’s guidelines and the Academia Sinica application system (ASMS) pages (as described on the official page on 8 November 2026).
Eligibility (summary)
- A PhD from a domestic or foreign public or private university conferred within the last five years.
- The window can be deferred by two years per childbirth or parental leave, or for military service, with proof.
- You must find an Academia Sinica Sponsoring Mentor who agrees to host you before you submit.
What the appointment involves
- Full-time work, two years in principle. A first-year progress report informs renewal and the second-year salary.
- You may reapply after two years; the maximum total is four years.
- The appointee signs a work contract and a declaration of no relationship (within the third degree) to the President, the unit supervisor or the Sponsoring Mentor.
- The appointment ends if the mentor retires (not applicable in humanities and social sciences); a replacement mentor is handled case by case.
- The pages consulted state no stipend amount, so none is given here.
Application steps
- Choose the division and identify a Sponsoring Mentor at an Academia Sinica unit; obtain their agreement.
- Prepare the research proposal: goals and significance, literature review, methodology and expected outcomes. The limit is 10 pages including references for Mathematics and Physical Sciences and Life Sciences; there is no page limit for Humanities and Social Sciences.
- Submit online through ASMS (asms.sinica.edu.tw/en). All applications are online.
- If appointed, sign the work contract and declaration, and file the first-year progress report.
Typical timeline phases
The program describes two application rounds a year: Round 1 (applications open in late summer, appointments start January 1 the following year) and Round 2 (applications open in winter, appointments start July 1). The page states the actual schedule is subject to the latest announcement, so check ASMS for current dates before planning.
Academia Sinica PhD: the Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP)
TIGP is the PhD route most associated with Academia Sinica. Its site (tigp.apps.sinica.edu.tw, as described on the official page on 8 November 2026) describes it as jointly organized by Academia Sinica and top national research universities in Taiwan. It lists fourteen sub-programs, three of which (numbers 12 to 14) are Joint Admission Programs. It is open to applicants worldwide, each sub-program sets its own requirements on its own page, and an applicant may apply to only one program. You register an account, then complete the online application. The page lists the Fall 2027 intake window as November 1, 2026 to February 1, 2027, 23:59 GMT+8. The pages consulted do not state funding terms, so confirm those on the sub-program page.
Academia Sinica fellowship and visiting opportunities
There is no single general international fellowship that can be described from the pages consulted. Visiting and fellowship opportunities are announced through the ASMS and International Affairs pages of Academia Sinica, and each carries its own conditions. For comparable national postdoctoral schemes elsewhere see JSPS (Japan), NSFC (China) and the postdoctoral fellowship entry.
Postdoc and TIGP side by side
| Feature | Postdoctoral Scholar Program | TIGP (PhD) |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Postdoctoral, full-time | PhD study |
| Who may apply | PhD conferred within five years (with deferrals) | Applicants worldwide, per sub-program requirements |
| Host or program choice | Agreeing Sponsoring Mentor required | One of fourteen sub-programs; apply to only one |
| Where to apply | ASMS online | TIGP site, account then online application |
| Cycle | Two rounds a year, subject to announcement | Fall 2027 window: Nov 1, 2026 to Feb 1, 2027 |
Common mistakes
- Applying to the postdoc program without a Sponsoring Mentor’s prior agreement.
- Missing the five-year degree window, or not documenting a childbirth or military-service deferral.
- Exceeding the 10-page proposal limit in the sciences, where the limit includes references.
- Applying to more than one TIGP sub-program.
- Treating Academia Sinica as a funder: it hires and hosts, while grants come through bodies like NSTC.
- Working from a past year’s dates instead of the latest announcement.
Related programs
| Body | Role | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| NSTC (Taiwan) | National science and technology council and funder | NSTC guide |
| NSTC research integrity | Misconduct guidelines | Research misconduct guidelines |
| JSPS (Japan) | Japanese research funder | JSPS guide |
| NSFC (China) | Chinese research funder | NSFC overview |
FAQ
What is Academia Sinica?
Taiwan’s national academy and research institution, with 24 institutes and 11 research centers across mathematical and physical sciences, life sciences, and humanities and social sciences (official About page, 8 November 2026).
Who can apply for an Academia Sinica postdoc?
Holders of a PhD conferred within the last five years (extendable by two years for childbirth or parental leave, or for military service) who have a Sponsoring Mentor’s agreement.
How long is the postdoc appointment?
Two years in principle, renewable on reapplication up to four years in total.
Does Academia Sinica offer a PhD?
Through TIGP, jointly organized with leading Taiwanese universities, with fourteen sub-programs and one application per applicant.
Is there an Academia Sinica fellowship?
Opportunities are announced on the ASMS and International Affairs pages; check them for current terms.
Sources
- Academia Sinica, About: https://www.sinica.edu.tw/en/about (read 8 November 2026)
- Academia Sinica Postdoctoral Scholar Program, ASMS: https://asms.sinica.edu.tw/en/Doc/Dlist?fid=64 and https://daais.sinica.edu.tw/pages/438?locale=en (read 8 November 2026)
- Taiwan International Graduate Program: https://tigp.apps.sinica.edu.tw/ (read 8 November 2026)
