Simons Postdoctoral Fellowships in Plant Biology – Request for Applications 2027: FAQs

No, algae are not considered plants, and if the project is solely focused on algae, it is not within the scope of this program.

Candidates who hold or will hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree at the time of activation of the fellowship are eligible to apply. Applicants should have received their Ph.D. or equivalent degree within three (3) years of submission of the fellowship application.

No. U.S. citizens and foreign applicants may choose a sponsor in the U.S. Awards can only be issued to nonprofit research universities or research institutions in the U.S.

The institution that would host the fellowship and the sponsor associated with that institution must be within the U.S. It would be permitted for the second sponsor’s institution to be outside the U.S.

SF and SFI do not provide funding to institutions in China (including institutions in Hong Kong), or to fiscal sponsors or agents of institutions in China or Hong Kong. This includes funding to support subcontracts at institutions in China or Hong Kong or consultants residing or working for institutions in China or Hong Kong.

No. A sponsor/mentor can sponsor only one applicant per application cycle, regardless of whether they are the sole sponsor or a co-sponsor.

Personnel costs associated with the sponsor(s), including but not limited to salary support and fringe benefits, are not permitted. Personnel costs associated with undergraduate students who will work with the postdoctoral fellow on the project would be considered unusual but may be included in the budget if well justified. Personnel costs associated with individuals in other roles must be discussed with the foundation before inclusion.

The grant is awarded to the fellow’s host institution.

Awards can be up to $360,000.

Indirect costs are not allowed for this award.

If you have two thesis advisers, they can either write a joint letter of reference or they can submit separate letters. In the latter case, the second thesis adviser’s letter should be used for one of the additional research scientists’ letters. Both thesis advisers should be listed on the Contacts & Personnel tab of the application.

If you have two sponsors, the sponsors must submit a joint letter of reference acknowledging your acceptance to their laboratories. If the sponsors are at different institutions, the letter must specify which institution will host the fellowship. Neither sponsor may be your thesis adviser. Both sponsors should be listed on the Contacts & Personnel tab of the application. Biosketches and other support documents are required from both sponsors.

No, only the signing official may sign and submit the application.

For assistance navigating SAM, please refer to the SAM frequently asked questions and instructional videos webpage.

No. Please be advised that all deadlines are in U.S. Eastern time. We recommend registering early and submitting with ample time for corrections prior to the deadline hour. Site traffic can slow page-load times. You will not be able to submit after the deadline has passed.

If changes are required to the application after it has been sent for sign-off, the Signing Official must send the application back for revisions. Once revised, the application must be sent for sign-off again and signed by the Signing Official in order to submit by the deadline. You will not be able to submit once the deadline has passed.

Only one person can edit a record at a time. A record will be locked for editing if another user already has it opened, and a gray bar will display at the bottom of the record to prevent multiple users from overwriting one another’s changes. Ask other users at your institution to close the application, then refresh your page. If this still does not correct the issue, please reach out to [email protected].

All applications must be submitted via the Simons Award Manager (SAM). Please refer to the submission instructions for detailed steps on how to complete and submit your application. You will not be able to submit if the deadline has passed. We will not accept applications or individual application materials submitted via email or mail.

Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations, The Simons Foundation, Inc. (“the Foundation” or “SF”) reserves the right to refer an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (“SFI”) for consideration and funding. SFI and SF have entered into an agreement pursuant to which SF provides program operations and grant administration services, including payment processing, to SFI. SFI grant recipients are subject to SF Policies and Procedures.