The IBS Young Scientist Fellowship is a program to foster the next generation of research leaders. The Fellowship supports junior researchers so that they can conduct independent research. Young Scientist Fellows (YSFs) are researchers who are selected for the Fellowship to conduct research with state-of-the-art research infrastructure of IBS and independently run small research groups within their Research Center.

Ph.D. holders with seven years or less postdoctoral research experience (degrees obtained no earlier than 1 January 2017) or under the age of 40 (born no earlier than 1 January 1984) are eligible to apply. Full-time university faculty members are not eligible to apply since the Fellowship is intended to serve as a stepping stone for young, promising scientists who have a potential to become a professor or a leading researcher at a major domestic or overseas university or research institute, respectively.

Yes. Current IBS researchers who meet the above qualifications can apply. If they apply for the Fellowship of their Center, they need to obtain permission from their director. Such applicants are required to download the Acknowledgement of Application Submission form from the IBS website and submit it along with the letter of intent. This is not the case with IBS researchers who apply to other Centers. When IBS researchers are selected as YSFs of their Center, they can perform research for up to three years.

No. You can still submit a letter of intent if you will be conferred with a Ph.D. degree by 30 June 2025. In this case, you should clearly state the expected degree conferral date in the letter of intent.

No. Researchers from any field relevant to the hiring Centers can apply.

No. Researchers from theoretical fields can apply to Centers categorized as experimental field Centers (experimental physics, chemistry, life sciences and interdisciplinary). However, when a researcher is selected as a theoretical field YSF of a Center in an experimental field, annual research fund of up to KRW 180 million is provided.

Yes. In particular, when making a full research proposal, those who have passed the first phase (letter of intent evaluation) need to contact the director of the Center of their choice and have discussions on organization and operation of a research group, use of research facilities/equipment and so on. Those who have applied to more than one Center in the letter of intent need to choose one when writing a full proposal.

Applicants will be comprehensively reviewed based on their capabilities as a researcher, excellence and appropriateness of their research proposal, collaboration potential with the Center and so on.

The selection process will take place as follows, but the schedule may change depending on the circumstances of IBS:

• ▪ First phase: Letter of intent (approx. three pages) acceptance and evaluation
  • 1. Submission deadline: 23 December 2024
  • 2. Review of each letter of intent by the director and the selection and evaluation panel concerned
  • 3. Invitation to submit full research proposals: January 2024
    - Applicants who pass the first phase will be requested to submit an approx. 10-page full research proposal, up to three reference letters and presentation materials.


• ▪ Second phase: Full research proposal acceptance and in-depth evaluation by field
  • 1. Submission deadline: February 2025
  • 2. Review of each full proposal and reference letter by the director concerned
  • 3. Interview (on-site presentation) by the selection and evaluation panel concerned: March~Aprill 2025
    - If candidates reside abroad or have difficulty attending on site, the evaluation will be held via video conference.


• ▪ Third phase: Comprehensive evaluation and notification of the results
  • 1. Comprehensive evaluation by panel chairs
  • 2. Final selection and notification of the results: June 2025

IBS plans to select new YSFs every year, but the final number of selections may change depending on the budget and other circumstances of IBS. In 2023, 5 researchers were selected.