Domestic scientific and technological personnel engaged in basic research meet the provisions of the first paragraph of Article 10 of the Regulations, and there is no work unit or the work unit is not a supporting unit. After consultation with the supporting units registered with the Natural Science Foundation of China, and with the consent of the supporting units, you can apply for general projects and youth science fund projects, and you may not apply for other types of projects. When applying for a project as an applicant, such personnel should truthfully fill in the information of the work unit in the basic information table and resume of the application form, and sign a written contract with the supporting unit (see Article 13 of the Measures for the Administration of Fund Work of Supporting Units of the National Natural Science Foundation of China for details). The written contract need not be submitted to the Natural Science Foundation of China, but kept by the supporting unit for future reference.

Overseas personnel who are not employed by the supporting unit cannot apply for various projects as applicants who have no work unit or whose unit is not the supporting unit.