Recommended by scientific and technical personnel with senior professional and technical positions. Scientific and technical personnel engaged in basic research who meet the conditions specified in the preceding paragraph, have no work units or work units that are not supporting units, may apply for funding from the National Natural Science Foundation in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations after consultation with the supporting units registered in the fund management institutions and with the consent of the supporting units. Relying units shall regard them as scientific and technological personnel of their own units and implement effective management in accordance with the provisions of these regulations. The applicant shall be the person in charge of the project funded by the application fund.

The applicant applying for the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China shall determine the research project according to the annual fund project guide, and submit a written application to the fund management institution through the supporting unit within the prescribed time limit. When applying for the support of the National Natural Science Foundation, the applicant shall submit materials proving that it meets the conditions stipulated in these Regulations. If the annual fund project guide has special requirements for the applicant, the applicant shall also submit supporting materials that meet the requirements. If the research content of the project for which the applicant applies for fund support has obtained other funding, the funding situation shall be explained in the application materials. The applicant shall be responsible for the authenticity of the application materials submitted.