JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan┋Standard Program

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) carries out programs that provide overseas researchers who have an excellent record of research achievements with an opportunity to conduct collaborative research, discussions, and opinion exchanges with researchers in Japan. These programs are intended to help advance the overseas researchers’ research activities while promoting science and internationalization in Japan.

All fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are included under this program.

Postdoctoral Fellowship (Short-term) [PE]

To provide opportunities for pre-/post-doctoral researchers from the US, Canada and Europe (*) to conduct, under the guidance of their hosts, cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. A person who has never engaged in research at universities etc. in Japan would be most preferable.

In so doing, the program is designed to help advance the research of the visiting fellows, while expanding opportunities for young researchers to come to Japan from the US, Canada and Europe.

*Eligible countries are the US, Canada, European Union countries (as of 1 April 2018), Switzerland, Norway and Russia.

DURATION OF FELLOWSHIPS

1 to 12 months

APPLICATION DEADLINES and NUMBER OF FELLOWSHIP AWARDED

Application deadlines for host institutions to JSPS are as follows. Each host institution may have its own application deadline more than one month before the deadline set by JSPS. Applicants should check with the staff of host institution in advance.

Application periods (from host institution to JSPS)

  • 1st recruitment: October 1-5, 2018 (by 5 p.m. (JST))
  • 2nd recruitment: January 4-11, 2019 (by 5 p.m. (JST))
  • 3rd recruitment: April 1-5, 2019 (by 5 p.m. (JST))
  • 4th recruitment: June 3-7, 2019 (by 5 p.m. (JST))

Period that selection results will be published

  • 1st recruitment: middle of January 2019
  • 2nd recruitment: middle of April 2019
  • 3rd recruitment: middle of July 2019
  • 4th recruitment: middle of October 2019

Periods for arrival in Japan

  • 1st recruitment: April 1, 2019–March 31, 2020
  • 2nd recruitment: July 1, 2019–March 31, 2020
  • 3rd recruitment: October 1, 2019 –March 31, 2020
  • 4th recruitment: January 1, 2020–March 31, 2020

Number of fellowship awarded

  • 1st recruitment: 15
  • 2nd recruitment: 15
  • 3rd recruitment: 15
  • 4th recruitment: 15

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

The applicant (host researcher) must, in principle, be a researcher who is employed full-time at a university or research institution as specified in Article 2* of the Procedure for the Handling of Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Kakenhi), issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

However, there are cases when a researcher not employed in a full time position may be eligible. Such persons must be eligible to apply for a KAKENHI grant–in-aid and his/her affiliated institution must judge them able to implement the project and to provide an appropriate research environment (e.g., laboratory, equipment, personnel) for it.

Each host researcher can submit up to three applications. If more than one overseas researchers apply as candidates for the fellowship, priorities should be given to them.

*Eligible host institutions specified under the above MEXT Procedure are as follows:

  • Universities and inter-university research institutes
  • MEXT-affiliated institutions engaged in research
  • Colleges of technology
  • Institutions designated by the Minister of MEXT

FELLOW ELIGIBILITY

  • Be a citizen or permanent resident of an eligible country stipulated in the above 1*. Also eligible are persons who have earned a master’s or higher degree and continuously thereafter been engaged in research for a period of at least three years at a university or research institution in an eligible country. Such persons must be from a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan or from Taiwan or Palestine, have conducted research continuously for three or more years before the time their application was submitted, and must possess an excellent research record.
  • Candidates must have obtained their doctoral degree at a university outside Japan within six years of the date the fellowship goes into effect (on or after 2 April 2013), or must be currently enrolled in a doctoral course at a university outside Japan, and scheduled to receive a Ph.D. within two years from the time that their research starts in Japan.

Note 1: Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for
Research in Japan ([P] , [PE] and [Pathway to University positions in japan]) are not eligible. This Shortterm
Fellowship is only awarded once per researcher.

Note 2: Those who have resident cards with mailing addresses in Japan during the period of call for application
set by JSPS are not eligible.

Note 3: A Japanese citizen who is also a permanent resident of the country stipulated in the above 1*is not eligible.

Note 4: A person who was selected as a fellow needs to submit an original copy of the doctor’s degree certificate or a copy of the degree (if the fellow has not obtained the degree, the original copy of prospect certificate for the doctoral degree is necessary) by the commencement date (Not required when submitting the application).

TERMS OF AWARD

  • Airfare A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS’s regulations)
  • Maintenance Allowance
    • For PhD holders: ¥362,000 per month
    • For non-PhD holders at the time research starts in Japan: ¥200,000 per month
  • Miscellaneous A settling-in allowance of ¥200,000 (only applicable for Fellows with 3 or more months of tenure), Overseas travel insurance, etc.

[Note] For the fellow who has been living in Japan (and has a mailing address) before the fellowship starting date, the “traveling expense” of outbound flight and a “ settle-in allowance ” will not be paid.

A research support allowance is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Application is made by the host researcher through his/her institution.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR PROGRAM

The applicant (host researcher) and the host institution need to implement the following procedures (1) and (2) respectively when they apply.

(1) Procedure of the applicant (host researcher)

  •  Obtain the following form and letter from an overseas researcher (a candidate for the fellowship to be invited).
    • FY 2019 JSPS International Fellowship for Research in Japan:APPLICATION FORM FOR JSPS POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP FOR RESEARCH IN JAPAN(SHORT-TERM)(FORM2) (In Word or PDF file) The format can be downloaded from https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-ippan/boshu.html
    • Letter of Recommendation signed by the candidate’s doctoral supervisor, etc. (One-page letter. The writer of the letter should be a person other than the host researcher.) (In Word or PDF file)
  • Log in to the electronic application system (for international exchange projects) and complete the application procedure on the system (enter Form 1 on the electronic application screen and upload the above a and b by the application deadline specified by each host institution. Submit (send) it to the host institution.

(2) Procedure of the host institution

  • Confirm the information in the application submitted (sent) by the applicant (host researcher) on the electronic application system. If there is no problem in the contents, approve (confirm the “application list”) and submit (send) the application form to JSPS before the deadline.
  • Obtain the format of the following two lists from the electronic application system and create them.
    • List of applications (Notice of Acceptance included)
    • List of applicants
  • Stamp with the seal of the head of institution on c and mail it with d to JSPS before the deadline.

THE SCREENING CRITERIA

  • That the implementation of the fellowship contributes to promoting exchange between Japan and countries of North America and Europe.
  • That the fellowship helps to advance both the candidate’s and the host’s research work.
  • That the host and candidate have established close communication and devised a concrete research plan.
  • That host institution has adequately prepared a system for receiving the candidate.
  • That in the research plan, consideration is given to honing the research skills of pre-doctoral candidates.
  • That, as much as possible, preference is not be given to host institution or field of specialization in making selections.
  • That not only the score of the document review but also the examiners’ reasons and comments are to be given adequate consideration.
  • That two selection judgements be made: (1) Selected and (2) Not-selected.
  • Application Guideline for FY2019 (PDF format for printing)(Update: 08/20/2018)
    FY2019 Review Section Table

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