Friday 16 August 2013

JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers in Japan, 2014-2015

Each year, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) awards postdoctoral fellowship program for foreign researchers to conduct under the guidance of their hosts, cooperative research in all fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. 120 fellowships are awarded for 1st recruitment (September 2013) and 2nd recruitment (May 2014) up to a period of 12 to 24 months. Applications for this program must be submitted to JSPS by a host researcher in Japan through the head of his/her university or institution.
About Scholarship: The fellowship’s purpose is to provide opportunities for young and excellent postdoctoral researchers from other countries to conduct, under the guidance of their hosts, cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. The program allows such researchers to advance their own research while contributing to the progress of research in Japan and the counterpart countries.
Study: All fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are included under this program.
Course Level: Fellowships are awarded for postdoctoral researchers to conduct under the guidance of their hosts, cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions.
Scholarship by: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
Location: Japan 
Eligibility: Applicant (Host Researcher) Eligibility: The applicant (host researcher) must be employed full-time or classified as being employed full-time (excluding Jokyo, assistant professor, and Joshu, research assistant) at a research institution that is eligible to apply to MEXT for funding under the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (MEXT Notification ) and must want to host an overseas researcher. Eligible to host institutions include the following: Universities and inter-university research institutes, MEXT-affiliated institutions that conduct scientific research, Technical colleges and other institutions designated by the Minister of MEXT.
Note: Full-time employment classification is determined by the regulations of the host institution.
Candidate (Fellow) Eligibility:
-Each candidate (fellow) for the Fellowship must:
-Be a citizen of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan (JSPS treats Taiwanese and Palestinian researchers in this manner.)
-Hold a doctorate degree when the fellowship goes into effect, which must have been received on or after April 2, 2008, or be scheduled to receive a doctorate degree before the fellowship goes into effect.
-Have arranged in advance a research plan with his/her Japanese host researcher
Note: Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers (excluding Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Short-term) for North American and European Researchers and Summer Program) are not eligible. 
Scholarship Open for: International applicants (country that has diplomatic relations with Japan) can apply for these fellowships.
Number of awards: For the 1st Recruitment (September 2013): approximately 120 fellowships will be granted. For the 2nd Recruitment (May 2014): approximately 120 fellowships will be granted. 
Duration: Fellowships are awarded for a period of 12 to 24 months. Successful candidates must start the Fellowship in Japan during the following periods: For the 1st Recruitment: April 1, 2014– September 30, 2014. For the 2nd Recruitment: September 1, 2014 – November 30, 2014.
Value: The amounts of the Awards indicated below are subject to change for budgetary reasons.
-A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations)
-A monthly maintenance allowance of ¥362,000
-A settling-in allowance of ¥200,000, Overseas travel accident and sickness insurance coverage, etc.
If the Fellow resides in Japan on or after the date his/her award letter is issued, the above-mentioned air ticket to Japan and settling-in allowance will not be provided. A “Grant-In-Aid for Scientific Research” (Tokubetsu Kenkyuin Shorei-hi) of up to ¥1,500,000 per year (total of ¥3,000,000 for two years) is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Application for these grants is made by the host researcher through his/her institution.
Selection Criteria: Screening is conducted by JSPS’s selection committee based on the five criteria listed below.
-That the collaboration will contribute to advancing science in Japan and counterpart country.
-That the collaboration can be expected to advance research in the subject field.
-That the applicant (host researcher) and candidate have established contacts in advance and devised a concrete research plan.
-That a suitable space is prepared and facilities arranged at the host institution for the fellow to conduct research during his/her tenure.
-That, as much as possible, preference not be given to the candidate’s nationality, host institution, or field of specialization. Consideration is given to inviting first-time fellows from a range of countries. 
Notification: Notification of the selection results will be made in writing through the head of the applying institution in the following periods: 1st recruitment: recruitment: middle of January 2014. 2nd recruitment: middle of August 2014. Acceptance documents will be sent to the successful candidates. The names of the awardees, host researchers and institutions as well as their research themes are subject to public disclosure on JSPS’s website. Unsuccessful candidates are not directly notified of their selection results. However, applicants (host researchers) will receive a notice of their approximate ranking among all the applications. 
Apply: Applicants (host researchers) will be required to use JSPS’s web application system to apply for fellowships. Applications for this program must be submitted to JSPS by a host researcher in Japan through the head of his/her university or institution. Foreign postdoctoral researchers wishing to participate in this program are advised to establish contact with a Japanese or foreign-resident researcher in their field and to ask him/her to submit an application. They should make this contact well in advance of the host institution’s application deadline indicated below. The application process is as follows:
-Contact made between candidate and applicant (host researcher)
-Applicant (host researcher) submits an application to institution’s head office
-Office submits application to JSPS
Materials to be submitted: Materials to be prepared by the applicant (host researcher) and submitted to his/her institution
-Application form to be filled in by the host researcher (Form 1)
-Application form to be filled in by the foreign candidate (Form 2)
- A letter of reference/recommendation from the candidate’s current or previous academic supervisor (not from his/her prospective host researcher in Japan)
Note: Only successful candidates will be required to provide a doctoral degree certificate or a copy of their diploma if already received.
Materials to be prepared by the administrative office of the host institution:
-Number of applications
-List of candidates 
Deadline: Application deadline (for host institution): 1st Recruitment: 2- 6 September 2013. 2nd Recruitment: Recruitment: 1-9 May 2014.
Note: These deadlines are for the head of the host institution to submit the application to JSPS; the time frames for applicants (host researchers) to submit their applications are normally earlier. 
Further Information: http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-fellow/fy2014/appli_long_2014.html

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