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Applications are open for the JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme 2025. Jointly organized by the UNU and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme is designed to provide promising, highly qualified young researchers with the opportunity to conduct advanced research in sustainability under host researchers at domestic universities and research institutions across Japan in cooperation with UNU-IAS.
Opportunity Details
UNU offers Postdoctoral Fellowships to provide young scholars and policymakers, especially from the developing world, with a multidisciplinary context within which to pursue advanced research and training that are of professional interest to the successful applicant and of direct relevance to the research agenda of their selected thematic programme. Since the start of the Fellowship Programme at UNU-IAS in 1996, more than 250 young researchers - 70% of whom are from the developing world - have benefited from collaboration with UNU and Japanese scholars.
Jointly organized by the UNU and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme is designed to provide promising, highly qualified young researchers with the opportunity to conduct advanced research in sustainability under host researchers at domestic universities and research institutions across Japan in cooperation with UNU-IAS.
This fellowship is aimed at candidates who have completed their doctorates in the past six years (with the period of maternity/paternity leave subtracted) and have professional and/or research experience. UNU-IAS Tokyo acts as the nominating authority for the JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme. Nominated fellows will be considered members of their host institutions and are required to carry out their research under the supervision of their host researcher. It is possible for fellows to conduct research at UNU-IAS if mutually agreed upon by the host university.
The fellowship provides:
The award amounts are subject to change by JSPS.
Note: If a fellow is already living in Japan or obtains resident status before the fellowship is scheduled to begin, the air ticket to Japan and settling-in allowance will not be provided.
A research grant (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research) is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Application for these grants is made by the host researcher through the host institution.
Applicants must hold a doctoral degree at the time of application (received on or after 2 April 2019 with the period of maternity/paternity leave subtracted, counting 4 weeks as a month) or be scheduled to receive a doctoral diploma by the end of July 2025 after passing the dissertation defense. Applicants must be citizens of countries that have diplomatic relations with Japan.
Japanese nationals (including dual citizenship holders) and permanent residents of Japan are noteligible to apply. Those who have previously been awarded a Standard or Pathway Fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan are also not eligible.
Click on the link to the application website to apply. The form must be filled out in English.
Please note that the host researcher must be confirmed before applying for the fellowship. Applicants are responsible for finding and negotiating an agreement with a host researcher at a Japanese institution as the UNU-IAS Fellowship Committee cannot support the process. Furthermore, UNU-IAS researchers are not eligible to become host researchers. A list of eligible host institutions is available here.
The UNU-IAS Fellowship Committee will begin reviewing applications immediately after the application deadline. Only the shortlisted candidates will be called for an online interview. The Fellowship Committee will then reconfirm the intention of their chosen host researcher to supervise the candidate.