JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme 2024

Applications for the JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme 2024 are now open.

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.

• Table of Content
• About United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
• JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme
• Aim and Benefits of JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme
• Requirements for JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)

The United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) is a leading research and teaching institute based in Tokyo, Japan. Its mission is to advance efforts towards a more sustainable future, through policy-oriented research and capacity development focused on sustainability and its social, economic and environmental dimensions. UNU-IAS serves the international community through innovative contributions to high-level policymaking and debates, addressing priority issues for the UN system. The activities of the institute are in three thematic area... continue reading

JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme

Aim and Benefits of JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme

• Airfare: a round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations)
• Maintenance allowance: JPY 362,000 per month
• Miscellaneous: a settling-in allowance of JPY 200,000 and overseas travel insurance

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. 

Requirements for JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme Qualification

• Applicants must hold a doctoral degree at the time of application (received on or after 2 April 2018 with the period of maternity/paternity leave subtracted, counting 4 weeks as a month) or be scheduled to receive a doctoral degree before the fellowship begins. Applicants must be citizens of countries that have diplomatic relations with Japan (Palestinian and Taiwanese researchers are eligible to apply).
• Japanese nationals (including dual citizenship holders) and permanent residents of Japan are not eligible 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.

Interview date, Process and Venue for JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme

Nomination of Candidates

UNU will act as the nominating authority for the programme and the initial application should be submitted to UNU-IAS. UNU-IAS nominates candidates to JSPS based on the following criteria:

• The research objectives of the applicant and the quality of the research proposal
• The applicant’s academic merit and potential for successful research while in Japan

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Interested and eligible candidates are invited to fill out the Application Form by 10 March 2024 (23:59 JST). 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.

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. 

For more details, visit UNU-IAS website.