Brief History of the Program

Two summer research programs that had until 2002 been carried out under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) - one titled "MEXT Research Experience Fellowship for Young Foreign Researchers" and the other "MEXT/NSF Summer Program" - have been transferred to JSPS and combined into this program entitled "JSPS Summer Program."

As to the MEXT Research Experience Fellowship for Young Foreign Researchers, it was inaugurated in 1993 as a pilot program implemented by the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai). From 1995, it came under the auspices of MEXT.

At the time the program was started, it was mainly inter-university research institutes that hosted the program's Fellows; with the shift to MEXT, national universities also became host institutions.

As to the MEXT/NSF Summer Program, it was initially implemented under the title "Summer Institute Program" by the Science and Technology Agency through a collaboration between the Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the US.

When the program was taken over by MEXT as part of the Japanese government's administrative reorganization, national laboratories became the main host institutions. Since its transfer to JSPS in 2003, host institutions have been expanded to include national, private, and public universities along with national laboratories and other institutions.

About the Program

The program is offered to young pre- and postdoctoral researchers from the six countries of the US, the UK, France, Germany, Canada and Sweden. Held over a 2-month period in the summer, the program provides the participants with an orientation in Japanese language and culture and an opportunity to do cooperative research at a Japanese university or research institute. The orientation is held at the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai) during the first week of the program. It comprises Japanese lessons, home stay and other components (which may vary by year). After the orientation, the participants go to their respective host institutions where they conduct joint research under the guidance of their Japanese host researchers. At the end of August, the participants re-gather before going home to present reports on their summer experiences.

1. Field of Research

All fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are included under this program. The candidate must either be majoring or conducting research in a related field.

2. Duration of Program

Fellowships are awarded for a period of two months starting 9 June through 19 August 2015. For more detailed information regarding the program’s schedule, please refer to the Schedule for the FY2015 program.

3. Eligibility

1) Be a citizen of the US, the UK, France, Germany, Canada or Sweden (Permanent residents or others with equivalent status may apply if approved by the nominating authority in one of the above countries.)
2) Be enrolled in a university graduate program or hold a doctorate degree when the program goes into effect, which must have been received within six years prior to April 1 of the said year (not required to hold full-time position.)
3) Have received in advance acceptance from their host researchers
4) Aspire to become a researcher in future
* Note: Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under a JSPS Fellowship Programs are not eligible.

4. Host Researchers and Host Institutes

The host researcher must be a researcher who is employed full-time or classified as being employed full-time (excluding Jokyo, assistant professors, and Joshu, research assistants) at a university or research institution that is eligible to apply to MEXT for funding under the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific-Research Program (Kakenhi).
Eligible host institutions include the following:
(1) Universities and inter-university research institutes
(2) The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)-affiliated institutions that conduct scientific research
(3) Other institutions designated by the Minister of MEXT See “List of Eligible Host Institutes.”
Note: Full-time employment classification is determined by the regulations of the host institution.

*See the List of Eligible Host Institutes

5. Financial Support ( See Financial Support)
   • International travel (Round-trip airfare)
   • Maintenance Allowances (534,000 yen)
     *JSPS will cover the following expenses separately from the allowance: hotel room charges at Narita and Tokyo, and meals and accommodation charges at Sokendai.
   • Insurance
   • Research-related expenses at the host Institution (158,500 yen)
     * Subject to change
6. Application and Selection Procedures

[1] Nomination

JSPS receives applications for this program only through the foreign nominating authorities listed below. Application procedures may vary somewhat by authority. If you are interested in applying for the program, please contact the nominating authority in your country about the detailed application procedures.

Country	Nominating Authorities	Contact Information
USA	National Science Foundation (NSF)	List of Nominating Authorities
UK	British Council Japan
France	Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Germany	Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)
Canada	Canadian Embassy in Japan
Sweden	The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT)

[2] Selection

JSPS asks the prospective host institutions whether they will officially accept the nominees; and upon confirmation, selects the successful applicants, and then notifies the nominating agencies of the results. Concurrently, JSPS sends a formal letter of invitation to each successful applicant through the designated nominating agencies.

7. Obligation
   • In Principle, Fellows must stay in Japan continuously during the fellowship tenure. If for an unavoidable reason, you must leave Japan, please be sure to ask JSPS’s permission.The duration of stay in another country must be within one week, regardless of the reason for departure.
   • If a participant should leave Japan during the program without obtaining JSPS’s advance approval or not attend any of the program components such as the orientation, his/her fellowship may be terminated.
   • During your tenure, you are to concentrate on your research related to this program.
   • Before departing Japan, you will be requested to submit a report on the research work you carry out under this program. The format and instructions for submitting the report will be provided.
8. Other Points to Keep in Mind
   • Obtaining host’s informal acceptance
     To facilitate the selection process, applicants should obtain in advance of applying the informal acceptance of their Japanese host researchers.
   • Lodging Arrangements
     As the allowance provided to Fellows under the program is to cover their subsistence and lodging costs over the entire 2 months period, Fellows are strongly advised to ask their hosts in advance to arrange public domicile, e.g. at international students' lodges or dormitories of the host institution, for them.
   • Pre-departure consultation with host
     Before coming to Japan, Fellows should discuss with their host researchers both their research plan and life in Japan. It is also requested to receive instructions from your host on how to get to your host institution from Sokendai and on when you should arrive.
   • Change of fellowship tenure
     ♦ In principle, neither a shortening or lengthening of the fellowship tenure is allowed, except in some cases when due to unavoidable circumstances the fellow must return home early. In such cases, the unused portion of the fellow’s allowances must be returned to JSPS.
     ♦ With approval of the host researcher, there are cases when the period of a fellow’s stay in Japan may be extended to a total of 90 days inclusive of the two months of the program. Bear in mind, however, that the maintenance allowance will not be paid during the extended period either before or after the fellowship tenure. If the fellow’s stay exceeds 90 days, his/her return or roundtrip air ticket will be cancelled.　Fellows who change the length of their stay must inform both JSPS and the nominating authority in their home country.
   • Form of Joint Research
     If it is thought that a disagreement may occur with regard to intellectual property rights on outcomes (e.g., patents, software) of the joint research, the Fellow, Host and host institution should negotiate and establish an agreement on their disposition in advance.
     That the Fellow understands the collaborative research is to be conducted under the guidance of the Host should be confirmed by the Host in advance. If this should not be the case, the Fellow and Host should discuss and agree upon the form of collaboration in advance.
     When applying for patents or other intellectual property rights, you should first notify your host institution’s administrative office of (1) that you intend to make such application and (2) that the subject research was conducted under this JSPS Fellowship Program. You are advised to confirm in advance the rules and regulations governing patents and other intellectual property rights on research results obtained in Japan or during your fellowship tenure.
   • Others
     The fellowship will be withdrawn and benefits cancelled if a Fellow should either
     ♦ be found to have made a false statement in his/her application documents,
     ♦ the Fellow leaves Japan without JSPS's permission, or does not participate in program components such as the orientation,
     or
     ♦ when JSPS determines it necessary to cancel a fellow’s invitation or withdraw his/her fellowship.

Program Flow Chart

	JSPS sends application guidelines to overseas nominating authorities and requests them to recruit and make nominations.
	Nominating authorities recruit and select nominees.
	Nominating authorities refer nominees to JSPS.
	JSPS inquiries to host institutions as to whether they will accept nominees; host institutions reply.
	JSPS sends out a notice of fellow’s selection to overseas nominating authorities, the host institution, and Sokendai.
	JSPS inquiries to host institutions as to where fellows' luggage should be sent; host institutions reply. (Fellows' luggage other than necessary materials for the orientation program shall be directly sent to host institutions from the Narita Airport.)
	JSPS pays fellows' allowances. (Allowances are deposited in bank account of fellows who have one in Japan. For those who don’t, they are deposited in the host’s bank account.)
	Host institutions submit applications for research support allowances to JSPS.
	JSPS issues research support allowances to host institutions.
	Host institutions submit research support allowance expenditure reports to JSPS.

Financial Support

Schedule for the FY2015 Program

List of Nominating Authorities

List of Eligible Host Institutes