Contact
This Program is implemented under the joint auspices of JSPS and SOKENDAI (the Graduate University for Advanced Studies)
For further information, please contact the Overseas Fellowship Division at the following e-mail address: summer@jsps.go.jp
The JSPS Summer Program is implemented as a component of the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan. Carried out in partnership with The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), the program provides opportunities for young pre- and post-doctoral researchers from North America and Europe to receive an orientation on Japanese culture and research systems and to pursue research under the guidance of host researchers at a Japanese university or research institute over a period of two months during the summer.
JSPS seeks cooperation from its overseas partners in recruiting candidates for the program. In implementing this program, our overseas partners are British Council (UK), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (Germany), the Canadian Embassy in Japan (Canada), and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (Sweden).
Two summer research programs had until 2002 been carried out under two schemes by 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"—were transferred to JSPS and combined into this program entitled the "JSPS Summer Program."
The MEXT Research Experience Fellowship for Young Foreign Researchers 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. SOKENDAI now partners with JSPS in carrying out the JSPS Summer Program.
On the hand, the MEXT/NSF Summer Program 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 its 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 SOKENDAI(JSPS Summer Program)click here.
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.
1) To have a nationality of 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.
* As for the US, we don't have an open call for the Summer Program 2019.
The host researcher must be a researcher who is employed full-time or classified as being employed full-time (excluding assistant professors, and 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
Note: Full-time employment classification is determined by the regulations of the host institution.
*See the List of Eligible Host Institutes (PDF)
*(If you wish to research at SOKENDAI)List of Researchers of SOKENDAI
Dates |
Location |
Schedule |
Accommodation (Tentative) |
Jun. 11 ( Tue ) | Narita | Arrival in Japan | Hotel at Narita Airport |
Jun. 12 ( Wed ) | Hayama | -Move from Narita to Hayama by bus -Opening Ceremony by SOKENDAI -Reception |
Accommodation of the Shonan Village Center |
Jun. 13 ( Thu ) | Hayama | Orientation Session by SOKENDAI | |
Jun. 14 ( Fri ) | Hayama | -Orientation Session by SOKENDAI -Home-stay Experience |
House of Host Family |
Jun. 15 ( Sat ) | Home-stay | Home-stay Experience | |
Jun. 16 ( Sun ) | Home-stay | Return to Shonan Village Center | Accommodation of the Shonan Village Center |
Jun. 17 ( Mon ) | Hayama | Orientation Session by SOKENDAI | |
Jun. 18 ( Tue ) | Host institutions | Move to host institutions | Accommodation arranged by host institutions |
Jun. 19 (Wed) - Aug. 19 (Mon) |
Host institutions | Research experience at host institutions | |
Aug. 20 ( Tue ) | Tokyo | -Move to Tokyo -Research report presentation -Farewell party |
Hotel in Tokyo |
Aug. 21 ( Wed ) | Narita/Haneda | Departure from Japan |