JSPS RONPAKU PROGRAM
About RONPAKU ProgramAbout RONPAKU Program
There will be no open calls for FY2025 and onwards.
The aim of this program has been to provide tutorial and financial support for promising researchers in countries of Asia and Africa or other specified countries who wish to obtain their PhD degrees from Japanese universities through the submission of a dissertation without matriculating a doctoral course. Grantees under the program (RONPAKU Fellows) are given the opportunity to visit their Japanese advisor to receive direct supervision at the Japanese university where they will submit their PhD thesis.
ASIA (including the Middle East)
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Vietnam, and Yemen
AFRICA
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Cabo Verde, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
NIS countries (specified countries)
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz,Georgia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan
JSPS also treats Palestine in this manner.
Application Guidelines.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Vietnam, and Yemen
AFRICA
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Cabo Verde, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
NIS countries (specified countries)
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz,Georgia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan
JSPS also treats Palestine in this manner.
Application Guidelines.
The candidate must be a researcher
Further eligibility requirements for this program are provided in the Application Guidelines.
- Who has nationality in an applicable country in the above-listed countries
- Who is employed full time at a university or research institution in the applicable country or will be appointed to such a position by April 1, 2024
- Who is 45 years of age or younger as of April 1, 2024
- If there has been a period of interruption in research activities due to maternity or childcare leave, the candidate must be 47 years of age or younger. In such cases, please consult with JSPS through the applicant's (Japanese advisor) affiliated institution in advance.
Further eligibility requirements for this program are provided in the Application Guidelines.
Approximately 9
Maximum of 3 years from 1 April 2024
Total funding provided to Japanese host university
Maximum of 3.6million yen (Up to 1.2million yen per fiscal year)
The following expenses can be covered by the above funding
Travel expenses between Japan and RONPAKU fellow’s home country, and within Japan by the fellow and his/her Japanese advisors; expenses incurred in conducting research in Japan and fellow’s home country; and other expenses related to the fellow’s dissertation submission (based on Japanese host university’s regulations), etc.
Details
JSPS will contract the Japanese host universities, conclude a contract with them to commission the RONPAKU program operation, and provide them with funding of up to ￥1.2 million per fiscal year. RONPAKU fellows will receive travel expenses and other necessary expenses through the Japanese host universities based on its regulations.
As this program is administered based on the annual budget for each Japanese fiscal year (from 1 April to 31 March), JSPS cannot carry over the remittance of any allowances or other payments to the following fiscal year.
For more information on JSPS’s financial support, please see the Application Guidelines.
As this program is administered based on the annual budget for each Japanese fiscal year (from 1 April to 31 March), JSPS cannot carry over the remittance of any allowances or other payments to the following fiscal year.
For more information on JSPS’s financial support, please see the Application Guidelines.
Please note: Being awarded a RONPAKU fellowship does not automatically guarantee the obtaining of a PhD degree. Each RONPAKU Fellow is responsible for making the necessary effort to succeed in his/her dissertation research.
Please refer to the following for the selection method of the program.