Short-term (PE) (FY2026)

We are pleased to announce that the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan (Short-term (PE)) is now open for applications.

The JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan (Short-term (PE)) provides opportunities for pre-/post-doctoral researchers from the US, Canada and Europe to conductcooperative research under the guidance of their hosts with leading research groups in universities and otherJapanese institutions.
This program is intended to help advance the overseas researchers’ research activities while advancing scienceand promoting internationalization in Japan.

Please refer the details of this program as follows:

Fields 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.

Duration of Fellowships

From 1 to 12 months
This fellowship is provided in full month units.

Starting date

Fellows must start their Fellowship in Japan between mid-May 2026 and 31 March 2026.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all the criteria below.

1) Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
2) Have obtained a doctoral degree within six years of the date the fellowship goes into effect (on or after 2 April 2020). Whether or not the candidate is employed in a full-time position is not considered.

*Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan are not eligible.

Financial Support

The amounts of financial support are as follows. They are subject to change for budgetary reasons.

(1) Airfare: A round-trip air ticket (economy-class) (based on JSPS’s regulations)
(2) Maintenance Allowance:
(a) For Ph.D. holders by the time the fellowship starts in Japan: JPY362,000 per month
(b) For non-Ph.D. holders by the time the fellowship starts in Japan: JPY200,000 per month
(3) Miscellaneous: A settling-in allowance of JPY200,000 (only applicable for Fellows with 3 or more months of tenure), overseas travel insurance

Note 1: The monthly allowance of JPY362,000 shall be paid to fellows who have submitted their Ph.D. diploma or doctoral degree certificate before the starting date of their fellowship. If none of the aforementioned documents are submitted, the monthly allowance is JPY200,000.
In the event that a Ph.D. diploma or doctoral degree certificate is submitted after the starting date of the fellowship, the amount of the monthly allowance will be increased for the first payment from the following month after the date of submission of the documents to JSPS. However, the amount already paid will not be increased retroactively.

Note 2: For candidates who have been staying in Japan (and who have a mailing address in Japan) before the fellowship starting date, the “airfare” for the flight to Japan and the “settling-in allowance” will not be paid.

Note 3: A “research support allowance” is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses (in an amount of up to JPY70,000 x number of months of tenure.) Application is made by the host researchers through their institution.

Required documents for the application

Please download and carefully read the following documents before starting your application.

Guideline

Forms to be submitted:

Please submit the following application package to the following e-mail address: 
was-short-termfellowship@overseas.jsps.go.jp

1) FY2026 Application Form for JSPS International Fellowships for Research in Japan, Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan (Short-term (PE)), for Application through Overseas Nominating Authorities. The application form is to be completed by candidates.
Please download here
FY2026 Instructions for the application form

2) Letter of acceptance/invitation from the candidate’s prospective host researcher in Japan, stating that they accept the candidate at their institution during the period of the fellowship tenure. The letter should be signed by the host themselves. It is preferable that the letter be written on letterhead paper.

3) Letter of recommendation signed by the candidate’s doctoral supervisor (etc.) (The writer of the letter must be a person other than the candidate’s prospective host researcher in Japan). It is preferable that the letter be written on letterhead paper.

4)The candidate’s Ph.D. degree diploma or Ph.D. degree certificate. If the degree has not yet been awarded, at the time of application, a letter is required from the candidate’s institution stating the date that they will officially be awarded the degree. The letter should be signed and preferably on letterhead paper. In that case, the candidate should submit to JSPS the Ph.D. degree certificate or the Ph.D. diploma promptly before starting their fellowship. The diploma or the certificate should be signed or stamped with an official seal.

For candidates who are not scheduled to be awarded a doctoral degree by the time the fellowship starts, one of the following documents (copy) may be submitted in lieu of a document from the university stating the date* the Ph.D. will be awarded.
1) Certificate of doctoral course enrollment (showing that the candidate is scheduled to be awarded a Ph.D. degree within two years from the fellowship starting date.)
2) A document written and signed by the candidate’s supervisor stating that they are scheduled to be awarded a Ph.D. degree within two years from the fellowship starting date. (If the candidate’s supervisor writes a letter of recommendation for the candidate, this content may be included in it.)

When you submit the application package, please choose your field from the list below and write it in the email.

1. Science/Mathematics/Engineering
2. Biological/Medical Sciences
3. Humanities/Social Sciences

Application Deadline

Friday, October 31st, 2025(EDT)

The number of Fellowships Awarded in the US

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