Research Fellowship Program 2026 Announcement
OVERVIEW
| Eligibility Requirements | Applicants of non-Japanese nationality who meet all the following requirements are eligible to submit application documents. ● Applicants who empathize with the core values of the MIF. ● Applicants must obtain an acceptance from a host institution in Japan before application. ● Applicants must hold a Ph.D. (Doctoral degree) at the time of application. ● Applicants must be at the age of 45 years old or younger at the time of application. (The birth year must be in/after 1980.) ● Applicants must have sufficient English or Japanese languages ability. ● Applicants should not have past or current experiences of staying in Japan (other than short-term stays such as for sightseeing or conferences). ● Applicants must have an occupation in their home countries, return there upon completing their fellowship tenure, and contribute to the development of their own country. |
| Research Fields | Preferable research fields are natural science, engineering, medicine, etc. |
| Fellowship Period | As a rule, Six months between June 2026 to March 2027. Please indicate the commencing and ending month in your Application Form (#1). (E.g., From September 2026 to February 2027.) |
| Number of Fellowship Recipients | Around 15 |
| Host Institution in Japan | Applicants are free to choose a host institution in Japan (universities, national research institutions, or equivalent facilities in the private sector) to carry out their research. Please be sure to obtain an acceptance from the host institution before applying. The MIF is not in a position to give advice or recommendations to applicants regarding host institutions in Japan. |
FELLOWSHIP DETAILS
The following financial supports are provided to successful applicants.
Fellowships are provided to the successful applicants only, and intended for necessary living expenses and research activities in Japan. Under no circumstances, this fellowship is transferable.
| Monthly Allowance | A monthly allowance of JPY 220,000 is provided to cover expenses for research activities (including materials) and living expenses in Japan. |
| Arrival Fund | JPY 120,000 is provided to cover part of the initial living costs in Japan. |
| Round-trip Air Transportation | Round-trip economy class airfare is provided between the nearest international airport from a grantee’s domicile and Tokyo, Japan. |
| Insurance | Overseas travel insurance with medical treatment and death benefits is provided. |
| Study Tour | The MIF invites fellowship recipients to participate in a study tour during their fellowship to deepen their knowledge of Japan. |
| Notices Concerning Fellowship Conditions | ● The fellowship will be granted only within the period specified in the grant letter, which cannot be extended or shortened. ● Only the individual specified in the grant letter is eligible for the grant. The MIF will not be involved in any way concerning the immigration procedures, airline tickets, or accommodation expenses for the family, companions, etc., of the selected applicant. |
APPLICATION
| Application | Applicants must submit their application documents to the MIF via e-mail. ● Email: application@mif-japan.org (*Only for Application) For inquiry → Contact Us ● Application Period: June 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025 (Japan Standard Time) Applications will not be accepted for any reason before or after the application period. |
| Screening Process & Announcement of the Results | ● The MIF Screening Committee evaluates applications. ● The application numbers of successful applicants will be announced on the MIF website in late November 2025. ● The MIF will send a grant letter to successful applicants. ● It is the policy of the MIF to neither disclose the content of discussions by the Screening Committee nor accept inquiries about individual applications. ● The MIF will not comment on the reasons for the decisions made by the Screening Committee. |
APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
The following documents must be submitted as PDFs to the MIF via email.
Please do not combine all documents into one PDF.
All documents must be typed in English.
Neither inadequate documents will be accepted nor subject to screening.
The following will be automatically rejected without notice.
● Emails over 5 MB in size.
● Emails with attachments with file extensions other than “PDF.”
● Emails with attachments in any compressed format such as “zip” or “rar.”
● Emails including any program files or downloadable links.
| Application Form |
| Please download the application form from the link below. An ID photograph taken within the past three months must be attached. Please make sure that the form is filled out precisely. [Application Form(Word)] Applications using anything but the prescribed form that has been signed and dated will not be accepted. |
| Reason for Application |
| Please download the form from the MIF website and write down your application reasons within 500 words. [Reason for Application(Word)] |
| Research Plan |
| You must submit the following research plan within 5 pages. (a) The content, purpose and methodology of the research (b) The road map of the research project (c) The benefit the research project will bring to your home country (a) and (b) should be described in detail based on discussions with your host professor/scholar in Japan. |
| Curriculum Vitae (CV) and List of Publications |
| Regarding the list of publications, please precisely include the authors and titles of the publications, the journal name, page(s), and year of publication. Please also clearly highlight in yellow the title of the publication related to the research project you intend to conduct in Japan. |
| Recommendation Letter |
| It must be from your current home institution (employer) and written on its letterhead. It should testify to your academic ability and achievements and confirm the availability of study leave during your fellowship period. |
| A soft copy of the Academic Certificate for Ph.D. |
| If the document is unavailable in English, please attach an English translation (Self-translation is unacceptable). |
| Letter from Host Professor/Scholar in Japan |
| The letter must state the reason for hosting you and indicate that the host professor agrees to arrange your accommodation during the fellowship. The MIF will accept a letter only using the host institution’s letterhead and signed by the host professor. < To host professors/scholars in Japan > Please write your letter in Japanese or English using your institution’s letterhead. (1) The letter should be addressed to the Chairperson of the Matsumae International Foundation (2) Please write your name and institutional affiliation, including the department and faculty, in Japanese and English. (3) Please include your contact information: postal code, address, phone number, email. (4) Please email the applicant your signed letter so that they can include it with their application documents. <指導教員の方へ＞ 以下内容にご留意の上、日本語もしくは英語で作成をお願いいたします。 (1) 宛先：松前国際友好財団 理事長 宛 (2) 貴研究機関の用紙をご使用ください。 (3) 氏名及びご所属は、和英標記をお願いいたします。 (4) ご連絡先（郵便番号・住所・電話番号・メールアドレス）を必ずご記載ください。 (5) ご署名の上、当該書面（PDF）を応募者にお渡しください。 |
