MATSUMAE Research Fellowship Program 2023 Announcement

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OVERVIEW FELLOWSHIP DETAILS
APPLICATION
APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Fellowship Announcement (PDF)

Please note that the application period will be from April 1, 2022 to June 20, 2022 (Japan Standard Time).

OVERVIEW

Eligibility RequirementsApplicants of non-Japanese nationality who meet all the following requirements are eligible to submit application documents.
● Applicants must obtain an invitation (acceptance) letter from a host institution in Japan prior to application.
● Applicants must hold Ph.D. (Doctoral degree).
● Applicants must be at the age of 49 years old or younger at the time of application.
● Applicants must have sufficient the 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 should contribute to development of their own country.
Research FieldsFields of research such as natural science, engineering, and medicine are given first priority.
Fellowship PeriodThree to six months between April 2023 to March 2024.
Please indicate the length of your stay and its commencing and ending month in your Application Form (Form #1). (E.g., Six months from September 2023 to February 2024.)
Number of Fellowship RecipientsAround 10
Host Institution in JapanApplicants are free to choose a host institution in Japan (universities, national research institutions, or the equivalent facilities in private sector) to carry out their research.
Please be sure to obtain a letter of acceptance from the host institution prior to application.
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 AllowanceA monthly allowance of JPY 220,000 is provided to cover expenses for research activities (including materials) and living expenses in Japan.
Arrival FundJPY 120,000 is provided to cover part of the initial costs of living in Japan.
Round-trip Air TransportationRound-trip economy class airfare is provided between the nearest international airport from a grantee’s domicile and Tokyo, Japan.
InsuranceOverseas travel insurance with medical treatment and death benefit is provided. 
Study TourThe MIF invites fellowship recipients to participate in a study tour during their fellowship to deepen their understanding 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 with regard to 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
● Application Period: April 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022 (Japan Standard Time)
Applications will not be accepted for any reason before or after the application period.
Screening Process & Announcement of the Results● Applications are evaluated by the MIF Screening Committee on the basis of academic value and degree of perfection of the research projects.
● The results will be announced on the MIF website in December 2022.
● 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.
All documents must be typed in English.
Inadequate documents will not be accepted.
The following will be automatically rejected without notice.

  • ● Emails over 10 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(PDF)] [Application Form(Word)]
Applications using anything but the prescribed form that has been signed and dated will not be accepted.
Research Plan
You must submit a research plan containing the following: 
(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. 
Soft Copy of Publication
Please submit only one publication (PDF) related to the research project that you intend to conduct in Japan.
Curriculum Vitae (CV) and List of Publications
Regarding the list of publications, please precisely include the authors and titles of the publications, as well as the name of the journal, page(s), and year of publication in the list. Please also highlight the title of the publication that you submit as #3.
Recommendation Letter
Recommendation Letter 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.
Soft copies of Academic Certificates/Diplomas for Ph.D., Master’s, and Bachelor’s Degrees
If these documents are not available in English, please attach English translations (Self-translations are not acceptable).
Invitation Letter 

Invitation Letter must be from and signed by your host professor/scholar in Japan.
The letter must show whether they agree to your fellowship period and the research project as well as to grant use of facilities and arrange your accommodations during the fellowship.
A letter that is not written on the letterhead of the host institution and not signed by the host scholar will not be accepted.

< To host professors/scholars in Japan >
Please include the following information in your letter.
(1) Full name
(2) Institutional affiliation (including department and faculty)
(3) Contact information (postal code, address, telephone, email address)
You can write your letter in either English or Japanese. However, please be sure to write (1) and (2) in both English and Japanese.
Please send the applicant your signed letter via email so that they can include it with their application documents.

＜外国人研究者を受 入られる指導教員・研究者の方へ＞
招待状は貴研究機関のレターヘッドを使用して作成してください。
また、下記項目について必ずご記載ください。
(1) 氏名
(2) 貴研究機関名（学部学科も含む）
(3) ご連絡先（郵便番号・住所・電話番号・メールアドレス）
お手数ですが、(1),(2)につきましては、和英併記をお願い致します。
なお、招待状の本文につきましては、和英どちらの表記でも構いません。
※ご署名の上、当該書面(PDF)を応募者にお渡しいただき、応募書類に含めるようご指示ください。

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