International Programs

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellowships in Japan 2013-14

The call for applications for travel in FY2013-2014 has now closed. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of this grant in late-April.

The Japan Society for the promotion of Science (JSPS), in association with the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Research Council, offers postdoctoral fellowships annually for Australian researchers to work in institutes affiliated with JSPS. 

The JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers provides opportunities for Australian postdoctoral researchers to conduct, under the guidance of their Japanese hosts, cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions. The program aims to help such researchers advance their own research while contributing to the advancement of research in Japan and the counterpart countries.

Fields of research:

Applications are invited from suitably qualified Australian researchers in any field of natural sciences (including technology, engineering and medicine), the humanities and social sciences.

Host researchers and host institutions in Japan:

Host researchers in Japan must be employed full-time or classified as being employed full-time (excluding Jokyo, assistant professors, and Joshu, research assistants) at a university or research institution that is eligible to apply to MEXT for funding under the Grant-in –Aid for Scientific Research Program (Kakenhi) and approved by JSPS as an appropriate institution for hosting young foreign researches. For examples of these institutions please refer to Table 1 (FY2013).

Candidates must have arranged in advance a research plan for their stay in Japan with their prospective host researcher.

Table 1- Host institutions

Eligibility:
Each candidate for the Fellowship must:

1. Be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident at time of application. (If you were not born in Australia, please provide proof of Australian citizenship or Australian permanent residency).

• NOTE: Persons of Japanese nationality are not eligible to apply, nor are those of dual nationality if one is Japanese.

2. Hold a doctorate degree when the Fellowship goes into effect, which must have been received within six years prior to 2 April 2013 (i.e. awarded on or after 2 April 2007) or be scheduled to receive a doctorate degree before the Fellowship goes into effect.

• If the doctorate degree has not yet been awarded, a letter is required form the candidate’s institute stating the date that he/she will officially receive the degree. Note: At time of application, PhD thesis needs to have been submitted.

3. Have arranged in advance a research plan with his/her Japanese host.
4. Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers or an STA Fellowship Program are not eligible.
5. MD (Medical Doctors) holders without a PhD are not eligible.

Duration and commencement of fellowships:

1. Fellowships are awarded for a period of 12 to 24 months.
2. Successful candidates must start the Fellowship in Japan between: 1 August 2013 and 30 November 2013.

Terms of award (Fellows only):

1. A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations)
2. A monthly maintenance allowance of ¥362,000
3. A settling-in allowance of ¥200,000
4. Overseas travel accident and sickness insurance coverage

Note:

• The amounts of the Awards indicated above can be subject to change.
• If the Fellow resides in Japan on the date his/her award letter is issued, the air ticket to Japan and settling-in allowance will not be provided.
• A research grant, "Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research" (Tokubetsu Kenkyuin Shorei-hi) of up to 1,500,000 yen per year (total of ¥3,000,000 for two years) is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Application for these grants is made by the host researcher through his/her institution.

Reporting obligation:

1. So as to allow the smooth progress of research in Japan, sufficient consultation should be made between the candidate and his/her prospective host researcher in advance on the conditions at the host laboratory, including his/her status under the fellowship, and mutual agreement regarding these conditions should be established.
2. As a rule, the fellowship awardees (fellows) shall stay in Japan continuously during the tenure of their fellowships and concentrate on their research at the host institution. Fellows may, however, suspend their fellowships for the purpose of childbearing or infant nursing. Fellows may not engage in other work, neither paid nor unpaid, during their tenure.
3. The fellowship awardees (fellows) and their host researchers must submit two research reports: an interim report at the 12-month juncture of the fellow’s tenure, and a final report within one month of completion of his/her tenure to JSPS and a copy to the Australian Academy of Science.

Note:

* The awardees will also be asked to participate in surveys aimed at improving the fellowship program.
* The names of the awardees and their host researchers as well as their research themes and reports are subject to public disclosure.

Materials to be submitted

1. An original hand-signed application form (Format 2 – Postdoc) - single sided. No digital signatures please.
2. An original hand-signed letter of acceptance/invitation from the candidate's prospective host researcher in Japan, stating that he/she accepts the candidate at his/her institution. No digital signatures please.
3. A certified copy of a document detailing Australian citizenship or Australian permanent residency status (for applicants not born in Australia) e.g. Certificate of Citizenship, passport or visa.
4. An original hand-signed letter of reference/recommendation from the candidate's current or previous supervisor (not from his/her prospective host researcher in Japan) - (see Notes for Referees). No digital signatures please.
5. Please provide the names, address and contact details of two additional referees (Australian) who may be contacted by the selection committee if further information is required.
6. A copy of the candidate's doctoral degree certificate.  If the degree has not yet been awarded, a letter is required from the candidate's institution stating the date that he/she will officially receive the degree. Note: At time of application, PhD thesis needs to have been submitted.
7. Supplementary documents (if necessary).

All documents except degree certification and those confirming Australian citizenship or Australian permanent residency status must be the original. All documents must be in English.

Notification of outcome: It is expected that the Academy will be able to notify applicants of its nominations by late-April 2013. Please note that JSPS will then need to approve the Academy’s nominations. This process can take up to 4 months from the time the Academy submits their nominations. Please take this period into consideration when arranging your proposed travel dates.

Applications are considered carefully against the selection criteria by a committee of scientists with diverse expertise. The decisions of the committee are based upon the assessed competitiveness of the proposal. The Academy is not able to enter discussion or correspondence regarding the reasons why an application is successful or not.

 

This project is supported by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education