Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowships
Program highlights
- Live and work in Japan for 12 to 24 months, undertaking full-time, uninterrupted research at a JSPS-affiliated institute under the guidance of your Japanese host.
- Receive a structured support package, including a monthly maintenance allowance of ¥362,000, a settling-in allowance of ¥200,000, a round-trip air ticket (per JSPS regulations), and overseas travel insurance coverage.
- Immerse yourself in Japan’s research culture and everyday life, building lasting professional relationships through sustained collaboration in a world-class host environment.
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), in association with the Australian Academy of Science, offers postdoctoral fellowships for Australian researchers to undertake collaborative projects with Japanese host researchers at JSPS-affiliated institutes in Japan for between 12 and 24 months.
The JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan provide the opportunity for Australian postdoctoral researchers to conduct cooperative research with leading research groups in universities and other Japanese institutions, under the guidance of their Japanese hosts.
The program aims to help such researchers advance their own research while contributing to the advancement of research in Japan and the counterpart countries.
To facilitate a smooth process of research in Japan, sufficient consultation should be made in advance between the candidate and their prospective host researcher. Mutual agreement regarding the research plan, conditions at the host laboratory and the candidate’s status under the fellowship should be established prior to application.
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 must not engage in other work, either paid or unpaid, during their tenure.
Key dates
Below are the key dates for the application process. While we aim to keep to this schedule, some dates may change depending on circumstances.
GUIDELINES
The following guidelines provide important information about eligibility, submission requirements, and assessment processes. Please review them carefully before submitting an application.
Candidates must be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, or New Zealand citizens with a Special Category visa (subclass 444) and must be living in Australia at the time of application.
Australian permanent residents need to be citizens of countries that have diplomatic relations with Japan. People of Japanese nationality, or dual nationality where one is Japanese, are not eligible to apply.
Candidates who have permanent residency in Japan are not eligible to apply.
Candidates must hold a PhD degree, which must have been received on or after 2 April 2020 or be scheduled to receive a doctorate degree before the proposed fellowship commencement date.
As per section 5 (note 3) of the JSPS application guidelines, maternity or parental leave can be deducted from the time since receiving the PhD degree, should this reduce the time to less than the eligible period of within six years. For this career interruption to be included, please note that a different application form may need to be completed. This can be requested through the Academy’s Programs Officer (grants@science.org.au).
If the PhD degree has not been conferred at the time of application, the candidate must obtain a letter from their institution stating that, at the time of application, the applicant has met all the conditions required for completion of the degree.
The letter must also include the specific date on which the degree will be conferred, which must be before the proposed fellowship commencement date.
Please note that specific completion requirements may vary between institutions. Candidates are strongly encouraged to clarify the requirements with their awarding institution prior to submitting the fellowship application. This may involve seeking advice from the institution's Office of the Registrar, for example.
Candidates who have previously been awarded a fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research in Japan (Standard – P, and Pathway to University positions in Japan – PU) are not eligible.
If it becomes known before or after selection that a candidate does not meet the application eligibility, their selection may be cancelled, or the fellowship terminated. If the fellowship has already commenced, the candidate may be required to reimburse the JSPS any paid allowances.
Host researchers in Japan must be employed full time or classified as being employed full time at a listed research university or research institution (see eligible hosts in the PDF download below).
Applications are invited in any field of the physical sciences, life sciences, engineering, technology and medicine.
Proposals that address one or more of Australia's National Science and Research Priorities will be given preference. The priorities are listed below, with research subfield examples included.
- Transitioning to a net zero future.
- Research subfields include renewable energy, energy storage, decarbonisation, sustainable agriculture and environmental science.
- Supporting healthy and thriving communities.
- Research subfields include Indigenous health, mental health research, health information, biomedical engineering and medical science.
- Elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems.
- Research subfields include Traditional ecological knowledge, Indigenous land and water management and environmental management.
- Protecting and restoring Australia’s environment.
- Research subfields include climate science, Indigenous land and water management, marine biology and oceanography, urban ecology, forestry and biodiversity conservation.
- Building a secure and resilient nation.
- Research subfields include AI, quantum, robotics and machine learning, cyber security, supply chain resilience, disaster risk reduction and management and critical infrastructure protection.
Please note that although the JSPS accepts applications in the humanities and the social sciences under its broader program, the Academy is unable to accept applications in these two areas for this current round.
Fellowships are awarded for a period of between 12 and 24 full months (minimum 365 days; maximum 730 days). Fellows must start the fellowship in Japan between 1 May and 30 November 2026.
The amounts indicated below are subject to change.
- A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations).
- A monthly maintenance allowance of ¥362,000.
- A settling-in allowance of ¥200,000.
- Overseas travel insurance coverage.
If the Fellow is located in Japan on the date their award letter is issued, the air ticket to Japan and settling-in allowance will not be provided.
A Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Grants-in-Aid for JSPS Research Fellows) is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Applications for this grant are made by the host researcher in Japan through their institution. For details, please see the application guidelines for the Grants-in-Aid for JSPS Research Fellows.
Using the templates provided below, applications are to be submitted online and must include the following attachments as PDF files:
- completed JSPS application form. Read the JSPS application guidelines and instructions for the application form below prior to completion.
- copy of doctoral degree certificate, or if not yet awarded, a letter from candidate’s institute as outlined in the ‘Eligibility’ section above
copy of the signed letter of invitation from the candidate’s prospective host researcher. See sample letter template below.
referee report from current or previous supervisor. Read information for referees below.
Note: all documents must be in English.
Applications are considered carefully against the selection criteria by a committee of scientists with diverse expertise. The decisions of the committee are based on the assessed competitiveness of the proposal.
The Academy is not able to enter into discussion or correspondence regarding the reasons an application is successful or unsuccessful.
Applications will be assessed by a multidisciplinary selection committee convened by the Australian Academy of Science. Selection is based on academic merit, the quality and feasibility of the proposed research project, and the strength of the collaboration with the host researcher in Japan. The Academy will nominate the highest-ranked applicants to JSPS, who will make the final selection decisions.
The Academy is not able to enter into discussion or correspondence regarding the reasons an application is successful or unsuccessful.
Number of fellowship nominations
The Academy’s quota for nominations this round has not yet been confirmed by JSPS and is expected to be advised in October 2025. However, in the previous round, the Academy was able to nominate 12 postdocs from Australia to the JSPS.
The Academy will assess and rank the applications and provide the JSPS with a nomination list of recommended applicants, but the final selection of successful applicants will be made by JSPS.
Notification of outcome
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by late December 2025. Final selection decisions will be made by JSPS approximately three months before the nominated departure date.
Please take this period into consideration when arranging your proposed travel dates.
The Fellow and their host researchers must submit a final report to the JSPS within one month of the completion of the fellowship tenure. A copy of the Fellow’s report to the JSPS must also be submitted to the Academy, together with an additional report to the Academy within three months of completing the fellowship.
The Academy will provide a template to the Fellow for the second report. Awardees will be asked to participate in surveys aimed at improving the fellowship program.
Applications are to be completed through an online form found by clicking on the Apply button on the top right of this web page when the round is open.
