British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers - Notes for Applicants

Please print out these notes before downloading the application form from the link below. To download a flyer for the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme please click here.

The British Academy acts as intermediary to this scheme, which is funded entirely by the JSPS. In its capacity as foreign nominating authority, the British Academy is entitled to nominate up to three candidates each year.

**The scheme is intended to support research in all fields of the humanities and social sciences.**

Please note: Applications to the scheme can also be made independently of the British Academy, through host researchers in Japan. See the JSPS website for details.

Eligibility

Each candidate for the Fellowship must:

Please note the following candidates are not eligible to apply:

• Those who have previously been awarded a fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Foreign Researchers
• Those who do not meet the nationality/citizenship requirement may apply for the program only if the competent nominating authority agrees to accept their applications. Such researchers may be nominated to JSPS so long as they do not reduce the number of nominees with eligible status.
• Japanese nationals
• MD (Medical Doctor) holders without a PhD degree

Terms of Award

JSPS provides each Fellow with the following support:*

• A round-trip air ticket for the Fellow only.
• A monthly maintenance stipend of 362,000 yen
• A settling-in allowance of 200,000 yen
• A research Grant of up to 1,500,000 yen per year ("Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research" applied for separately by the Japanese Host) for cooperative research related expenses
• Accident and sickness insurance coverage for the Fellow only.

*The amounts of the Awards indicated may be subject to change.

Closing dates and timing

The next closing deadline for this scheme shall be in autumn 2010 for visits to be taken up between 1 April and 30 November of the following year. Please note there will only be one call for applications per year.

The British Academy will announce its decision within three months of the closing date, but the award is subject to the approval of the JSPS. JSPS will notify the British Academy of confirmation of the award and will also issue an award letter directly to a successful candidate.

Application procedure

• Applications must be submitted via e-GAP2, the Academy's electronic grant application system. The application includes the following additional material:
• Letter of acceptance from the candidate's host researcher in Japan - the host researcher will be invited to complete a form via e-GAP2 to do this.
• A reference/recommendation from the candidate's current or previous supervisor - the candidate's current or previous supervisor will be invited to upload a letter of recommendation via e-GAP2.
• A copy of the candidate's doctoral degree certificate. If the degree has not yet been awarded, a letter from the candidate's institution stating the date the degree will be officially awarded. (These should be uploaded to your e-GAP2 application form).
• If the application is successful, it will be sent to the JSPS for consideration, and it is therefore important to ensure that the form is legible and that the description of the project is structured to be appropriate for the receiving side as well as the British Academy's awarding committee.

Assessment criteria

Assessors will evaluate the proposal on the basis of its academic merit, taking into account its originality, its relationship to, and the volume of, research already in the field, the scholarly importance of the research proposed, the suitability of the methodology, the feasibility of the research programme, the specificity of the scheme of research, the presentation, and intended outcomes. Assessors will evaluate the ability of the investigator(s) to undertake the proposed research, taking into account their track record in terms of publication, their academic age and stage of career. Backlogs of publication (including any reasons given by applicants) may be taken into account in assessing the current proposal.

The primary assessment of quality will be based on the specific research objective of the proposal, and whether the methodology and research programme outlined are likely to lead to the successful achievement of the objective. The details of how the objective will be achieved - whether through research visits, use of research assistance, workshops, or any combination of eligible activities/costs - will be assessed only in relation to each individual application.

Assessors may take into account evidence of language competence where the understanding of material in a foreign language is crucial to the achievement of the research objective.

Comparative judgements about value for money may be taken into account at the final stage of assessment.

Code of Practice

The Academy has adopted a Code of Practice for assessing research applications, setting out the principles of equity, integrity and confidentiality governing the treatment of all applications for research support. Information regarding Data Protection, the Ethics Policy and the Appeals Procedure are to be found in the Code of Practice.

With regard to Data Protection, please note that a copy of a successful applicant's completed application form will be sent to the JSPS. While the British Academy passes on this information in the understanding that it will be used solely for the purpose of liaison with regard to the project, applicants should be aware that some countries outside the European Economic Area may not provide an individual's data with the same protection as in the UK.

Feedback is not a feature of this programme, and the Academy is, regretfully, unable to enter into correspondence regarding the decisions of the awarding Committee, which are governed by the Code of Practice.

Submission of the signed application form constitutes the applicant's agreement to all terms, conditions and notices contained in the Notes for Applicants.

Contact the International Relations Department for further advice.