Research Fellowships for Young Scientists
JSPS Research Fellowships support doctoral students and early-career researchers in Japan to pursue independent research across all academic fields.
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Due Dates: May 11, 2026 (RPD) | June 3, 2026 (PD, DC1, DC2)
Funding Amounts: DC: ¥200,000–230,000/month (2–3 years) | PD/RPD: ¥362,000/month (3 years) | Grant-in-Aid up to ¥4.5M (DC/PD/RPD)
Summary: Core JSPS fellowships supporting outstanding doctoral students and early-career researchers in Japan to pursue independent research in all fields.
Key Information: Application must be submitted via your institution; individual applications are not accepted.
Description
The JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists are Japan’s premier funding programs for doctoral students and early-career researchers, designed to foster scientific independence and excellence across all fields of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The program offers several fellowship types—Doctoral Course (DC), Postdoctoral (PD), Restart Postdoctoral (RPD), and Cross-border Postdoctoral (CPD)—to support researchers at different career stages, including those returning after career interruptions for childbirth or childcare. Fellows receive a monthly stipend and may apply for additional research grants. The program is highly competitive, with a rigorous peer review process led by leading Japanese researchers.
