The Matsumae International Foundation is now accepting applications for the Research Fellowship Program 2020. These fellowships are open to the applicants who are non-Japanese nationality holding a doctorate degree.

The applicants have an opportunity to win a stipend for research and stay, Insurance, Air transportation (a round-trip air ticket to/from Tokyo) and a Lump sum on arrival for a period of from three to six months.

The Matsumae International Foundation (MIF) is a nongovernmental organization whose Fund is solely based on donations from many Japanese people who have responded with goodwill to Dr. Shigeyoshi MATSUMAE’s call.

Scholarship Description:

• Applications Deadline: Applications must be received by MIF by 17:00 on July 31, 2019 (Japan Standard Time).
• Course Level: The fellowship is open to pursuing a doctorate degree program.
• Study Subject: These fellowships are available in the fields of research such as natural science, engineering and medicine are considered with first priorities.
• Scholarship Award: Allowance for research and stay: ¥220,000- per month is provided for the purpose of tuition payment, expenses for research materials, and miscellaneous living expenses.
• Insurance: Overseas Travel Accident/Sickness Insurance:
  • Personal accident insurance with death benefit and medical treatment,
  • Sickness insurance with death benefit and medical treatment.
• Air transportation: A coach class round trip air tickets between an airport nearest to the successful applicant’s domicile and Tokyo via most direct and economical routing is provided. The tickets provided cannot be converted to cash, nor can cash provided by MIF be used for purchasing air tickets.
• Start-up Fund upon arrival: ¥120,000- is provided to cover the initial costs to start a new research stay in Japan.
• Nationality: Applicants of non-Japanese nationality can apply.
• Number of Scholarships: The number of fellowships is about 20 persons each year.
• Scholarship can be taken in Japan

Eligibility for the Scholarship:

To be eligible, the applicants must be following all the given criteria:

• Eligible Countries: Scholarships are available to students from all around the world.
• Entrance Requirements: Applicants of non-Japanese nationality who meet all of the following eligibility requirements are invited to submit the required application documents.
  • Applicants must obtain a Letter of Invitation from host institutions in Japan.
  • Applicants must hold a PH.D. (Doctorate) degree, or be recognized by MIF as possessing equivalent academic qualifications.
  • Applicants must be at the age of 49 years old or younger at the time when documents are submitted.
  • Applicants must have sufficient abilities in English or Japanese languages.
  • Applicants should not have past or current experiences of staying in Japan. (Except for short-term stay. E.g. sightseeing, conferences)
  • Applicants should be in employment in their home countries and must return to their countries upon
  • Completion of their MIF fellowship tenure.

Application Procedure:

• Applicants should obtain the current issue of the Fellowship Announcement from MIF or download the announcement from the MIF’s website and print out the Application Form in PDF-format or MS Word file.
• MIF cannot entertain requests for waivers of the eligibility requirements and other conditions, listed in the Fellowship Announcement, and will not accommodate such requests.
• The application must be submitted from the applicant’s home country.
• MIF accepts those submitted by post. Those applications submitted electronically or via facsimile will be unacceptable.
• Application documents include:
  • Application Form
  • The Research Project
  • A reprint of the most significant publication by the applicant
  • Personal History (Curriculum Vitae)
  • A letter of recommendation by the applicant’s employer printed out on the home institution’s letterhead
  • Certified copies for all the academic certificates/diplomas (for Ph.D., MA/MS/MD, BA/BS) issued by the relevant institutions
  • A letter of invitation signed by the professor/scholar-in-charge at the host institution printed out on the host institution’s letterhead
• All of the following documents should be in A4 size and be submitted all together in one package by postal mail. The documents are not to be bound into a book.
• All documents must be type-written. Hand-written documents are not basically accepted unless the adequate reason is recognized by MIF. Documents must be written in English and in English only.