2010 Matsumae International Foundation Fellowship

 

Eligibility requirements:

    Applicants of non-Japanese nationality who meet all of the following general eligibility requirements are invited to submit the required application documents (available from the Embassy of Japan’s Culture and Information Section).

    • Applicants must hold a Doctorate degree or be recognized by the Foundation as possessing equivalent academic qualifications.
    • Applicants must not be under 41 years of age at the time of application.
    • Applicants must have sufficient conversational ability in English or Japanese to prevent insurmountable difficulties during their research activities in Japan.
    • Applicants who have never been in Japan in the past / or at present.
    • Applicants who have firm positions and professions in their home nations should apply from their countries, and should return to their countries on completion of their stay by the Foundation.
    • Applicants who have previously been invited by the Foundation are not eligible for this fellowship programme.
    • Applicants must be of sound health and not physically handicapped in any way which would prevent them from carrying out research in Japan.

Fields of study

    Fields of study such as natural science, engineering and medicine are given first priority.

Period and number of fellowships

    Between April 2010 and March 2011, applicants are free to choose the length of period of fellowship stay from six months to three months. The Foundation prefers longer stays (of six months) to shorter stays (of three months).
    The number of fellowships is about 20 persons.

Host institution in Japan

    Applicants are free to select host institutions (university research laboratories, national research institutions or the corresponding facilities of private industry) in which to carry out their research. However, applicants are cautioned that they are obliged to obtain acceptance from such host institutions prior to submitting their applications. The Foundation cannot give counsel or advice to an applicant who does not submit appropriate information concerning his/her host institution.

Application procedure

    • Applications are available from:
      THE MATSUMAE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION
      4-14-46, Kamiogi, Suginami-ku,
      Tokyo 167-0043, JAPAN
    • Or can be downloaded from: www.matsumae-if.org
    • Email: contact2mif@mist.dti.ne.jp
    • Applications must be received by the Foundation by August 31, 2009

Application documents

    • All of the following documents (#1-#9) – A4 in size – should be submitted on one occasion by the applicant to the Foundation.
    • All documents must be type-written in English.
    • Submitted applications which do not contain all of the relevant information will be automatically rejected.
    • The Foundation will not be responsible for costs incurred in submitting an application, and reserves the right to request additional documents if necessary.
    • All documents become the property of the Foundation and will not be returned.
    • The Foundation will send acknowledgement regarding the receiving of applications.
    • The Foundation will not respond concerning the status of an individual’s application.
      1. A completed Application Form together with the applicant’s photograph. The applicant should use the Form specified by the Foundation (or a photocopy). Applicants should ensure that every item in the Application Form, without exception, is properly filled in, and should sign and date the Form in the spaces provided.
      2. A description of the Research Project.
        This should include detailed information on the purpose, methodology, and content of the research, and the schedule of the project. The research project must be discussed in detail with the host institution, and the planned content must be consistent with the research facilities at the host institution.
      3. Complete List of Publications.
        This should include full details of the publication: when and where published, co-authors’ names (where applicable), size and number of pages, etc. Please indicate in red the title of any publications on the list which are submitted as requested in item #4.
      4. Reprint(s) of what the applicant considers to be his or her most important publication(s) written in English. (If unavailable, a brief abstract in English written by the applicant.)
      5. Personal History (CV).
      6. A letter of recommendation from the applicant’s employer and/or supervisor testifying to academic ability and achievements, and confirming the availability of study leave covering the grant period.
      7. A certified copy of the applicant’s university graduation certificate, and a document testifying to the applicant’s academic records in the entire course of study issued by the university concerned. (Both documents should be in English, or be accompanied by an English translation).
      8. A letter with the signature by the host scientist and/or head of host institution confirming the period of stay and the availability of research facilities and materials (the format is free, but an E-mail copy will not be accepted.)
      9. A medical certificate examined and issued within six months from the time of application including infectious diseases.

Screening and notification of result of an application

    • Applications are examined by the Screening Committee of the Foundation on the basis of academic value and the degree of perfection of the research projects.
    • It generally takes several months to complete examination of applications, after which the results will be sent directly to the applicants by the end of December, 2009.
    • The Foundation will send a Grant Letter to successful applicants.
    • The Foundation does not issue announcements concerning the progress of applications under examination, nor will the Foundation respond to inquiries concerning the status of such applications.
    • When the decisions of the of the Screening Committee are announced, the Foundation will neither announce the reasons for the decision nor respond to individuals concerning those reasons.

Fellowship details

    Stipend for research and stay : ¥240,000 yen is provided monthly for the purpose of payment of tuition, expenses for research materials, lodging, meals, transportation, etc.
    Insurance:

    Personal accident insurance with death benefit and medical treatment, and,
    Sickness insurance with death benefit and medical treatment.
    Air Transportation: An economy-class round-trip air nearest the Fellow’s home residence and Tokyo via the most direct route. The provided air-ticket cannot be converted to cash, nor can cash be provided by the Foundation for purchase of an air ticket by any individual or organization other than the Foundation.
    Lump sum on arrival: ¥100,000 yen is provided to assist with the cost of lodging, local travel expenses, etc.