FY2026 JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists: Application Procedure

The FY2026 Application Guidelines for the JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists have been made public on the JSPS website. Applicants should submit their completed application documents through the JSPS Electronic Application System for Research Fellowships by the internal deadline for each fellowship category.

1. Application Eligibility

Applications for the JSPS Research Fellowship Program should be submitted through the host institution. Individual applications are not accepted. Please read carefully the FY2026 JSPS Application Guidelines and the information on the JSPS website. Applicants must ensure that they meet the eligibility and requirements of the application.

(1) Application Guidelines

FY2026 Application Guidelines is available for download from the JSPS website.
◆Research Fellowships for Young Scientists-PD/DC２/DC1 ・ RPD (*PD/RPD Japanese Only)

(2) Application Eligibility

◆

PD Research Fellowship
(Postdoctoral Fellow)

・An applicant who has obtained a doctoral degree in less than 5 years as of April 1, 2026 (not required when submitting the application).
・An applicant must select a host institution from which he/she has not obtained or does not expect to obtain their doctoral degree.
・An applicant who is a Japanese citizen or a foreigner permitted permanent residence in Japan.

◆

RPD Research Fellowship
(Postdoctoral Fellow)

・An applicant who has obtained a doctoral degree as of April 1,2026 (not required when submitting the application).
・An applicant who has suspended his/her research activity longer than 6 weeks to give birth and nurse the children. *For details, please refer to the application guidelines.
・An applicant who is a Japanese citizen or a foreigner who is permitted permanent residence in Japan.

◆

DC Research Fellowship
(Doctoral course Students)

・An applicant (including international students) must be enrolled in a doctoral course at a university in Japan and meet the following criteria as of April 1, 2026.
・[DC1] Enrolled in the 1st year or the equivalent of a doctoral course (enrollment period of less than 12 months). *Those who intend to enroll in April 2026 are also eligible.
・[DC2] Enrolled in the 2nd or 3rd year or the equivalent of a doctoral course (enrollment period of at least 12 months and less than 36 months).

<Reference> Enrollment course at the time of application and DC eligibility chart (as of April,2025)
M1(Mater’s course）	M2(Mater’s course）	D1(Doctoral course）	D2(Doctoral course）	D3(Doctoral course）
×	DC1 〇	DC2 〇	DC2 〇	×
*The only requirement is to meet the eligibility criteria stipulated in JSPS application guidelines on April 1, 2026. Applicants do not need to be enrolled in a university at the time of application.

【Attention for DC Fellowship】

<About Scholarships>

*If students are receiving loans from JASSO are selected as the JSPS DC1 or DC2 Research Fellows, they are required to withdraw from the scholarships.
*If international students who are grantees of the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarships or any foreign government scholarships, etc. are selected for the JSPS DC1 or DC2 Research Fellows, they are required to withdraw from such scholarships.
<About Residence Status for International students>

*The residence status for international students who study and/or research at a university is usually “student.” However, if they are selected for DC Fellows and subsequently extend their stay at the Immigration Services Bureau during their fellowship period, the Bureau may assign them a different status other than “student”.

【PD/RPD Fellowship only: Employment at the Host research institution】

*Yokohama National University (YNU) is registered as a “雇用制度導入機関” under the “Employment Support Program” by JSPS. If an applicant is selected as a JSPS PD or RPD Fellow, he/she will be employed at our institution as a full-time researcher (a position with a fixed-term of employment) according to the employment rules of YNU.

2. Applying Institution

Application should be made through the following institutions.

◆	PD/RPD/DC2 Research Fellowship	The host research institution (The institution with which your prospective host researcher is affiliated).
◆	DC1 Research Fellowship	The graduate school you are enrolled in or have graduated from at the time of application (if you are enrolling in or have graduated from an overseas graduate school, you should apply through the host research institution).

3. Obtain or Confirm your ID and password to use the JSPS Electronic Application System

Applicants should have a valid ID and password to log in to the application system, so please ask your applying institution to issue one.
Applicants for the research fellowships through our institution should fill in their details in the Application form for obtaining an ID and password to issue your ID and password. We will return your ID and password. Applicants going outside our institution should ask your prospective host researcher’s institution to issue your ID and password.

　[Application for your ID and Password] Application form for obtaining an ID and password

◆ If you have already obtained your ID and password, you can use them again this year.
◆ Each person can have one one ID. If you change your affiliated departments, you can still use the same ID.
◆ If you have lost your information, please request a new password using the Application form for obtaining an ID and password (reissue).

4. Prepare Application Documents

Applicants should submit their completed application documents through the application system by the internal deadline for each fellowship.
◆ Download the application content file from the JSPS website and start preparing it (this is ready for you to work immediately).
◆ Once the JSPS Application System is available, log in to the system and enter the application information.
—*—*—*—*—*—*—
When preparing the application document, please read the link below carefully.
◆ Instructions for the application documents and the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows
◆ Operation manual for JSPS Electronic Application System

　[Submit your application documents] JSPS Electronic Application System for Research Fellowships

<Flow of the application procedure>
(1)	Log in to the JSPS Application System	Click “申請者ログイン” and log in to the JSPS Application System using your ID and password.
(2)	Enter your application information	Enter your application information, such as Name, Title of Research Proposal and academic background, etc. ◆ Please enter fields in Japanese. ◆ You cannot request the preparation of evaluation reports until you have completed confirming your application information into the application system. So, you should prepare the application information as soon as possible. ◆ [For DC applicants] How to enter “Academic degrees” fields ⇒ [Entry example]
(3)	Request the preparation of the evaluation report	After entering “(2)”, send a request to your evaluator on the application system. ◆ For more details, please refer to “6-(2) Evaluation Report”.
(4)	Register your application content file (You can work this beforehand.)	Download the application content file from the JSPS website, and provide information on your research purpose and plan, etc. After completing it, convert the file into PDF format and upload the file to the application system. ◆ You can enter your statement in Japanese or English (Use 10 point or higher font). ◆ Do not alter the format described by JSPS.
(5)	Enter your application information for Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows	If you are in need of the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows, please prepare the application documents for the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows on the JSPS application system. ◆ For more details, please refer to “6-(1) Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows (KAKENHI)”.
(6)	Submit your application documents	After you complete step (2)-(5) above, by clicking on the “Check completed/Submit” button.
★URA (University Research Administrator) will correct your application documents. If interested, please contact the email address below. This offer is limited to 20 people. email:kenkyu-kikakuynu.ac.jp

5. Internal Deadlines <Please meet the deadline>

[RPD Research Fellowship] …………… Monday, April 21, 2025, 9:00 a.m.
[PD/DC2/DC1 Research Fellowship] … Friday, May 16, 2025, 9:00 a.m.

6. Notes on the Application Procedures

(1) Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Research Fellows (KAKENHI)

Applications for the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows also must be submitted using the JSPS application system. You can only apply for the the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows at the same time you apply for the JSPS Research Fellowships. Therefore, if you are in need of the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows, be sure to submit the application documents for the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows at this time. Please note that you cannot apply again during the fellowship tenure.

(2) Evaluation Report

When applying for the Research Fellowships, applicants must submit the evaluation report from their evaluator. After entering your information on the application system, please request your evaluator to prepare the evaluation report through the [Manage Application From] screen on the application system. Applicants cannot submit their application documents until the evaluator has completed an evaluation report on the application system. Therefore, you should ask the evaluator to complete the report well in advance of time.

◆	When making a request, please specify the date you wish to receive the evaluation report. It needs to be before the deadline for the submission of your application documents.
◆	After you have requested your evaluator to prepare the evaluation report into the application system, you should confirm that they properly received the request email (there are any cases in which your request email has not been sent to them due to errors in the application system).
◆	If an evaluator has lost their password, please reissue it in the application system. We cannot reissue the evaluator’s password.
◆	Once an evaluator has completed their evaluation report, the application system will send an email to the email address you have provided.

(3) Submission and Revision of Application Documents

◆	We will check your application documents for any typing and formatting errors before submitting them to JSPS. After checking, we may request that you make any necessary corrections. Please check your email regularly.
◆	Please ensure that you resubmit your application documents by the internal deadline provided in the email requesting you to make corrections. As a general rule, we will not re-check them.
◆	All application documents must be submitted to JSPS simultaneously by the host institution. Please note that once application documents have been submitted, JSPS cannot return them under any circumstances.

6. Contact

Research Support Section, Research Promotion Division, Yokohama National University, email: kenkyu.joseiynu.ac.jp
*We accept inquiries about the application via email. Please kindly note that it may take time to reply.

（担当： Research Support Section ）