Frequently Asked Questions: Japan Foundation Indo-Pacific Partnership Program (JFIPP) Research Fellowship
Applicant Criteria
1. I do not have nationality or possess citizenship of Japan, Australia, India, nor the U.S.A. Am I eligible?
If you have at least five years of strong and serious professional experience at an institution in one of these four countries, you can still be eligible.
2. I am researcher at a think-tank. Am I eligible?
If you hold a Ph.D. , the highest academic degree in their field of expertise, or a Master’s Degree with five or more years of professional work experience in a field related to their proposed research.
3. I am a government employee. Am I eligible?
Yes, you are eligible under the condition that you will not be violating any laws or regulations of your country by receiving a fellowship from the Japan Foundation (JF).
4. Are joint research projects eligible? If so, can we apply as a group?
Joint research projects are eligible, but group applications are not. The JFIPP Research Fellowship is intended to support an individual researcher, regardless of whether that individual is working alone or in collaboration with others. Thus, a fellowship cannot be accepted by an individual on behalf of a group.
5. I have read the JFIPP Research Fellowship Guidelines and FAQ, but I still have questions. How can I contact the Japan Foundation?
You can reach us via email at JFIPP_research＠jpf.go.jp .
(When sending an e-mail, please replace the full-width "＠" with a half-width character.)
6. The program guidelines state that "Applicants... must have at least five years of strong and serious professional experience." If I have retired from a full-time position and only have part-time status, am I still eligible?
The criteria you are referring to in the program guidelines is: “Applicants... must have at least five years of strong and serious professional experience at an institution in one of these four countries.” Please refer to the guidelines to see all the criteria in its entirety. Applicants with citizenship/nationality in Japan, India, Australia, and the U.S.A. and have a research or activity base of at least five years in one of the four designated countries are eligible to apply for the fellowship, whether they are employed full-time or on a part-time status.
7. I am not affiliated with any institution in Japan, Australia, India, or the United States, but I was based there in the past. Am I eligible for this program?
This program is primarily open to citizens of Japan, Australia, India, or the United States, as well as to individuals who, at the time of application, are based in one of these countries with five or more years of strong and serious professional experience, accumulated up to the present, at an institution in one of the four countries.
Thus, if you hold citizenship in one of these countries and have the required degree or experience, you are eligible to apply. However, if you have prior professional experience in these countries but not based in an institution in any of these countries at the time of application, and do not hold their citizenship, you are unfortunately not eligible for the program at this time.
Please also note that time spent obtaining an academic degree is not considered professional experience.
8. Is there age limit for application?
There is no age limit for applying if the applicant meets all requirements in full.
Application Process
1. How should I fill 6. Collaborators in Application Form (Form C), if I am unable to complete arrangements with local collaborators and/or host institutions by the submission deadline? Will the JF assist applicants in making arrangements with local collaborators and/or host institutions?
Please provide the current status of your arrangements with your local collaborator/host in the Application Form by selecting the appropriate response. At least one collaborator must be designated as 'Confirmed' or 'In Negotiation' for each Fellowship Period. Fellows are responsible for making their own arrangements with local collaborators and/or host institutions in their countries where they will conduct their research. If the fellowship awarded to the applicant, the fellow may be asked to report on the result (s) of the arrangement(s).
2. What kind of evidence will be acceptable if I am asked to submit additional documentation to prove adequate language proficiency in order to complete the project?
Some of the ways to provide evidence is to provide a copy of the certificate of language proficiency, or an evaluation (free format) by a person who is professionally qualified to assess your language competency to carry out the research project.
3. Can I insert figures, images, etc. and/or change the formatting of the Project Statement Form（Form B）?
Please refrain from changing the formatting on any of the application forms, including the Project Statement Form.
4. Are there any requirements for the two references?
References letters should be submitted by one individual with expertise in the applicant's research area, and by another who is qualified to provide an evaluation of the project's feasibility.
5. Can one of the Reference Letters be from researcher(s) at the host institution(s)? Or do both letters need to be from outside the host institution(s)?
Researchers at your host institution(s) can serve as referees.
Research Collaborators, Research Host Institutions
1. Do I need to obtain official confirmation from the host institutions abroad that they will provide IDs (for access to libraries, etc.) and otherwise support my research activities by the application deadline (June 16)?
Applicants do not need to secure official confirmation of facility access from the collaborators/host institutions by the application deadline. We ask applicants to note the “Status of Request” with regard to the Collaborators/Host Institution by utilizing the Information on Applicant and Project Proposal (Form C). Applicants should select from “Confirmed/In Negotiation/Not Contacted,” as best fits their status at the time of application. At least one collaborator must be designated as 'Confirmed' or 'In Negotiation' for each Fellowship Period. If you would like to provide additional context on your specific situation, for example, you are in the process of requesting support but find it difficult to get official confirmation by the application deadline, you may do so in the “Project Information Form”. Please be aware that the JF may contact the collaborators and/or host institutions to confirm the "Status of Request”. The research collaborators and collaborating/host institutions are an important factor in evaluating the effectiveness of the applicant's research plan.
2. Is it necessary for me to be affiliated with a research institution abroad (host organization) in addition to having a research collaborator?
It is not strictly necessary for applicants to be affiliated with host organizations in the destination countries as long as they have the collaborators necessary to complete their research plan successfully. Any research collaborator(s) (and/or host institution(s)) considered necessary to ensure the feasibility of the research plan is acceptable. In your application materials, please explain in detail, to the extent possible, how you will achieve your research goals, by including information on methods and collaborators.
Application Results
1. How will I be informed of the results of my application?
Notification will be sent to you via the email address indicated in Form C in November 2025. The JF will not inform your referees and/or collaborators of the results of your application.
2. What are the next steps after being awarded a JFIPP Research Fellowship?
The awardee will be contacted by the JF and requested to submit some additional documents such as additional documents/ forms provided by the JF, and a copy of your passport, etc. As you may not be notified about the results of your application until November 2025, please be advised of the timeline and plan for your travel accordingly.
3. Will the total of estimated 15 (fifteen) fellowships be selected from both Japanese and non-Japanese applicants?
Yes, the estimated fifteen awardees includes both Japanese and non-Japanese applicants. The number of awards may fluctuate somewhat in accordance with the number of applications.
Conditions for receiving the fellowship and how funds can be used (e.g., in relation to salary, other grants, etc.)
1. Am I allowed to receive other scholarship(s) and/or fellowship(s) concurrently with the JFIPP Fellowship?
Fellows may not receive any other scholarship or fellowship covering expenses for the same period(s) supported by the JFIPP Research Fellowship. However, fellows are allowed to divide the JFIPP Research Fellowship period in two blocks and receive other fellowship(s) if the other support does not overlap with periods supported by the JFIPP Research Fellowship.
2. If my home institution does not allow me to take a leave of absence for the fellowship and I would need to resign to conduct the fellowship research, is it possible for me to receive the fellowship even though I will no longer have a home institution affiliation?
In principle, the lack of a principal place of work does not preclude an applicant from receiving a fellowship. However, since the place of work is an important factor in determining the applicant's base of activities, in such cases, if the applicant has resigned, the organization where the applicant worked until immediately before the resignation will be used when determining the applicant's base of activities.
3. Can I receive other grant(s) concurrently with the fellowship if these other grant(s) do not support travel and accommodation expenses? For example, I am considering applying for other grants (e.g. Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research) with the same research topic.
In principle, receiving other grants concurrent with the JFIPP Research Fellowship are allowed if they do not overlap and support the same line items earmarked for the same purposes.
4. Can I receive the fellowship while I am on paid leave from work (for example, during the university summer and/or winter breaks)? Is it necessary to take an unpaid leave of absence while I am on the fellowship?
The JFIPP Research Fellowship is not contingent on being unpaid. Therefore, you can receive the fellowship even if you are receiving a salary.
Fellowship period, country of stay, etc.
1. Am I allowed to conduct research in destinations other than Japan, Australia, India, and the U.S.? Is there a list of destinations that are allowed?
The JFIPP Research Fellowship requires non-Japan based fellows to spend at least half the fellowship tenure period in Japan; Japan-based fellows must spend at least half of their tenure in one of the other three destinations (Australia, India, and the U.S.A.). Fellows are allowed to conduct research in other destinations for the remainder of their fellowship. Please see Appendix A for a Table of regional categories for the other eligible destinations.
2. In the guidelines, it says that “...proposals must include at least two countries for research activities other than the applicant’s country of origin.” For example, if I stayed in the U.S. for six months and only stayed in India for one week, would that fulfil the requirement?
There is no minimum length of stay for the multi-country requirement, such as one month in each country. However, this program aims to establish a new international intellectual network by inviting applicants to conduct research in two or more countries. When reviewing the applications, we will consider whether the location and duration of multiple stays are necessary and reasonable in the context of the proposed research plan and goals.
3. My permanent affiliation is with a research institute in Japan, but I am currently with an institution in Australia on a temporary basis. While I will be in Australia at the time of application, I will have returned to Japan by the start of the fellowship. Given these circumstances, would there be a need for me to stay in Japan for half of the period of the fellowship to satisfy the tenure requirements of the fellowship?
For the purposes of this program, “base country” refers to the country where the applicant lives when submitting the application or, if the applicant is residing in a country on a fixed-term, temporary basis, it is where the applicant has at least five years of strong and serious professional experience at an institution. The JFIPP Research Fellowship covers activities conducted in the country outside of your base country. In your case, as your permanent position is with an institution in Japan and are only in Australia on a temporary basis, your base is Japan even if you happen to be in Australia at the time of application. So, based on the fellowship requirements, you would be required to stay in two countries other than Japan during the fellowship.
4. How is the total duration of the fellowship period calculated if it is divided into two blocks? For example, if I am based in Japan and I go to India from February through March 2026 and then to Australia from August through September 2026, would the fellowship duration be from February through September 2026 or would it only be for the times I am abroad?
As stated in the guidelines, the JFIPP Research Fellowship is for activities outside the country in which you are based. Therefore, in your scenario, if your base is in Japan, and you will be in India for two months from February to March, in Australia for two months from August to September, and you return to Japan from April through July, the fellowship duration will be from February to March and from August to September. You will not be on the fellowship from April to July when you are back in Japan.
5. I have Japanese citizenship and am currently based outside of Japan. Regarding the requirement that “At least half of the fellowship tenure period must be in Japan for non-Japan-based fellows or in one of the other three countries (India, Australia, or the U.S.A.) for Japan-based fellows”, given my situation, can I stay in Japan for half of the fellowship?
Since you are based outside of Japan, in principle, the JFIPP Research Fellowship requires you to stay in Japan for at least half of your fellowship period and then stay in at least one other country, other than your base country, for the remainder of your fellowship. Japanese nationals may alternatively choose to stay in India, Australia, or the U.S.A. (excluding the base country) for half (or more) of their fellowship period, if it is necessary for their research plan.
6. Is the maximum 12-month duration for the fellowship the total length of stay in two or more countries other than base country?
Yes. The JFIPP Research Fellowship is for activities outside of your base country. If you divide the fellowship period into two periods (outside your base country), the two periods combined as a total cannot exceed 12 months.
Research themes and activity plans
1. My research will focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Would a research plan that includes the Indo-Pacific and other parts of the world fit with the program’s objectives?
Such a project would still fit with the program’s objectives. Although we aim to build an intellectual network in the Indo-Pacific region, research themes are not limited to the Indo-Pacific region, and research plans combining other regions are also eligible, this can include global issues or issues shared by the Indo-Pacific and other regions of the world such as Indo-Pacific and Europe.
2. Regarding the “Field of Research”, do we have to conduct research on policies in which the four countries (Japan, Australia, India, and the U.S.A.) cooperate? For example, would it be acceptable to conduct research on relations among the four countries and analyze the implications for Japan's foreign policy in the future?
There is no requirement that projects focus on collaboration between the four countries, but one of the goals of this program is to promote regional connectivity and collaboration on current and future issues facing the region and the world, so some element of collaboration is expected.
3. If my research project covers the Indo-Pacific region, but not Japan, is it still eligible? Is it necessary to focus on issues that are also relevant to Japan?
The purpose of this program is to promote international research on shared or common issues in the Indo-Pacific region, including Japan, so please focus on issue(s) that are relevant to Japan.
4. Is this program designated for the projects of social sciences?
Interdisciplinary proposals that crosscut traditional boundaries (e.g. Humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, etc.) are welcomed, provided that they are policy-oriented and address current and future issues facing the Indo-Pacific region.
Obligations of Fellowship Recipients
1. Who is responsible for obtaining all necessary visa(s)?
Fellows are responsible for obtaining all necessary visa(s). For Japan visas, the JF shall provide supporting documents (either in English or Japanese) for visa applications but will not cover the cost of obtaining the visa(s) or submit applications on behalf of Fellows. Please check the requirements for each relevant country and allow sufficient time for the application process(es).
2. Will the JF assist with making housing arrangements?
Fellows are responsible for arranging their own housing in consultation with their collaborators at each destination. The JF is unable to serve as a guarantor for Fellows when renting apartments and houses.
Other general information about the program
1. What are the plans for this program beyond this round?
This program was conceived with plans to continue beyond this round, but at this time we are unable to give an estimate for how long it might continue. We will consider and plan for the next round and beyond, including implementing any revisions as necessary, based on the experience and results from this and previous round,.
2. Can applicants request comments on individual applications from the JF before submission？
No. The JF will not comment on individual applications beforehand.
3. How is the selection carried out?
The JF reviews the applications based on an established set of criteria for eligibility. Then the applications are sent to the International Advisory Committee for the JFIPP Research Fellowship for further review. The members of the Committee are here.
