The JSPS Summer Programme is a two-month research stay in Japan for graduate students and recent PhD holders. It is run by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) together with The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), and it is fully funded. Fellows spend the summer working under a host researcher at a Japanese university or research institute, with an orientation on Japanese culture and Japanese language lessons built in.
Before you get excited, read the nationality rule carefully. This programme is aimed at young researchers from North America and Europe, and most Pakistani students will not qualify on a Pakistani passport alone. It is still worth understanding, especially if you hold dual nationality or are building a research career in one of the partner countries. You can also read the full scholarship details alongside this guide.
The nationality rule decides everything here
Applicants must be citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada or Sweden, or approved equivalents. Pakistan is not on that list. If you are a Pakistani citizen studying in, say, Germany or Canada, your Pakistani nationality on its own does not make you eligible. Check eligibility for your exact nationality and residence status with the nominating authority in the country you would apply through, and do not assume that a study visa or work permit counts.
Who does this realistically suit? A British, Canadian, American, French, German or Swedish citizen of Pakistani origin who is in a graduate programme or finished a PhD recently. Dual nationals in that position should look closely, because the programme is generous for a short stay and it opens a door to longer JSPS fellowships later. If you hold only a Pakistani passport, your time is better spent on schemes that are open to Pakistan. The guide to all Japan scholarships is a better starting point.
The programme in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Duration | Two months during the summer |
| Level | Master's, PhD and postdoctoral researchers |
| Fields | Humanities, social sciences and natural sciences |
| Host country | Japan |
| Deadline | Varies by overseas nominating authority |
| Providers | JSPS and SOKENDAI |
| Official site | JSPS Summer Programme official page |
Where the programme comes from
The Summer Programme is a component of the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan. Its roots go back to two schemes that were transferred to JSPS in 2003: the MEXT Research Experience Fellowship for Young Foreign Researchers and the MEXT/NSF Summer Program. Host institutions now include national, private and public universities, along with national laboratories and other MEXT-specified institutions.
JSPS does not recruit candidates on its own. It works with overseas partners in each country. The partners named are the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France), the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (Germany), the Embassy of Canada in Japan together with the National Research Council Canada (NRC), and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (Sweden). The United States and the United Kingdom are also among the eligible countries, so applicants from those two should find out which body handles nominations there.
What the 534,000 JPY maintenance allowance sits alongside
The funding package covers the main travel and living costs of the two months in Japan:
- A round-trip air ticket
- A maintenance allowance of 534,000 JPY
- Overseas travel insurance
- A research support allowance of up to 158,500 JPY, which is optional
The research support allowance is the part people misunderstand. You do not apply for it yourself. Your host researcher applies for it, and it is optional, so it is not guaranteed money. If your project needs materials, fieldwork or equipment, raise this with your host early and ask whether their institution needs extra paperwork for it.
The maintenance allowance is a single figure for the whole stay, not a monthly stipend, so plan your housing and daily costs around it once you know where you will be based.
Eligibility beyond nationality
Assuming your citizenship fits, the other conditions are:
- You must not hold Japanese nationality.
- You must not hold a residential address in Japan at the time of the application deadline set by the nominating authority.
- You must be enrolled in a university graduate programme, or have obtained a doctoral degree within the past six years (on or after April 2, 2020, with adjustments for parental leave).
- You must get prior acceptance from a host researcher in Japan.
- You must aspire to become a researcher in the future.
- You must not have received a fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan before.
Two of these trip people up. The first is the PhD date. "Within six years" is measured against a specific cut-off date, so check your official award date, not the date you defended or graduated in a ceremony. The second is the Japanese address rule. If you are already living in Japan, or hold a resident card, at the nominating authority's deadline, you are out. The last rule matters too: once you have taken this or another fellowship under the JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research in Japan, you cannot come back for this one.
Finding a host researcher comes first
This is the step that decides whether you have an application at all. You need prior acceptance from a host researcher who is employed full-time at an eligible Japanese university or research institution, and you need it before you submit. Nobody will match you with a host after the fact.
Start by reading recent papers in your area and identifying researchers in Japan whose work connects to yours. Write to them directly with a short, specific message: what you work on, what you want to do in two months, and why their lab fits. Keep the project realistic. Two months is short, and a host is more likely to say yes to a focused piece of work than to an ambitious plan that cannot finish in one summer.
Documents you send to the nominating authority
The document list is short:
- The application form designated by the overseas nominating authority
- A letter of recommendation
Because each nominating authority sets its own form, the exact contents can differ by country. Read the guidelines from the body you are applying through, not a version meant for another country. If you are pulling together academic records and certificates, a general documents checklist for international scholarships helps you keep things organised, but the nominating authority's own instructions always take priority.
How an application moves from you to JSPS
You do not apply to JSPS directly. The route goes through the nominating authority in your country:
- Contact the designated overseas nominating authority in your country and confirm the application procedure and deadline.
- Secure prior acceptance from a host researcher in Japan who is employed full-time at an eligible university or research institution.
- Submit the application form and required documents to the nominating authority of your home country.
- The nominating authority evaluates applications and nominates candidates to JSPS.
- JSPS confirms placement with the host institution and sends a formal letter of invitation to successful applicants.
Why there is no single deadline
The deadline varies by overseas nominating authority, and the opening date also varies. Each partner body runs its own call, so a French applicant and a Canadian applicant can face different dates. The only safe approach is to check with your own nominating authority and confirm the current cycle on the official JSPS portal. Selection is carried out by JSPS and the nominating authorities, and JSPS then confirms host acceptance and issues invitation letters.
Work backwards from your nominating authority's deadline. Host acceptance is the slowest part, because you are waiting on a busy researcher's reply. Leave yourself months, not weeks.
Mistakes that sink otherwise good applications
The most common one is applying to the wrong place. Candidates who send material straight to JSPS, or who follow another country's guidelines, waste a cycle.
The second is leaving the host search too late. Without written acceptance from a host you have nothing to submit, and many researchers will not reply quickly to a cold email.
The third is a loose reading of the six-year window. Check your degree date against the cut-off before you spend time on anything else, and ask the nominating authority if a parental leave adjustment applies to you.
Finally, Pakistani applicants should be honest with themselves about nationality. If you do not hold citizenship of one of the six listed countries, confirm your position with the nominating authority before you contact hosts. Asking a Japanese professor to accept you for a programme you cannot enter is not a good first impression.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for the JSPS Summer Programme?
Not on a Pakistani passport alone. Applicants must be citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada or Sweden, or approved equivalents. If you hold dual nationality with one of those countries, you may qualify. Anyone else should check eligibility for their nationality and status with the relevant nominating authority.
Is the programme only for postdocs?
No. It is open to people enrolled in a university graduate programme as well as those who obtained a doctoral degree within the past six years. Master's, PhD and postdoctoral researchers are all covered.
How much money do fellows receive?
Fellows get a round-trip air ticket, a maintenance allowance of 534,000 JPY, overseas travel insurance and, if the host researcher applies for it, a research support allowance of up to 158,500 JPY.
Do I need a host researcher before applying?
Yes. Prior acceptance from a host researcher in Japan is a condition of eligibility, and the host must be employed full-time at an eligible university or research institution.
Which fields are accepted?
The programme is open across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.
When is the deadline?
It varies by nominating authority. Contact the body in your country for exact dates and confirm the current cycle on the official JSPS portal.
For the latest call and contacts, go to the JSPS Summer Programme official page, and keep the JSPS Summer Programme scholarship page handy for a quick summary.