BRIDGE Fellowship Application

** FY 2021 BRIDGE program cancelled - please see this announcement **

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) provides opportunities for overseas researchers who have conducted research activities under JSPS International Fellowships for Research in Japan or other JSPS programs to come back to Japan to create, sustain and/ or strengthen research collaborations with Japanese colleagues. The objective is to build strong networks among researchers in Japan and other countries through a variety of activities. These include former JSPS fellows visiting their past host institutions in Japan, or coming to Japan to plan or implement joint research projects and seminars, to offer training or lectures for young researchers, or to prepare or attend scientific conferences and research meetings.

Researchers invited to Japan under this fellowship program are called “BRIDGE Fellows.” Based on applications by individual researchers, candidates are recommended to JSPS’s Head Office by JSPS alumni associations and JSPS overseas offices or the JSPS-designated official in the Japanese Embassy for countries without a JSPS overseas office. Hereinafter a JSPS overseas office or a JSPS-designated official in a Japanese Embassy will be commonly referred to as a “JSPS office,” and the alumni association and JSPS office as “alumni association/ JSPS office.”

BRIDGE Fellowship Overview

A BRIDGE Fellowship visit period can range from 14 to 30 consecutive days - The available start date of the fellowship would be between July 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. All offices in Japan are officially closed during the period between December 29, 2020, and January 3, 2021 (6 days). As researchers may not be able to carry out their activities at Japanese universities/research institutions during this period, it should not be included in your BRIDGE tenure. Also, during the Olympics (July 22– August 9, 2020) and Paralympics period (August 25 – September 6, 2020), it may be difficult to book lodging in the areas where host institutions are located due to crowding.

The terms of a BRIDGE Fellowship award (subject to change) are:

(1) A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations). JSPS cannot reimburse BRIDGE Fellows for a ticket that they have purchased by themselves.
(2) Daily maintenance allowance of ¥13,000.
(3) Research support allowance of up to JPY 100,000.
(4) Overseas travel insurance coverage. When the applicant would like to use the research support allowance, the host researcher will need to apply for it through his/her host institution. Please see the rules for the research support allowance in the Program Guidelines issued upon your selection and in additional notices to be issued.

Approximately 6 members of US JSPS Alumni Association will be awarded in FY2020.

BRIDGE Fellow Eligibility / Applicable Fields / Prior Awardees

A researcher must meet the following requirements. Researchers who have already been supported under the BRIDGE Fellowship Program within the last 5 years (FY2015-FY2019) are ineligible for this award.

(1) Be a researcher who has experienced research in Japan under a JSPS program and who is currently a regular member of one of the officially recognized 20 JSPS alumni associations.
(2) Be a researcher who is employed as an active researcher working at a university or a research institute.
(3) Agreement by host researcher to all seven items of support stipulated in Form B (Agreement by Host Researcher).

All fields of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences are included under this fellowship program. Please click here to view a list of prior BRIDGE Fellowship awardees history by year.

How to Apply for the BRIDGE Fellowship

Please see the Application Guidelines for complete details. Screening criteria for the selection are found here.

Application forms should be submitted by the applicant to the JSPS Washington Office by email.

Email:   bridgefellowship [at] jspsusa.org
Subject line: BRIDGE Fellowship

Please submit following documents for your application:

1) APPLICATION FOR JSPS BRIDGE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (Form A) *
2) Agreement by Host Researcher (Form B)
3) Applicant’s CV and publication list (in any format) **
4) Contribution to alumni association (If any) ( Appendix A ) **
* Form A needs applicant’s signature. E-signature is also acceptable.
** JSPS Washington Office requests 3) and 4) independently.

You will receive a confirmation of receipt for your application. If you did not receive a confirmation,
please contact the JSPS Washington Office.

Recruitment / Application Deadline

Recruitment is now open; the deadline for BRIDGE Fellowship applications is January 10, 2020. If you have any questions, please contact the JSPS Washington Office at bridgefellowship [at] jspsusa.org.  More information about the BRIDGE Fellowship is also available from the JSPS Tokyo website.