The Fellowship Program is a support program for overseas researchers who want to research in Japan. 

Eligibility Requirements 

Applicants of non-Japanese nationality who meet all the following requirements are eligible to submit application documents:

• Applicants must obtain an invitation (acceptance) letter from a host institution in Japan prior to application.  
• Applicants must hold Ph.D. (Doctoral degree).  
• Applicants must be at the age of 49 years old or younger at the time of application. 
• Applicants must have sufficient English or Japanese languages ability.
• Applicants should not have past or current experiences of staying in Japan. (other than short-term stays such as for sightseeing or conferences)  
• Applicants must have an occupation in their home countries, return there upon completing their fellowship tenure, and should contribute to development of their own country 

Research Fields

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

Fellowship Period

Six months between April 2024 to March 2025.  

Please indicate the commencing and ending month in your Application Form (Form #1). (E.g., Six months from September 2024 to February 2025.) 

*The fellowship will be granted only within the period specified in the grant letter, which cannot be extended or shortened. 

Host Institution in Japan

Applicants are free to choose a host institution in Japan (universities, national research institutions, or the equivalent facilities in private sector) to carry out their research.  

Please be sure to obtain a letter of acceptance from the host institution prior to application.  

The MIF is not in a position to give advice or recommendations to applicants regarding host institutions in Japan. 

Fellowship Details

The following financial supports are provided to successful applicants. 
Fellowships are provided to the successful applicants only, and intended for necessary living expenses and research activities in Japan. Under no circumstances, this fellowship is transferable.

*The results will be announced on the MIF website in November 2023. 

Application Documents

The following documents must be submitted as PDFs to the International Affairs Office via Email (relaciones.internacionalestp.ac.pa)  Please do not combine all documents into one PDF.  

All documents must be typed in English. Inadequate documents will not be accepted. 

The following will be automatically rejected without notice:  

• Emails over 10 MB in size.
• Emails with attachments with file extensions other than “PDF.” 
• Emails with attachments in any compressed format such as “zip” or “rar.”  
• Emails including any program files or downloadable links. 

1. Application Form: Please download the application form from the link below. An ID photograph taken within the past three months must be attached. 
   Please make sure that the form is filled out precisely. Application Form (WORD, 40.53 KB)
2. Research Plan: You must submit a research plan containing the following:  
   (a) The content, purpose and methodology of the research 
   (b) The road map of the research project 
   (c) The benefit the research project will bring to your home country 
   (a) and (b) should be described in detail based on discussions with your host professor/scholar in Japan.
3. Curriculum Vitae (CV) and List of Publications: Regarding the list of publications, please precisely include the authors and titles of the publications, as well as the name of the journal, page(s), and year of publication in the list. Please also clearly highlight the title of the publication related to the research project that you intended to conduct in Japan.
4. Recommendation Letter: Recommendation Letter must be from your current home institution (employer) and written on its letterhead. 
   It should testify to your academic ability and achievements and confirm the availability of study leave during your fellowship period. 
5. Soft copies of Academic Certificates / Diplomas for Ph.D., Master´s, and Bachelor´s Degrees: If these documents are not available in English, please attach English translations (Self-translations are not acceptable).
6. Invitation Letter: Invitation Letter must be from and signed by your host professor/scholar in Japan. 
   The letter must show whether they agree to your fellowship period and the research project as well as to grant the use of facilities and arrange your accommodations during the fellowship. 

*A letter that is not written on the letterhead of the host institution and not signed by the host scholar will not be accepted. 

< To host professors/scholars in Japan > 
Please include the following information in your letter. 
(1) Full name 
(2) Institutional affiliation (including department and faculty) 
(3) Contact information (postal code, address, telephone, Email address) 
You can write your letter in either English or Japanese. However, please be sure to write (1) and (2) in both English and Japanese. 
Please send the applicant your signed letter via Email so that they can include it with their application documents. 

Contacts

For further information please contact us at our e-mail: [email protected]