External Funding

Funding for Summer Language Study

• Critical Language Scholarship: Funded by the US State Department, Critical Language Scholarship provides funding for intermediate and advanced summer intensive language study at designated programs.  For Summer 2013, the Japanese program takes place at Doshisha University in Kyoto.  Intermediate (equivalent to UM third year) and advanced (equivalent to UM 4th year) levels are available.  Deadline: November 20, 2013.
• Katherine Davis Fellowship for Peace for summer intensive study of Japanese language at the Middlebury Japanese School.  The fellowship will cover the full cost of one summer of language study from the beginner to the graduate level.  Deadline: February 1 annually.

Funding for the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (IUC)

• Blakemore Foundation Fellowships for advanced language study in the 10-month program at IUC.  Deadline: late December annually.
• Nippon Foundation Fellowship for PhD students in Japanese Studies to enroll in the 10-month program at IUC.  Provides full tuition and modest living stipend.  Apply through IUC; application forms posted on the IUC website.  Deadline: December 13, 2013.
• Boren Fellowship for International Study provides up to $30,000 for graduate students to add an important international and language component to their graduate education through specialization in area study, language study, or increased language proficiency. Boren Fellowships support study and research in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and developing proficiency in less commonly taught languages.  Applicants must be US citizens and must agree to a NSEP service requirement.  Deadline: January 28, 2014.

Information on funding for language study in Japan may be found in the Funding for Language Study section.

Funding for Study Abroad in Japan

• Mombukagakusho Scholarships, from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology (MEXT).  The local contact for information and application is the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit.  Several different types of scholarships are available, including:
  • Undergraduate Student Scholarship: up to five years of funding to enroll in a Japanese university to pursue an undergraduate degree
  • Research Student Scholarship: up to two years of funding for graduate students to study at a Japanese university as a research student
  • Japanese Studies Scholarship: for undergraduate students in Japanese Studies to enroll in a study abroad program in Japan
• Fulbright Fellowships for students, administered by the Institute for International Education on behalf of the US Department of State, offer opportunities to study and conduct research in Japan.  More information at the website us.fulbrightonline.org.  Graduate students as well as graduating seniors may apply.  Current students at the University of Michigan apply through the International Institute.  Deadline: pre-registration deadline in August, application deadline in early September annually.
• Japanese Association of University Women offers International Fellowships for women to carry out independent research or advanced study at the graduate level.  Deadline: April annually.
• Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA), administered by the Institute for International Education provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents studying at the undergraduate level at a two-year or four-year college or university who demonstrate financial need.

Funding for Dissertation Fieldwork Research in Japan

• The Japan Foundation provides funding for doctoral students for up to 12 months of research in Japan.  Deadline: November 1 annually.
• Mombukagakusho Scholarship, from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology.  The local contact for information and application is the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit.  The Research Student Scholarship, which enables graduate students to enroll as a research student (kenkyusei) at a Japanese university for up to two years, may be used for dissertation research.
• Fulbright Fellowships for students, administered by the Institute for International Education on behalf of the US Department of State, offer opportunities to study and conduct research in Japan.  More information at the website us.fulbrightonline.org.  Graduate students as well as graduating seniors may apply.  Current students at the University of Michigan apply through the International Institute.  Deadline: pre-registration deadline in August, application deadline in early September annually.
• Fulbright-Hayes Fellowship for Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad provide support for 6-12 months of fieldwork in Japan for doctoral students in non-Western area studies.  This fellowship is funded by the US Department of Education, but current University of Michigan students apply through the International Institute.
• Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship administered by the Social Science Research Council supports dissertation research in the humanities and social sciences that is empirical and site-specific that advances knowledge about non-US cultures and societies.  This fellowship provides for 9 to 12 months of field research.  Deadline: early November annually.
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowships are administered by the Japan Program of the Social Science Research Council.  Doctoral students within two years of degree completion are eligible for short term (1 to 12 months) fellowships.
• The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) offers Mellon Fellowships for Dissertation Research in Original Sources, which provides 9-12 months of support for full time dissertation research using original sources at libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and related repositories in the US and abroad.  Open to non-US citizens;  applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral program in a graduate school in the United States.
• The Metropolitan Center for Far Eastern Art Studies in Kyoto, Japan, offers support for fieldwork on East Asian art for doctoral candidates.  Applicants must have completed all PhD degree requirements except the dissertation.  Postmark deadline: December 31.
• Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Grants to Individuals in East and Southeast Asian Archaeology and Early History offers Dissertation Fellowships to graduate students at US or Canadian institutions for research in East or Southeast Asia, or if research is complete, for writing the dissertation in North America.  This fellowship is administered by the American Council of Learned Societies.  Deadline: November annually.
• Japanese Association of University Women offers International Fellowships for women to carry out independent research or advanced study at the graduate level.  Deadline: April annually.

Funding for Library and Museum Research

• The Northeast Asia Council (NEAC) of the Association for Asian Studies provides funding to related to dissertation research for PhD candidates for research travel to museums, archives, and library collections in the US.
• Columbia University Libraries (including the C. V. Starr East Asian Library): Libraries Research Awards Program
• Harvard-Yenching Library: Travel Grant Program
• Library of Congress: Florence Tan Moeson Fellowship Program
• Triangle Center for Japanese Studies (Duke University Library; Ackland Museum of Art, UNC Chapel Hill; Gregg Museum of Art and Design, North Carolina State University): Travel Grant Program

Funding for Conference Travel

• Modern Languages Association provides Graduate Student Travel Grant to qualified PhD candidates for travel to the MLA Convention.

• Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships intended to support doctoral students in the humanities and the related social sciences in their final year of dissertation writing.  The fellowship is administered by the American Council of Learned Societies. Deadline: early October annually.
• Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Grants to Individuals in East and Southeast Asian Archaeology and Early History offers Dissertation Fellowships to graduate students at US or Canadian institutions for research in East or Southeast Asia, or if research is complete, for writing the dissertation in North America.  This fellowship is administered by the American Council of Learned Societies.  Deadline: November annually.
• Woodrow Wilson Dissertation Fellowship in Women's Studies provides support for final year of dissertation writing for PhD candidates in the humanities and the social sciences conducting original and significant research about women that crosses disciplinary, regional, or cultural boundaries and whose work addresses topics of women and gender in interdisciplinary and original ways.  Deadline: October 15.
• Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship in religion and ethics provides 9-12 months of support to encourage original and significant study of ethical or religious values in all fields of the humanities and social sciences.  Deadline: November 15.
• Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowships provide 9-12 months of support for PhD research in a variety of disciplines in the humanities,  social sciences, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).  US citizenship, permanent residency, or deferred action status (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) required.  Deadline: November 15.
• Smith Richardson Predoctoral Fellowships, awarded by the International Security Studies (ISS) program at Yale University provides one academic year of funding for up to two students.  Students must be in residence in New Haven during the fellowship year and must make substantial progress toward completing their dissertation.  No teaching during the fellowship year; no citizenship requirement.  Deadline: First Friday of April.

Fellowships in Japanese Studies

Fellowships in the United States

• Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies offers Harvard Postdoctoral Fellowships to recent PhDs in Japanese studies to turn their dissertations into publishable manuscripts.  Deadline: January annually.
• Program in US-Japan Relations, Weatherhead Center on International Affairs, Harvard University offers postdoctoral fellowships to social scientists.  Deadline: January 15.
• Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Japanese Religions and Culture (CJRC) and the School of Religion at the University of Southern California.  Field of specialization: Japanese religions.  Deadline: January 1.
• Shorenstein Postdoctoral Fellows in Contemporary Asia-Pacific Studies at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University.  The primary focus of the fellowship is on contemporary political, economic, or social change in the Asia-Pacific region (including Northeast, Southeast, and South Asia), or topics in international relations and international political economy.  Send questions and application materials to: shorensteinfellowships@stanford.edu.  Deadline: December 31.

Fellowships Outside US and Japan

• Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Fellowships at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, the United Kingdom.  One year fellowship and short term (3-6 months) fellowship are available.  Deadline: March 1.

Fellowships for Research in Japan

• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowships are administered by the Japan Program of the Social Science Research Council (for humanities and social sciences) and the National Science Foundation (sciences, including some social sciences).  Both short term (1-12 months) and long term (12-24 months) fellowship are available.  Deadline: December 1 annually.

Fellowships in Related Disciplines

• Weatherhead Initiative on Global History Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University.  Deadline: January 15.
• Postdoctoral Fellowships at the University of Pittsburgh Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences for recent PhD recipients in the humanities and the social sciences.  Deadline: March 1.
• Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Comparative World History at Colby College.  PhD in history within last four years required.  Deadline: January 7.
• Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities at the Johns Hopkins University.  Deadline: November 14.
• University of Southern California Provosts Postdoctoral Scholars in the Humanities.  Deadline: November 15.
• Princeton University Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts postdoctoral fellowships for recent PhDs in the humanities and allied social sciences.  Deadline: October 1.
• Andrew W. Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellows at the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities (IPRH) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for recent PhDs.  Deadline: October 29.
• University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for women and minority PhD recipients in all disciplines to pursue academic careers at University of California.  Deadline: November 1.
• Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship Program offers two years of support for recent PhDs in the social sciences working on topics in security, development or governance.  Deadline: November 15.
• Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships provide one year of stipend support for postdoctoral research at a non-profit institution of research (university, museum, or other research facility) normally in the US.  US citizenship, permanent residency, or deferred action status (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) required.  Deadline: November 15.
• James Smithson Postdoctoral Fellowship for scholarly research in the sciences, humanities and the arts at the Smithsonian Institution.  Deadline: January 15.
• Yale University's Henry Chauncey Jr. '57 Postdoctoral Fellowships, administered jointly by the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy and International Security Studies program, offers one or more fellowships for research and teaching in "grand strategy" broadly defined.  Award is for one academic year, with possibility of renewal for a second year by mutual agreement of fellow and program.  Fellows are expected to conduct their own research and teach at least one course.  Deadline: First Friday of April.

Online Lists of Grants and Fellowships Related to Japan

Association for Asian Studies, the professional association for scholars of Asia, keeps a list of grants, fellowships and prizes related to Asian Studies.  Not all items listed are intended for students, so check the eligibility guidelines for each item carefully.

U-M Library Resources

U-M's Hatcher Graduate Library has several resources that can help students find grants and fellowships for a variety of purposes.  Library staff are also available to assist in using these resources by conducting workshops and providing individual assistance by appointment. Please note that access to some resources may be limited to those with U-M library privileges.

Research Guide on foundations and grants, including information on resources available and contact information for library staff.