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Current U.S. Student

United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply.If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a U.S. college or university, you will apply through that institution, even if you are not currently a resident there. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.

U.S. Citizen but not a Student

If you are a U.S. citizen, will hold a bachelor’s degree by the award start date, and do not have a Ph.D. degree, then you are eligible to apply. Non-enrolled applicants should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Candidates with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

The Getting Started page will provide information on eligibility and next steps.

Artist

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program welcomes applications in the creative and performing arts. Arts candidates for the U.S. Student Program should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Artists with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Creative & Performing Arts projects fall under the Study/Research grant category and are available in all countries where Study/Research grants are offered.

FPA

U.S. Professor/Administrator

If you are a U.S. citizen and a professor or administrator at a U.S. institution and are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award, you will need to apply through fulbrightscholars.org.

To support your students in applying for a U.S. Student Program award, please connect with the Fulbright Program Adviser at your institution.

Non U.S. Citizens

If you are a non-U.S. citizen interested in applying for a Fulbright Award to the United States, you will need to apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your home country. Find out more information on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program or Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

Japan

14 Open Study/Research Award for Graduate Students

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
Flexible Start
Grant Length
12 Months
Award Type
Open Study/Research
Award Profile

PhD dissertation research candidates, students enrolled in graduate schools pursuing professional degrees in fields such as law, business, journalism, international relations, public administration, and fine arts or graduates from the above-mentioned professional schools within three years of the time of application, are eligible to apply. Non-Japan Studies specialists or first-timers to Japan must show the feasibility of their proposals and indicate how a research experience in Japan will relate to their career plans.

 

Fulbright Glen S. Fukushima Fund (FGSFF)

The Fund was established in 2022 through a private donation from American Fulbright alumnus Glen S. Fukushima, Vice President of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation and former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. Mr. Fukushima was a 1982-83 Fulbright Graduate Research Fellow to the University of Tokyo.

Following the selection of all American Fulbright grantees going to Japan, one Graduate Research Fellow per year will be competitively awarded the Fulbright-Glen S. Fukushima Fund grant, which will provide the full standard Fulbright Japan grant amount for Americans, plus an additional ¥1,000,000 in stipends.

Grant Length
12 Months
Grant Period
Flexible Start

Grants may begin at any date from July 2024 through March 2025. Awards for PhD dissertation grantees may be extended for a maximum of six months in two three-month iterations, depending on availability of funds and subject to satisfactory justification and progress. Applicants who think their work will require more than one year should include justification in their research proposals.

Orientation
In-Country Orientation

Individual briefing upon arrival in Japan.

Eligibility
Dual citizens of this country are NOT eligible
Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant
Indicate how many months is considered residency:
3 Months

Candidates living in Japan may apply only if they are studying Japanese language full-time and have not otherwise been studying or conducting research or been employed in the immediate past in Japan.

Applicants with completed doctorates at the time of the start of the award are not eligible.

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Foreign Language Proficiency
Required - Intermediate

At least two years of college-level study, or equivalent, is required prior to commencing the grant. Higher level proficiency may be necessary depending on the requirements of the proposed project. Japan Studies specialists who plan to conduct advanced research must have the necessary language skills.

Fulbright Proposal Types
Independent Study/Research:
Yes
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
No
Affiliation
Independent Study/Research:
Letter required for independent study or research at deadline

Applicants must identify appropriate host institutions for their projects and include affiliation letters with their Fulbright applications. The Fulbright Commission will confirm final affiliations for candidates awarded Fulbright grants.

Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Affiliation Fees/Tuition covered in grant benefits

An allowance to cover the mandatory affiliation fees for one university will be provided.

Dependents
Dependent financial support is available
Fields of Study

Social science and humanities applications will be considered in the following five areas:

1.  Japan Studies
Study of the society and culture of Japan through such fields as history, political science, economics, law, journalism, literature, and sociology.

2. Japan-U.S. Relations in the Indo-Pacific
Study of contemporary social, political, economic, and security issues between Japan and the U.S. in relation with the Indo-Pacific region. With prior approval of the Commission, up to 2 months, typically at the end of grant, may be spent in a third country in the Indo-Pacific region, if the research justifies it.

3. Critical Issues of Contemporary Society
Study of contemporary social issues in Japan and the United States. Subjects of particular interest include risk or crisis management, ethical and other issues of rapid technological development, urbanization, the family, aging society, economic disparity, and criminology.

4. Global Issues
Study of issues occurring on a global scale. Subjects of particular interest include public health, trade, labor and mobility, migration, environment, energy, diversity and inclusion, demographic issues and other related topics to the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

5. Education
Study of contemporary issues for all levels of educational systems in Japan and the United States. A comparative perspective is encouraged. Subjects of particular interest include all aspects of internationalization, global skill competency development, foreign language acquisition, structural and curricular reform, and the role of education in society.

Applications will also be accepted in the fields of architecture, creative writing, design, painting, and sculpture.

Japanese Language Proposal

Applicants MUST submit a one-page Statement of Grant Purpose in Japanese in addition to the two-page English version. Both documents should be uploaded in the correlating fields in the Fulbright online application. The translated document should be uploaded as a PDF document.

Fulbright Program Management Contact
FBstudent.EAP@iie.org
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
https://www.fulbright.jp/eng/index.html